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Portarlington Woman Wins HeadsUp's National Writing Competition
2nd February 2009: Fiona Bradshaw from Portarlington has
won the national writing competition organised by Rehab's HeadsUp mental
health promotion project in association with the Irish Independent.
Fiona scooped the top prize of a Dell laptop and today
had her article published in the Irish Independent. The
competition offered young people the opportunity to address the mental
health and
difficult life issues that affect them by writing about
their views and personal experiences on the topic "Head Wrecked – What's
Going
on in My Head". Over 40 entries were received from across
the country.
Commenting on the winning entry, Collette Ryan, HeadsUp's
Project Manager, said, "There is a stigma around mental
health which can discourage people from discussing
their difficulties. The purpose
of this competition was to encourage young adults to
explore their thoughts and feelings and to commit them
to paper as well as to show
them that it's OK to talk about their problems. Fiona's
article articulated with a searing honesty the challenges
of living with agoraphobia but
yet her positive mental attitude shone through. Other
competition entries will be available to read on the
HeadsUp website www.headsup.ie. The
entries are honest and give an insight into some of
the issues affecting young people so readers who are experiencing similar
problems or issues
can see that they are not alone.
"Many young people struggle with difficulties with
drugs and alcohol, relationship problems, sexuality
issues and other stresses, but don't feel able to discuss
them. It is vitally important that people
know that HeadsUp Text is there when they need it
and has details of the support services that they need
to share their problems."
HeadsUp Text is a free and confidential 24-hour service,
supported by Meteor, which provides young people
with information on a range of helplines and support
services. Organisations such as the
Samaritans, AL Anon, Aware and Bodywhys, are among
the many support services listed which can be accessed
by texting
"HeadsUp"
to 50424.
To date, more than 6,000 people have texted the
service.
In addition, a website, www.headsup.ie, has been
recently launched. Developed with a panel of
youth advisors, it includes a host of cutting-edge features including
a "Mind Gym" with
lots of interactive
games and "Art from the Heart", along with discussion
forums, information on support services, well-being
tips, fact sheets, reviews and competitions.
There is also a "Self-Help" section, which includes
helpful tips and skills on how to manage everyday
events better with modules developed by a leading
psychiatrist and
cognitive behaviour
therapists.
For further information, contact: Dara Duffy,
Rehab, Tel: 01 205 7268, Email: dara.duffy@rehab.ie
Note to editor:
Suicide claims the lives of up to 500 people
in Ireland annually with a significant
proportion of deaths occurring among young adults.
About HeadsUp
Other initiatives under the HeadsUp umbrella
include Applied Suicide Intervention
Skills Training (ASIST), a training programme
which equips people with the knowledge
and the ability to recognise the warning
signs of suicidal behaviour.
"Lifeskills" is a course aimed
at enhancing young people's skills and
abilities in dealing with life's ups
and downs, and "Raising Boys for Fathers"
is a parenting
programme
which helps fathers to improve their
communication skills with their sons in dealing with
life's
problems. For more
on these
programmes,
see www.headsup.ie.
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