We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Updated 3.40pm
BRESSIE HAS GIVEN an impassioned speech about mental health and wellbeing at a meeting of the Oireachtas health committee.
The musician and activist spoke about how his passion to help people dealing with mental health issues dates back to his own struggles with anxiety.
“[As] a teenager I simply did not have the capacity to cope with an utterly dominant anxiety disorder that seemed hell-bent on robbing me of my character and personality at every available opportunity.
“Crippling insomnia, harrowing panic attacks and incomprehensible self-harm dictated my life, all disguised behind a mask of normality that polarised the general lazy stereotype or label we associate with those with a mental health illness.
Some days I would sit in my classroom on the verge of fainting as I hyperventilated and fought for air while my teachers continued to teach the class, oblivious to the fact that one of their students was in the midst of a living nightmare. I spent so many of my school days praying that some of our teachers may talk about this, or just say something so I didn’t feel so isolated and terrified. They never did.
He said the government needs to act to help young people dealing with mental health issues.
‘Epidemic of a generation’
“The reality is our youth, the future of this country, need help. They are exposed to too much, so much is expected from them, and both the external and internal pressures they are being asked to cope with are simply not sustainable, and the result is the great epidemic of this generation.
Agonising suicide rates, disturbingly high anxiety and depression rates, self-harm, eating disorders, OCD … We simply cannot ignore this anymore. We have to be honest and ask ourselves, ‘Truly are we doing enough?’
Bressie (Niall Breslin), said the country is currently in a period of transition, noting the “stigma that has ravaged families throughout Ireland for generations is slowly eroding”.
He said schools, students and organisations across the country are doing “powerful work” in this area.
Through his website, A Lust for Life, many people have contacted Bressie about their own experiences of mental health. He said many families feel “totally abandoned” while others “have to drive hundreds of miles and wait months to see a health care professional”.
“If it were any of your children I hope you can see how utterly unacceptable this is.”
‘Anyone’s brother’
Bressie proposed a number of measures, including that mental health and wellbeing are implemented into the education curriculum, and an increase in funding and support to organisations helping people with mental health issues.
He spoke about a family friend who “took his own life after years of unexplainable pain”.
Many times his family tried to assess help but they were refused because this young man was consuming alcohol and told he couldn’t be helped because of his drinking, which was intrinsically linked to his mental health illness. In a country that celebrates and promotes alcohol throughout its culture, it’s simply not acceptable that someone is turned away from help on account of it.
Bressie said his story was “not uncommon throughout Ireland”.
He said his friend was “an intelligent, witty young man” who “deserved so much more”.
“He was anyone’s brother. We need to ask hard questions. Those stories are too common. So many people wanted to help this young man, but their hands were tied by bureaucracy and lack of resource and they should never be put in that position.”
Helplines:
Originally published 11.41am
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Donna Moss, I am no fan of his music or Voice of Ireland either. But as a teenager he suffered serious depression, he self harmed (broke his own arm on purpose once), comtempled suicide. He went through the mental health system-before he was in the public eye- so if he can use his public image/celebraty to highlight the shambles of a mental health service we have, then I say it’s a good thing.
Willr. Fair enough I don’t know him or his music tbh. I’m not sure these people in the spotlight actually help at all.
How can you say you don’t take him seriously when you don’t know anything about him?
I’m sure he is a genuine nice guy and wants to help people who have the same issues as himself. It can come across as pushing his own agenda or profile and this will be his advisers pushing him.
Of course they help as somebody who has being living with anxiety starting to come out the other end this really can help .sometimes it’s good to hear your not alone and you can get through this and you can come out the other end because sometimes living with anxiety and panic disorder can be hell .I never really understood it before it came knocking at my door but absolutely anything that gets mental health issues talked about is helpful.
Meanwhile, you have other people are sitting on their arses in front of a computer screen criticising those who are trying to impact positively on public policy.
It takes all types, I suppose.
It’s all about himself though. If he was genuinely well-known, successful and talented then I would definitely listen. But he’s using this latest health niche in media as a cynical springboard to make money out of books, tv shows and corporate gigs.
I’d hate to live life being so cynical.
