Useful Links

There are so many organisations working in the area of suicide prevention it can be overwhelming trying to figure out who does what. But many of these groups are local groups set up by individuals affected and focus their work in their immediate locality. For this reason, I have tried to primarily include national organisations here.


This list is not exhaustive by any means, but just aims to help direct you to some of the groups out there who offer help and support to anyone affected by suicide.

These links offer various support services for people thinking of suicide or otherwise struggling with mental health difficulties:

  • HSE guide to services related to mental health - An important link. This outlines the various options provided by the HSE if you have a mental health difficulty.
  • Samaritans - 24 hour helpline 1850 609090 (website also contains resources to use in schools)
  • 1Life 24 Hour Suicide Prevention Helpline set up by Console and the 3Ts - 1800 247 100
  • Aware - Depression Awareness and Support Organisation (Daytime helpline, nationwide support groups, online forum)
  • 3Ts - Turning the Tide of Suicide
  • Pieta House - Crisis Counselling for those thinking of suicide or self-harming, Dublin only.
  • SOSAD (Save Our Sons And Daughters) - Provide a support service to both the bereaved and people who are suicidal. Based in North East - Dundalk, Navan, Cavan, Drogheda, Dunboyne
For those bereaved by suicide:

  • Console - Offer counselling, a helpline, monthly support groups and training programme primarily geared towards people bereaved by suicide.
  • Living links - This group has trained 'Outreach Support' volunteers around the country who can support people bereaved by suicide in the immediate and longer-term aftermath of the death.

Organisations working on suicide prevention and/or in research:


International:


For general information on mental health issues


Mental health websites aimed at young people:


Aimed at college students: 

  • www.pleasetalk.ie - Provides details of support services in every third level college in Ireland
Aimed at older people:

Campaigns:

  • www.seechange.ie - Campaign to de-stigmatise mental health issues
  • www.healthrisk.ie - Campaign by Irish Mental Health Coalition and Amnesty International Ireland to influence policy and funding of mental health services
  • Headline - Ireland's national media monitoring programme -which promotes responsible and accurate coverage of mental health and suicide related issues in the Irish media.

Newspaper articles - Real life stories:

  • Irish Times  Series on Suicide Nov. 2010 - Includes video clips, personal stories, teenage self-harm, media reporting of suicide and a look at the Samaritans service.

Online forums:


In recent years, a number of Irish online forums have sprung up which offer support to people thinking of suicide, including some which operate through Facebook and other social media sites. After consideration, I have decided not to include any of these specific sites here as I cannot be sure of who is behind them. Although I assume they have all been set up with good intentions by well-meaning people, I have questions about how they are moderated, by who and their response times to people in crisis. Although some groups have clear policies on their sites, I have a hesitancy to recommend them without being 100% certain of how they are run. To research this is beyond what I can offer at this stage. However, some of the groups above run forums as part of their service including Spunout.ie and Aware.ie. These groups are established organisations who have built up a trustworthy reputation.

Other:
  • Smashing Times Theatre Company 'Acting for the Future': A Model of Best Practice for using drama workshops and professional theatre performances to promote positive mental health and to raise awareness of issues surrounding suicide and suicide prevention. This 32 page booklet provides two step by step drama workshops to run with adults and young people.









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