Irish people 'embarrassed' about counselling

Almost a quarter of Irish adults say they would be embarrassed if others knew they were seeing a counsellor or psychotherapist, according to a new survey.

The nationwide study of 1,000 people, which was undertaken on behalf of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), reveals older people are more likely to keep their feelings to themselves than others.

The survey shows that while a quarter of Irish people have previously attended counselling or psychotherapy, the figure falls to 14 per cent for those aged over 65.

As many as 23 per cent of pensioners said they prefer to keep their problems to themselves, nearly double the rate for the overall adult population.

When asked about how they deal with personal problems, 70 per cent of survey respondents said they would most likely talk to a friend or family member about the issues they faced, while 15 per cent would seek help from a doctor or counsellor. A further 13 per cent said they would not tell anyone about it.

Only half of those aged over 65 said they would open up to those close to them about mental health issues.

The study also shows men and those living in rural areas are wary of opening up about personal problems.

The survey indicates 30 per cent of women have gone to see a counsellor or psychotherapist at some point in their lives, compared to 19 per cent of men. In addition, nearly a third of people living in rural communities said they are more likely to bottle up their feelings rather than sharing them with others.

Overall, three-quarters of respondents said they had never seen a counsellor or psychotherapist. When asked about the reasons for not attending, 28 per cent said it was because they didn’t know enough about it or didn’t feel it would work.

Age Action welcomed the study findings but expressed concern over the number of older people who were wary of opening up about their feelings.

“Anxiety and stress experienced among older people may be caused by uncertainty over the future, stress due to enforced retirement, loss because of bereavement," said the organisation's head of advocacy and communications Eamon Timmins.

"The third stage in life can be the most enjoyable and rewarding. So please, if you’re going through a rough patch, let someone know. Talk to a relative, friend, GP, nurse or counsellor. Don’t go though it alone”, he added.

Separately, GP and author Dr Harry Barry warned of the dangers of not opening up about mental health issues.

“Bottling up problems can exacerbate mental and physical problems. This research highlights the fact that mental and physical well-being can be affected in people who lack the social supports that they had when they were younger, such as family, work and social contact," he said.