I’d hate to be so naive
Donna moss you’re a negative yokel
Drugging our young people is not the answer ~
{ Do not stop or change prescribed psychoactive substances without talking to an expert in the field, due to dangers of withdrawal. http://www.comingoff.com ~ information for doctors }
Bressie tends to jump onto anything that pushes his own profile
Well done Bressie for raising the profile of important issues eg the inability of some people to get help because they have a “dual diagnosis” and are dealing with addictions eg to alcohol, as well as a mental health issues. And the tragic case of Caoilte. One of many tragic cases. Rest in Peace ~
Say what you want about him, and I’ve said a fair bit in my time, he is one of the only Irish people in the spotlight who has been constantly pushing these issues over and over again. Is he doing it for some kind of self gain, maybe he is, maybe he isn’t. But that doesn’t really matter at the end of the day once the message is getting spread. After years and years of silence on mental health and young people it’s good to see the media and government finally taking notice and shining a light on it.
I have no idea who he is,. and I’m wondering why he should be given a seat at this committee when I’m sure there are front line staff working in mental health that could have used the time to tell us where the real issues are in hospitals.
Those in the front line. I.E The psychiatric doctors are the issue. THEY DON’T LISTEN TO ANYONE WITH A MENTAL DISABILITY. They give them their medication and send them on their way.
No need to shout we hear you.
@Vinnie
You have no idea who he is and that’s fair enough, I know lots of people in the same boat. But if he wasn’t at this today you would have no idea that it took place either. That’s the reason he is there, he’s a well known public figure and him attending events like these will bring them more coverage than if he didn’t attend.
If you went through what I did you would realise why I’m shouting. Go and educate yourself to real mental health and stop with your rediculous comments. They don’t help
Actually it does matter, right or wrong, the media, and the public in general have a limited appetite for all sorts of subject matter. Bressie being invited to speak to an Oireachtas is a self serving exercise for both the Oireachtas and for Bressie.
I’m all for raising awareness of mental health, but I’d much rather hear from someone whose experience and expertise extend beyond their own experience as a teenager (particularly when they’re using it as a vehicle to sell a book on the back of, but we’ll leave that to one side).
If the Oireachtas want to improve the situation, maybe not decimating mental health budgets, or rolling back on spending promises might be a good place to start.
Bang on the money Eyepopper
Antoinette, I feel your pain, if someone suffers from mental ill-health in this country and if you don’t have loads of money nobody cares a jot, Bressie Inc ain’t the solution tho
Completely correct, Eyepopper. While I have sympathy with and experience of depression in my own family I would also venture to suggest that the ‘epidemic’ facing young people might also include drug use – a fact that should also be faced. It would appear from the press that a large number of senseless murders, violent assaults and terrible accidents are a direct result of drug use. Where are the urgently needed treatment facilities?
^^^^^^^^^ This Exactly bob anything that mean the continued stigma around mental health is gradually eroded. I don’t care who is saying it.
better to have the people who’ve experienced mental health services. as some of our so called psychiatric hspts have caused more harm than good to people by their lack of safety etc. see 5b limerick and Ennis acute unit
Good to see he put his glasses on to show that he knows what he’s talking about…..
I’m sorry but I just don’t like the way he has used the disease to further his own personal celebrity. He recently did a corporate talk in an American company my brother in law is working for, but he only got paid to talk to permanent staff! So does he only care about the mental health of the full-time staff? That recent programme he did about exercise was the most self-serving, self-promotional and useless piece of television in a long time.
Maybe your brother in law needs to question his employer as to do they only care about their permanent staff? It’s hardly Bressie’s fault he was only paid a certain amount and who the company brought to the talk.
He should be doing it for free.
Why do so many people today expect everything for free?Why should he do it at expense to himself?
He shouldn’t be doing it at all, unless we’re proposing to have everyone in before the Oireachtas to recount personal experiences, and advertise books.
You see this is where it goes wrong IMO. He wants to help but he also wants publicity to make money. I’m sure his intentions are good so why not give the talks for free??
My problem is his promotion hasn’t been all about mental health but mostly about himself. He’s selling books, doing corporate gigs, doing TV shows etc. I mean the TV show was mostly just about him with long lingering shots of him cycling a bike and showing off his fit body. I’m sorry but most people I know who are suffering from mental health couldn’t open the curtains or climb out of bed, they certainly couldn’t make a self-promo video. There is currently a health niche in media at the moment and he’s jumped to fill it in a cynical money-making way in my opinion.
