Policymakers need to foster a culture where young people in distress are not afraid to seek help, a conference on suicide heard today.
Minister for Disability and Mental Health Jimmy Devins told the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) annual forum that there are many pressures facing young people in today’s Ireland - pressures such as bullying, emotional distress, addictions, peer pressure and exam pressure.
“It is only by taking on board what our young people have to say that we can gain true insights into how those pressures can be alleviated,” he told the conference in Dublin.
“We as policy makers working in the area of suicide prevention need to foster a culture where people in distress, at whatever stage in their lives, won't hesitate to seek help.”
Mr Devins said today’s forum provides an opportunity to meet and exchange views and to look at “practical ways of tackling the issue of suicide to prevent the further tragic loss of lives”.