As technology advances, the accessibility of porn has increased. We know that many young people in Ireland are consuming porn.
The recent My World Survey, a study of young people in Ireland, had relevant results on this. It found that almost two-thirds of young adults had watched pornography on the internet.
Lockdown life since March 2020 brought about many changes for all of us. The easing of restrictions may be very welcome but can bring some feelings of anxiety along with them.
One of the biggest changes for the last year was our social interactions. The on-again off-again seeing people outside the home, led to some creative ways to stay connected. But, it has been a challenge for many to not be able to visit their support systems.
If someone told you last Christmas about an impending global pandemic, where people were encouraged to stay at home you would have thought it was science fiction.
Faced with challenging times, we can look for different options to help. Sometimes it’s good to work out what we need in the moment and at that time for support. Other times it can be good to plan for things to look forward to, or work out what’s important to us for the future.
We asked some of our young volunteers around Ireland about what they were looking forward to and wanted to share some of these with you.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of our volunteers mention friends and family.
I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and friends after lockdown. Aisling O’ (18) Meath
Seeing my friends and going shopping. Amina Abdallgany (17) Meath
I am excited to see and spend time with my friends and family. Annemarie Driver (20) Meath
Going back to work, seeing my family and friends. Emily (18) Donegal
Seeing my friends. Daragh Nerney
Being able to go see my granny, friends and extended family members. Ruth O’Dea, Clare/Galway
Hugging my nieces and seeing my family and friends. Visiting my boyfriend whom I haven’t seen in over 4 months. Keith Judge (24) Dublin
Seeing my nana and giving her a hug. I saw her everyday after work and I miss that. Nicola (19) Dublin
I cannot wait to see my friends and family when this is all over! My godson was born the first week of lockdown so I am yet to meet him! This young volunteer has chosen to be anonymous.
Spending time with my friends. Yvonne (24) Limerick
I’m most looking forward to giving all my family and friends and big hug and spending time with them again. Mark (22) Dublin
Hi I sufferer from autism spectrum disorder sensory processing disorder and anxiety and appsenst seizures how can you help me with my anxiety
-Hozier cork 2019
Hi Hozier cork 2019 ,
Thanks for your message. It sounds like you are having a tough time at the moment. Anxiety is very common when someone has sensory issues such as those related to autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and sensory processing disorder (SPD). Some people feel especially anxious if they find themselves in new or unexpected situations or in places where there is too much sensory information, for example, big crowds. Sometimes with ASD and SPD, it can be extra hard to get used to new things.
A person’s mental health can affect those close to them. It can be difficult for a young person if one or more of their parents are struggling.
This might be because they’re worried about them, or because the parent is not able to do the usual stuff they do.
If this is something you’re going through, here is an outline supports and other ways to help.
How can you try and get your 14 year old teenager to homework and just generally comply and not make life difficult for everyone else during this time.
-Dee
Hi Dee,
This is a really challenging time for all members of the family. Being cooped up in the house together, without the normal routine and our usual social supports is really tough. For parents and young people alike.
I’m due to see CAMHs (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) about my anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide, I’m scared they’ll do things like take me away from my parents, what should I do? How do I go about it?
Hi there,
First of all, well done for taking the steps to get support. CAMHS services around the country do a great job of supporting young people to mind their mental health. This video will tell you a bit more about CAMHS and what it is for.
As you identify, it can sometimes feel scary when you are going somewhere new for the first time. Therefore, this can make it difficult to open up about what you are feeling. However, be assured that everyone at CAMHS will want to support you as best they can.
There are lots of ways to think about and describe mental health. We all have mental health and when we face various challenges it can be impacted.
We can start to find things difficult and may wonder what to do next. There are many different types of support out there to help us look after mental health. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Not everyone who experiences challenges with their mental health will need to access a service for support. If something is causing you to feel stressed, talk to a good friend, family member or a trusted adult. This can be enough to get you through.
Sometimes, being around people can be nerve-racking. Many of us experience anxiety in social situations.
Having to speak in public, or walking into a room of people you don’t know, or performing in front of a class can make the most confident person feel anxious.
Feeling very self-conscious in social situations is more common than you think. Many young people who come to Jigsaw tell us they can find being around classmates, strangers or even friends quite difficult. If this sounds familiar to you, know that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Here we’ll explore why you might feel that way and what you can do about it. In this article you will find:
Whether you broke up with someone, they broke up with you, or the decision was mutual, feelings can be tough. We can feel sadness, loss, guilt, or anger.
Sometimes we can be upset because we’re confused and not sure what happened. Other times it can even be a relief.
It doesn’t matter how long it lasted or how serious it was, it matters what the relationship meant to you. How you felt about that person and how it ended will impact how you react to dealing with breaking up.