I agree but seems we are in the minority. It’s about him more than its about helping others. People I know with mental illness are not connected like he is nor do they have the money to go private. privileged people telling those in less privileged positions is not going to help.
Funny alright how despite his crippling mental health he was able to thrive at rugby, become a Lead singer of a successful band, and go on to forge a career in tv. Nice fella I’m sure but cat at triathlons.
Eye popper your a sick brain
He’s highlighting the problem for everyone not just one class or the other,
If he can do good and make a few bob at the same time more power to him.
And how exactly do you reckon that ????? What about Joe blogs who thought he was the only one who felt that way and it was normal but on hearing bressie decides I’ll go to my doctor or I’ll speak to my friend . No not every person can go private but by bringing awareness that you are not on your own feeling that way more people will open up and speak to people . I suffer from depression and it’s only since I opened up to my husband about how bad I was that he now understands why I’d be sad some days , angry the next , happy the next . I’m not saying bressie did that but definitely hearing people speaking about it more made me feel more able to talk . Please look it as a positive more than a negative
“He said the government needs to act to help young people dealing with mental health issues”
The government need to stop popstars who live in a strange dimesion signing lewd lyrics like
“I’m climbing walls and kicking rumours in the b@lls”
To young children at their concerts and on their cds.
Usual Begrudgers. Well done Mr Breslin for choosing to highlight the issue. I’ve lost some friends to it and I’m sure the publicity generated by Niall has already saved lives.
Think a bit before you open your begrudging, bitter, jealous mouths.
Right so let’s NOT share the story of anyone who’s recovering and getting on with their life. Let’s all stay unwell, talk about being unwell, only share the stories of how terrible it all is, and God forbid we show someone who learned how to cope. Did u actually read or hear about his own experience? And that’s not relevant to share no?
I heard Bressie talking about the death of his friend mentioned in the article. Depression and alcohol often go hand and hand yet hospitals will not process a person presenting with depression if they have been drinking. This was the situation his friend’s family found themselves in. Nobody was willing to offer help and tragically this resulted in the young man’s death.
Until I heard the interview I hadn’t been aware that Bressie is the National Ambassador for Mental Health, good for him. One thing that alarmed me though was that he said in the interview he was besieged with emails every week from people suffering various mental health issues. He said that he sometimes finds it overwhelming and has to ‘watch himself’ due to his underlying anxiety issue.
Perhaps it might be a better idea if those emails were directed to those experienced in the field, who can detach themselves from the correspondence and Bressie can continue his good work
I’ve just finished Bessie’s book ‘me and my mate Jeffrey’. It’s an amazing book. Personally I think it should be given to every child starting 1st year and made a compulsory read.
Why do mental health articles always attract assh*les to the comments section?
John you are not an assh*le.
He was probably referring to you Donna but was trying to be polite.
Nah Gavin shouldn’t think so. I’m offended you think it tbh.
Donna Moss. He actually is helping. This committee meets regularly. Mental health practitioners speak at it…no media attention. He speaks, it gets significant media attention. It’s informing people of the problem the practitioners have been screaming about, and ignored on, for years. Maybe it will shame VAradkar into resourcing the services properly. But his served a purpose at that committee today
I can’t take him seriously for some reason.
Read his book!!!! Very informative to the insight of mental health
If the proceeds are going towards mental health I might. If he is writing a book to make money then No.
Fair point. . Still an inspirational read
Ah shur he’s as mad as a bag of spiders
Oh ye because he can’t write anything without it being about money and not something he is passionate about.. You do know people cant actually want to make a positive difference unlike yourself.
Jays Donna don’t be criticising Bressie! Can’t be doing that.
God knows how many people he has saved by bringing awareness to a disease you obviously know nothing about or you wouldn’t be making such stupid comments . How many have you saved there behind your screen ???????
That was specifically for @ Donna Moss
Well he’s made me slightly more depressed with his cynical self-promotion using mental health as a vehicle
Glad you can joke about depression , I hope it never knocks your front door
Tried to get him to come and give a talk in our secondary school on mental health.
Bressie was looking for a ridiculous fee that was way out of our schools budget, so he didn’t come.
What was the ridiculous fee?
