Bad diet and exercise, if not a direct cause for mental health issues, definitely contribute to the problem in a big way.

Sad truth is that having money problems will mean having less access to good food (as good food is increasingly expensive)

Very good point.

Deficiency symptoms for several of the B complex vitamins are: irritability, anxiety, depression, lack of energy, poor memory, inability to focus, feeling “unreal”..
Having widely varying blood sugar levels, not getting enough magnesium, chromium or vitamin D3, getting too much Omega 6 vs Omega 3..
ALL of these things can have a serious effect on mental (and physical) health, and they are ridiculously common (most people prescribed anti depressants later get told they have type 2 diabetes – meaning the mental health issues may have been an early warning of type 2 diabetes – the symptoms: mood swings, frequent crying outbursts etc are exactly the same).

I was put on anti depressants, they almost killed me, I should never have been put on them to start with because my issues were partially nutritional – or at least easily controlled with nutrition (eg, I had a blood sugar imbalance, low levels of vitamin B complex and TLE – controlled with magnesium and vitamin E)

But my doctor had no understanding of nutrition. They didn’t know that B complex deficiency presents as depression and anxiety, all they had to give was drugs. Drugs with pretty hefty side effects (it says they may increase the risk of violence and / or suicide – they’re supposed to be ANTI depressants, they’re not meant to give you ideas about killing yourself!).

There’s good reason we don’t talk diet anymore. It’s because of the big lie that gets shoved down our throats by the drug companies.. Vitamins and Minerals are essential to keep you alive, but they couldn’t possibly have any effect on your health (despite the wealth of evidence to the contrary)..

The best way to get your 5 a day and more, is get yourself a blender and make a smoothie. Put as much fruit as you like Spinach, avocado, loads of strawberries, natural yogurt some ice. lovely

Irish schools are emotionally literate and deal with a huge range of issues despite the dept of ed removing guidence provision.

I’d argue that mental health care starts in the home not in the Dail… Governments have responsibility to us but some things are beyond their influence…

But these are teens, who listen to their peers, not their parents, even if you do your very best to prepare them. It’s not feasible or good for a teen to be under parental supervision the whole time, but it’s also not good for them to get brain damage and suicidal mood swings from alcohol – and alcohol access is something the state pretends to regulate, but doesn’t.

I think it was paid for by Headstrong. A mental health charity who asaik rely on donations and on government funding. So yes they would say “youth mental health should be a national priority”. Not young people, mind you. Youth mental health.

I didnt like how your comment began but the second half was much better. Unfortunately, not enough people, particularly males, are willing to do just that.

Thanks Eoin. Please don’t beat yourself up for being male and finding it harder to talk about your feelings. Guys tend to be stronger in some areas and women stronger in others (notice I said “tend”). It’s not pathology – just biology.
I stand over my comment though that one-in-three suffering mental health problems is a sensationalist statistic. This isn’t to take away from the suffering of the small minority of people who have medical illness that affect their psychology, Or to deny that many our young people are stressed by a national situation that’s not of their making. Just that there are dangers in pathologising distress. One would be young people being steered inapproriately towards the psychiatric system at a time when youth projects and school guidance counsellors are being cut.

I agree with almost everything you said in your reply to me. What I meant about males was that not enough (Adult) males were willing to engage with young people to listen and give advice.The vast majority of young people do not need to be steered towards the psychiatric system and having read the full report I dont believe that is what they are suggesting should happen. Your suggestion of responsible adults engaging is mentioned throughout the report as a proven solution for many youth and it also speaks of the need for more of this.
My reason for disliking your original point of “The study must take a ridiculously broad definition of “mental health problems” to have come up with such a result” is that I have heard similar to this statement being used as excuses for inaction. However, from your response there, I can see that that is not your reason for the statement.
The report is not trying to sensationalize the findings, the main point from it that I can see is that there is a need for “One Responsible Adult” in every young persons life. They are not suggesting professional help for the vast majority of that one-in-three.