Resources and Publications
Here you will find some research & publications about mental health and wellbeing. We also have a list of organisations who work in the field of mental health in Ireland, you can find this page here
Health Continuum
with Brian Kelly
Feeding Hope: The Wolves of Hope and Despair
with Brian Kelly
Hope
with Brian Kelly
Meditation and Fostering Connection
with Patricia Allen-Garrett
Inner Critic
with Brian Kelly
Conflict
with Brian Kelly
Meditation with Patricia
with Patricia Allen-Garrett
The Power of Family Resource Centres - Episode 93, HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast
In this episode of the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast, host Fergal Fox discusses the crucial role of Family Resource Centres (FRCs) with Fergal Landy, CEO of the National Family Resource Centre Forum, and Shauna Diamond, National Programme Lead. They explore how FRCs support health and wellbeing in communities by offering services like parenting, family support, mental health initiatives, and social prescribing. The conversation highlights the importance of community engagement, addressing health inequalities, and fostering non-judgmental environments to address issues that are sometimes stigmatised such as gambling and period poverty. Strong and ongoing collaborations with organisations like the HSE and Tusla are discussed and how they enable the FRCs to support families and often the most vulnerable at community level.
To find your nearest FRC, please click here.
Balancing Stress - A practical course in stress management
This HSE course is a free programme to manage stress, worry, anxiety, low mood and relationship difficulties. You can do the programme any time and at your own pace.
Krysinska et al. - ‘Wisdom Is Knowledge Plus Experience: Qualitative Study of Lived Experience and Researcher Perspectives on Suicide Research Coproduction’
This study explores the perspectives of individuals with lived experience of suicide and researchers in suicide-related research aiming to address the need for safe engagement of individuals with lived experience of suicide in research on the subject. Participants of this study emphasise the need for those with lived experience of suicide to be involved at all stages of research to improve research outcomes while addressing problem areas with this approach.
Reynolds et al. - ‘A qualitative analysis of people who died by suicide and had gambling documented in their coronial file’
This is a qualitative study that seeks to identify the link between individuals who died by suicide and had a gambling issue documented in their lifetime in Ireland using the Irish Probable Suicide Study which includes deaths by suicide from 2015 to 2020. Please note that the numbers in this study are likely underrepresented.
HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention Annual Report 2023
Just released: the 2023 Annual Report for the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), providing information on all activities and funding from the office for that year, including:
- the background and strategic context for the work of the office
- details of management and accountability
- financial summaries
- an overview of what was delivered that year by the office, HSE Resource Officers for Suicide Prevention (ROSPs) and many
- funded NGO Partners
Safe Harbour: an illustrated storybook for children who have been bereaved by suicide
Recently released, this book is now available from the HSE. It has been developed by bereavement experts – including professionals and people with lived experience – to help a child with their grief by encouraging conversation and developing their understanding of death and suicide.
Safe Harbour is a story told by a young child whose Dad has died by suicide. It contains words and illustrations that a child can relate to, and that describe what that journey was like for them.
The storybook comes with a guide that will help parents and carers to read Safe Harbour with their child and empower them to have these difficult conversations. There is also an audiobook, podcast series and activities for children available.
More on the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
Training: ‘Let’s Talk About Suicide’ - Online suicide prevention training
This is new, free, online suicide prevention training programme developed by the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP). This is targeted at all audiences, especially for people who are supporting a loved one or those involved in their local communities.
Resources: Belong To – Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland: The National Study on the Mental Health and Wellbeing of the LGBTQI+ Communities in Ireland
Resources: Mental Health Reform – Mental Health Services & Supports in Prisons: Service Mapping and Reflections from Lived Experiences
Study: Cully et al 2024 - Discharged from the emergency department following hospital-presented self-harm: referral patterns and risk of repeated self-harm
Key findings: The findings underline the importance of assessing all individuals who present with self-harm and highlight the need for comprehensively resourced 24hr services providing mental health care in the ED.
Study: O’Donnell et al 2024 - Prevalence and associated risk factors for suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempt among male construction workers in Ireland
Key findings: Suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempt are significant issues for male construction workers that require specific attention. Findings highlight a need to support younger male construction workers and those bereaved by suicide. They also highlight the need for the early detection and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and depression in order to intervene in, and potentially prevent, suicidality among male construction workers.