Sorriente Bressie and his team provide a FREE video for schools service which I’m surprised you weren’t told about when you contacted them. There’s also a FREE CBT course ongoing at the moment on his Lust for Life website along with dietary and exercise advice. Excellent service.
Whats with the glasses? Trying to look more intelligent or something? ridiculous.
Sometimes I wear glasses and sometimes I wear contacts. Am I also ridiculous?
I’d say it’s to assist with his vision.
Ah come on lads, haven’t seen him once in public with glasses and then all of a sudden he has them to coincide with his very important Oireachtas business. Guarantee they are plain glass.
I’ve been wearing glasses for 11 years and have friends who I’ve known years who have never seen me with them. Some people wear contacts every day and glasses at home. He’s not photographed every day of his life, get over it.
You should wear your glasses in public then Megan, You will look infinitely more intelligent and people will take you much more seriously, especially when you make impassioned speeches to the government.
The rock star and celebrity turns up to the Oireachtas in a shirt and tie and added intellectual specs while some elected officials turn up looking like derelicts and scruff bags. Fair play to him. He’s an accomplished speaker and is doing great things to raise awareness and move the issue onto the agenda. Liked the blizzards, it was catchy stuff, his own stuff wasn’t great. Fair play to him for this. Ok he has a book out but appearing in front of an Oireachtais committee isn’t gona earn ya anything.
There not intellectual specs, they’re for seeing I’m told. Definitely not added for an intelligent look ok? (people don’t seem to like it when you criticise the glasses.)
When are they calling in John Delaney to explain the cover up with the €5 million?.
Nothing bad to say about Bressie and glad he is highlighting this issue. However the celebrity culture that he himself is a product of, is certainly contributing towards feelings of inadequacy amongst many people, both young and old
Look at the comments below. Look at the cynicism. Look at the negativity. Listen, he’s not an expert. He never said he was He’s a sufferer with the guts to give a personal view on a very public platform. And by the way, who gets to say what’s ‘real mental health issues’ and what’s not? Are we in some kind of competition here? If u think it’s easy to talk about any of this then u can’t know how debilitating anxiety is. Kids and adults respect this man because of his honesty. Who had we to look to as kids? So much cynicism over anyone doing a bit of good.
The Republic spend around 6% of the health budget on mental health, in N. Ireland they spend 12% and Scotland 16% Minister Kathleen Lynch is an embarrassment, so expect a lot of talk, sympathy and good intentions from our friends in the Oireachtas Committee but nothing else.
It would be great if everyone reading this article (13,000 and counting) could make sure that mental health as an issue isn’t ignored during the General Election debate. The #Ourstateofmind campaign involves 54 organisations working under the Mental Health Reform coalition, trying to keep mental health on the agenda.
It asks candidates to commit to specific actions, if elected, including: a nationwide school programme to build good mental health; access to 24/7 crisis supports; easy access to counselling; a right to advocacy support, to help people with mental health difficulties access services; and advance healthcare directives, to give people the right to make choices about their own mental health treatment.
See http://www.mentalhealthreform.ie for more details.
BessieIis brillant, and anybody that’s thinks different are just plain ignorant, and so many out there that are just that.
Jayzis, Bressie’s getting great mileage out of his depression
What a knob thing to say
From the outside looking in it probably looked like Bressie had it all, played Rugby at a high level, in a rock band etc so I think it’s probably good for kids to hear that anyone can suffer from mental issues, I have certainly heard a lot more about mental health since he started pushing it, I don’t have a problem with him making a few pound if he’s doing good work
Colm O’Rourke could do with listening to Bressie
No he couldn’t, Colm ORourke could do with going to a hospital to visit someone who has attempted suicide
If Bressie can help save 1 life it would be brilliant. Our politicians or some of them have been a huge contributor to suicide and despair of our youn and not so young. Is it possible to quantify or attribute deaths to specific politicians, I think it is. If next month there is less suicide and more kids in treatment due to political will then they will be contributing to a recovery, if more people take their own lives next month then they are responsible for the increase.
Ah jesus. Reading some of these comments has seriously dampened my mood. I need a pick me up…
I can’t help thinking that the above people who are criticising Bressie’s mental health activism either didn’t listen to the video or aren’t interested in considering that he might be absolutely right. I personally don’t care who the messenger is or even exactly how the message is delivered as long as the message is heard. It’s a sad indictment of our mental health services that people contact a website rather than the public health system. Do they feel or know they won’t get anywhere with the public health system. To my mind, Bressie and Cycle Against Suicide have been key in normalising the conversation around mental health. If he also supplements his income while doing that well to me that’s a win-win situation.
