Finding Services for Mental Health & Addiction issues

Please note we are not recommending any of these services,simply letting you know these services exist. You will need to assess whether these are the right services for you.

Currently there are limited specialist mental health services for dual diagnosis in Ireland. There is a private unit in St Patrick’s hospital in Dublin. This hospital also has an outpatient specialist ADHD/addiction unit for adults.

 

The A to Z Guide

You may find helpful  the  A to Z guide to Irish Mental Health Services.   It  explains how to find your way around mental health and addiction services- everything from what to expect from a GP, counsellor or psychiatrist, to finding services, to making a complaint.  Pages 10 to 12 deals specifically with using using mental health quality standards to get help for dual diagnosis issues. It  can be downloaded here.

If it is an emergency situation, contact or go to the Accident and Emergency Department of your nearest hospital, or contact the emergency services on 112 or 999. You will need to be prepared for a long wait however.

 

Specific Services for Drug and Alcohol addictions

Some useful information can be found at www.drugs.ie
A telephone help line, online instant chat and email service are also available here.

Information can also be found at  www.healthpromotion.ie and

Local Drugs Task Force office

These services were set up as community partnerships in areas worse afflicted by opiate addiction. They now deal with all types of substance addiction including alcohol. Google “community drug task force” to find your local task force.

Family Support Network

This is a nationwide organisation that supports family members living with substance abuse.

For more information, click here.

HSE Services

You can also contact your GP, local public health nurse, local health office or community psychiatric nurse and request a referral to a specific service for drug and alcohol.

Please note not all of these professionals are fully trained in substance addiction treatment so make sure you are referred onwards to a specialist in the area if you feel you need more expert help.

Find HSE Services here:

Life Ring

Follows the 3S philosophy. Sobriety, secularity, self-help. Secularity means without religion. Your religious belief or lack of it remains your own private business. So unlike AA there is no referencing of a “higher power”. Currently meetings are held in Dublin on

Tuesdays at 6:30pm, in the Dublin Central Mission, the Wesley room, 9 Lower Abbey street across from LUAS stop

Thursdays at 7:10pm in St Patrick’s hospital in room H.

There are also links to chat rooms and an Irish yahoo group at unhooked .com.

for further information and to confirm above times still apply, email: lifeRing.dublin.irl@gmail.com

Ana Liffey Drug Project

The Ana Liffey Drug Project is a ‘Low Threshold – Harm Reduction’ service based in North Inner City Dublin. The project works with people experiencing addiction to minimise the harm that problematic drug use causes them, their families and the wider community.

For more information click here:

Drug and Alcohol Programme

The D.A.P. is a project of Crosscare, the social care agency of the Dublin Diocese. This service offers a search engine to obtain contact details for local services in your area. They also offer a free Drug & Alcohol Counselling Service, as well as options to access information via mobile phone and a Live Helper – Online Chat Information / Support Service. Specific Services for Mental Health problems

Mental Health Ireland

Mental Health Ireland is a national voluntary organisation which aims to promote positive mental health and to actively support persons with a mental illness, their families and carers by identifying their needs and advocating their rights.

Visit www.mentalhealthireland.ie or telephone 01-284 1166

The Mental Health Commission

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) was established in April 2002 and the principal functions of the Commission are to promote, encourage and foster the establishment and maintenance of high standards in the delivery of mental health services. The ‘Useful Websites’ section of their site lists a range of Irish and international agencies and organisations providing information, services and support in the broad area of health and more specifically in mental health.

Visit www.mhcirl.ie

Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health

NIAMH, the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health, provides local support for those with mental health needs in locations across Northern Ireland. A wide range of services are offered including housing schemes, home support, advocacy services, information services, public education and research.

Visit www.niamh.co.uk

Your Mental Health

This website has been developed as part of the ‘Your Mental Health’ awareness campaign, which aims to improve awareness and understanding of mental health and well-being in Ireland. The campaign and this website are coordinated by the National Office for Suicide Prevention.

Visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie

ADHD Midwest Support Group

An information and advisory service for people interested in ADHD. Monthly meetings are presently held in premises located in Limerick Enterprise Development Centre, Roxboro, Limerick.

Telephone: 061-312621

Email: addmidwest@eircom.ie

Headstrong

Headstrong is a new initiative working with communities in Ireland to ensure that young people Aged 12 to 25 are better supported to achieve mental health and wellbeing. Headstrong was set up in response to an identified need to address the issue of youth mental health in Ireland.

Visit www.headstrong.ie

National Counselling Service

This free counselling service run by the HSE provides one to one counselling for adults survivors of childhood abuse and their partners.

Visit www.hse-ncs.ie/en/

Towards Healing (previously known as Faoiseamh)

This free counselling service run by the Catholic church provides one to one counselling for adult survivors of childhood abuse and their families. Abuse must have taken place whilst in the care of the Catholic church or where abuser was members of the clergy or religous or employed by the church.

Visit www.faoiseamh.com General Services

IrishHealth.com

Irishhealth.com offers a comprehensive source of health information and up-to-the-minute health news.

Visit www.irishhealth.com

The Samaritans

The Samaritans provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day.

Visit www.samaritans.org or telephone 1850 60 90 90 (ROI) or 08457 90 90 90 (NI)

SpunOut.ie

SpunOut.ie is Ireland’s leading online youth health, lifestyle and citizenship resource for 16 to 25 year olds. The website can be accessed via the internet and mobile phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ensuring that young people always have access to information and support if and when they need it

Visit www.spunout.ie

Mental Health and Smoking

A useful website on  mental health and smoking.

Visit website

Citizens Information

Citizens Information is an Irish eGovernment website provided by the Citizens Information Board.

The site provides comprehensive information on all aspects of Public Services and entitlements for citizens in Ireland. The site has been specially designed around the needs of users for those times in life when you need information about your rights and how to apply for State services in Ireland.

The Citizens Information Phone service and Citizens Information Centres are funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board. They provide free, confidential, independent and impartial information to all. The Citizens Information Board also produces a number of publications about your rights and entitlements.

Visit www.citizensinformation.ie or telephone the Citizens Information Phone Service. Lo-Call 1890 777 121.

Monday to Friday 9am – 9pm.

Or you can visit in person by calling to a Citizens Information Centre near you (available in the Golden Pages)