Mental Health Reform Report - Digital Inclusion and Access to Mental Health Services
Healthy Ireland Survey 2023: Summary Report
The Healthy Ireland Survey is conducted annually, with a representative sample of the population aged 15 and older living in Ireland. The sample size is typically in the region of 7,400 - 7,500 people. Fieldwork to date has been conducted on behalf of the Department of Health by Ipsos B&A. You can access the report here or
Discussion Paper: Assisted dying legislation: Considerations for suicide prevention, research and policy development
This discussion paper was a submission to the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying on behalf of the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) November 8th 2023
Short Report: Experiences and outcomes of people attending suicide bereavement peer support
This short report outlines findings from a study of members of the HUGG Peer Support Groups. It was conducted by Eve Griffin, Selena O'Connell, Eimear Ruane McAteer, Niall Seymour, M. Isabela Troya, Paul Corcoran, Ella Arensman from the School of Public Health, University College Cork and National Suicide Research Foundation, Cork, with funding the Irish Research Council's New Foundations Award Scheme 2020 (NF/2020/20965640) and the Health Research Board's Summer Scholarship Scheme 2021 (SS-2021-066).
20 minute meditation video
Enjoy this short meditation video that you can use any time of day, to bring more calm into your life. Brought to you by SOS facilitator, Patricia Allen Garrett.
30 minute Yoga Video
Join Christine Higgins from Spiritual Wellness Christine for this 30 minute Yoga session. Unwind and relax, feel free to use this video anytime you like.
Wellness Worksheet
Suicide or Survive have created this Wellness Worksheet for you to use to maintain your mental health. There is a simple tool you can use every day to do your own mental health check-up. Click the link to download this worksheet Download
Wellness Worksheet - Stress
Suicide or Survive have created this Wellness Worksheet for you to use to maintain your mental health and learn how to manage stress. Click the link to download this worksheet Download
20 minute Guided Meditation Video
Join SOS facilitator, Patricia Allen Garrett for a guided and festive meditation video.
Wellness Worksheet - Managing Change and Building Resilience
Suicide or Survive have created this Wellness Worksheet for you to use to maintain your mental health and learn how to manage change and build resilience. Click the link to download this worksheet Download
Action for Happiness
Check out this website, Action for Happiness - it is full of resources and actions you can take on to create a happier and healthier you!
Self-Care isn't Selfish
When you empty a glass of water, there’s nothing left to drink. The same is true of your time and energy. Self-care helps you “refill your cup” so you don’t run dry. Check out this website for more information.
Study: Factors shaping the mental health and well-being of people experiencing persistent COVID-19 symptoms or ‘long COVID’
Authors: Alexandra Burton, Henry Aughterson, Daisy Fancourt and Keir E. J. Philip
Study: Physical isolation and mental health among older US adults during the COVID‑19 pandemic: longitudinal findings from the COVID‑19 Coping Study
Authors: Carly A. Joseph, Brendan Q. O’Shea, Marisa R. Eastman, Jessica M. Finlay, Lindsay C. Kobayashi
Study: What has changed in the experiences of people with mental health problems during the COVID‑19 pandemic: a coproduced, qualitative interview study
Authors: Prisha Shah, Jackie Hardy, Mary Birken, Una Foye, Rachel Rowan Olive, Patrick Nyikavaranda, Ceri Dare, Theodora Stefanidou, Merle Schlief, Eiluned Pearce, Natasha Lyons, Karen Machin, Tamar Jeynes, Beverley Chipp, Anjie Chhapia, Nick Barber, Steven Gillard, Alexandra Pitman, Alan Simpson, Sonia Johnson, Brynmor Lloyd‑Evans on behalf of the NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit Covid coproduction research group
Study: Lockdown stringency and paediatric self-harm presentations during COVID-19 pandemic: retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ben Hoi-ching Wong, Mehrak Vaezinejad, Paul L. Plener, Tauseef Mehdi, Liana Romaniuk, Elizabeth Barrett, Haseena Hussain, Alexandra Lloyd, Jovanka Tolmac, Manish Rao, Sulagna Chakrabarti, Sara Carucci, Omer S. Moghraby, Rachel Elvins, Farah Rozali, Ereni Skouta, Fiona McNicholas, Benjamin Baig, Dejan Stevanovic, Peter Nagy, Chiara Davico, Hassan Mirza, Evren Tufan, Fatima Youssef, Ben Meadowcroft and Dennis Ougrin