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"Don't Bottle it Up" says Samaritans

"Don't Bottle it Up" says Samaritans

The Regional Republic of Ireland manager for Samaritans is warning about the dangers of social media on mental health.

Rory Fitzpatrick is based in Waterford, and says the pandemic means we're spending more time on our phones.

Fitzpatrick says young people do need to stay connected with their friends.

But speaking to Beat News, he also says they also need to be aware of the dangers social media can present.

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"Exercise is very important, whatever that may be for the individual, and listening to music is a fantastic way of relaxing.

"(The) key thing is, don't try to compare yourself to others, there's a lot of that on social media at the moment where people are trying to have a certain image.

"But be content with what you have"

The Regional manager was also speaking about the impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of Irishmen and women across the country.

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He says it has put added stress on people in all walks of life.

But Fitzpatrick urged people not to hold onto their feeling, and named a number of options for people to get things off their chest, even in this current time of social distancing.

"We have Leaving Cert results coming out in the coming days and I think people need to stay connected, that's very important.

"It's okay not to feel okay, but you have to talk to somebody if you're not feeling good.

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"That can be your local GP or your Samaritans on 116 123"

"We're a confidential line, we don't judge people, and we give you the space to talk."

You can hear the interview in full by clicking below.

 

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