A new report has uncovered several barriers faced by young people in Donegal seeking mental health services.
Stigma, fear, awareness and lack of transport emerged as the main challenges in accessing support services in Donegal.
The Jigsaw Youth Advocates report highlights the ‘forgotten county’ theme which resonates with the rural reality of young people in Donegal.
A survey of 89 adolescents aged 12-18 revealed an area of stigma in the lack of discussion around the need for mental health support for boys.
“Men’s mental health is never really talked about,” one respondent said.
Young people also reported facing stigma specifically from family members, including negative attitudes parents may have toward mental health.
Overall, 89% of young people surveyed said that the stigma associated with seeking help or accessing mental health services was still sometimes a barrier or a significant barrier for young people from rural Donegal settings.
The second theme revolved around fear of discrimination, including fear of being “outed” if a young person’s mental health was affected by identifying as LGBTQ+ and remaining in the closet.
The report noted that young people living in rural areas and coming from new communities may have had past experiences of racism, which can lead to mistrust in services. Respondents also identified language barriers for young people whose first language is not English.
The lack of public transport in rural areas identified in the survey has led Jigsaw to call on key decision makers to increase routes and make public transport in Donegal more reliable.
“Now is the time for Ireland to have a free transport system that young people can benefit from,” they said, seeking a system similar to that in other EU countries.
Following the report, Jigsaw has made its own commitments to make mental health services more accessible to young people, encouraging young men and diverse groups to seek help, promoting online resources such as chat and support groups and creating an online map of local mental health services.
The full report is available at jigsaw.ie/amplified-report-2024
Stigma prevents teenage boys in Donegal from seeking mental health help, report finds Last modified: July 22, 2024 by