No, this is win for Bressie but not win for mental health services, people depending on social services don’t need speeches from Z celebs, they need action and investment in the services
You’re absolutely right they need action and investment in services. But before people started discussing mental health publicly that wasn’t even on the table. Now it’s an election issue. That’s progress, achingly slow though it is. Like it or not, Niall Breslin has contributed to that progress and if his public profile can leverage more attention for the subject then great. We might finally get into the 20th century and a bit closer to the 21st.
Super speech Bressie . Your passion around mental health is superb & I admire you for that . as a trainee student counsellor I hope the government can make this happen , very soon . There is a new subject starting in all schools in September 2016 called ‘wellness’ I really hope as well as physical exercise , that mental health wellness is included in this criteria .
Many people have been turned away at our hospital doors whilst reaching out for help , and this is not good enough . Keep the good work up bressie & team .
Sadly not unusual glenoir1.
Well said Bressie. Powerful.
WTF is a bressie?
Rather hear from qualified experienced mental health professionals rather than Mr Breslin
I don’t think there relying on just Bressie
People with lived experience are also part of the process of bringing about change in our mental “health” system. As part of Vision for Change and ARI (Advancing Recovery in Ireland). Some of the worst and most damaging advice I got in the area of mental health was from the so called “professionals”, who were completely ingrained and indoctrinated into the biomedical model. And that includes vital information about the drugs that they withheld. That prevented me from having informed consent. I think some of them are finally waking up. I suppose better late than never !
14 Lies That Our Psychiatry Professors in Medical School Taught Us ~
Bressie is doing an amazing job highlighting the chronic shortages for existing health users and the importance of Early Intervention and Prevention Services – Indeed we need an education system that promotes Wellbeing & Resilience Evidenced Based Life skills programs in primary & secondary schools, addressing areas including; decision-making and problem-solving; creative thinking and critical thinking; communication and interpersonal skills; self-awareness and empathy; coping with emotions and coping with stress. — So many of our great teachers want to do this — and indeed they should be ‘minded’ as well …. Thanks Bressie
Jesus lads give up the agendas, any story on mental health and ye are out to flog the same horse. That drugs are bad and fill out this survey.
https://www.facebook.com/Energized-with-Ross-and-Barry-1515791948721054/?ref=tn_tnmn
Check out Barry’s story he beat depression
Future president, you heard it here first
No thanks
Myself & my family have suffered the brutal consquences of our mental heath services. We lost our brother only 8 months ago through a very similar circumstances as Bressie referred to. Its time our government acknowledged their responsibility and negligence. It’s about saving lives not votes. They to could stand in our shoes someday. They have a responsibility to govern our country and look after its people. I would like a voice in this and to be heard and if possible help make that change.
I am a survivor of psychiatry, an ex-nun who took a vow to educate girls and a musician. I have now lived almost 7 decades with plenty of life experience. I have witnessed many children go through the ‘educational’ system which I think compounds emotional and mental problems for many.
The points system in Ireland have put such pressure on children to try to achieve perfection, which of course is not possible. In order to cope with this children put terrible pressure on themselves and parents are stressed out also. The leaving cert year for many families around the country is a nightmare.
Then the subjects that are promoted by this system are not holistic or interesting for most children especially at secondary level. When they come to do a major exam they are very little time to think and are working against the clock. We all learn much better when we are actively involved but in most schools children still spend most of their time sitting down.
The educational system itself needs to change radically in order for Irish people to become more fearless and courageous citizens of the world. http://www.mindfreedomireland.com
“Patients who continue to use cannabis after being diagnosed with psychosis may be more likely to relapse and have other adverse health outcomes than those who stop smoking pot, researchers found”
Myself & my family have been at the brutal end and have suffered the consiquences of lack of help and support of our mental health in this country. We share a very similar story to the one Bressie referred to and lost my brother through sucide 8 months ago. We are heartbroken and in turmoil. If we can be of any help to prevent this happening to another family we would gladly help to make changes. Enough lives have been lost already . You to could be in our shoes someday if the government doesn’t acknowledge their negligence.
have your say