Big wave surfer and ocean adventurer Al Mennie’s new book teaches people how to deal with fear by planning for stressful situations, writes Paula Burns

One in two health workers in Ireland have experienced mental health difficulties, it has emerged.

Farm families are invited to attend a series of nine free forest walks in support of the Green Ribbon campaign to raise mental health awareness during May.

A survey by Skibbereen and Bandon Credit Union of more than 200 women in agriculture in West Cork shows 61% saying financial pressure is the biggest stress factor in running a farm.

Ahead of World Mental Health Week, Ailin Quinlan finds out 15 ways to boost your wellbeing and longterm happiness.

Adam Coleman, 22, has been blogging for just over a year, writes Denise O’Donoghue

Aversion therapy is back in vogue — and this time it’s gone hi-tech. Caomhan Keane reports.

Farmers are eight times more likely than those in the general labour force to die in a workplace accident, according to the Health and Safety Authority.

Small improvements can add up to big savings, Teagasc is advising in its ongoing dairy farm walks’ series.

There’s plenty to look forward to for the week ahead.

Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill, delivers her weekly briefing on Euro affairs from the European Parliament.

There’s a flippin’ tasty stack of events taking place for Pancake Tuesday, with good eggs all over the country using the occasion to whip up some much-needed funds for charity.

It might not be as extreme as the Ice Bucket Challenge, or as narcissistic as the No Make-up Selfie, but a new craze is raising thousands for charity.

Donations have been pouring in to Mental Health Ireland - who are, of course, delighted.

By now, you’ll have noticed the new trend on Facebook for posting your very first Facebook profile photo again for all to mock and praise.

Fear of seeming friendless or single prevents many people, especially women, from socialising or travelling by themselves, but going solo has its advantages, says Caroline Allen.

Radio presenter John Murray’s recent illness highlights a growing problem, says Rachel Borrill.

The case of 25-year-old Samantha Azzopardi demands compassion rather than condemnation, writes Noel Baker

One of the country’s leading psychiatrists said the Mater Hospital has a “zero tolerance” approach when it comes to illicit drug use at its psychiatric wing — staff immediately kick the offender out.

We welcome the Oireachtas Justice Committee initiative under Deputy David Stanton to hear from interested parties on legal capacity prior to publication of this important bill.

Recognised as one of the world’s sexiest and most successful men, Brad Pitt has opened up about his battle with depression.

BRENDAN HOWLIN said he would not “pretend” that frontline services won’t be hit by a cut of 23,500 in public sector workers.

HE MAY be the toughest man in Ireland but iron man Gerry Duffy isn’t afraid to acknowledge his weaknesses.

CHRISTMAS — a warm, intimate winter break steeped in much-loved tradition, or a stressful, meaningless, overpriced, overexposed load of tinsel-covered nonsense that has nothing to do with anything except buying more stuff?

PEOPLE who eat healthily every day or suffer temper tantrums could be deemed to be suffering from a mental disorder if proposed categories of mental illnesses are accepted.

Today is World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Ireland is putting specific emphasis on highlighting problems among young people.

A VITAL unit for children with mental health problems that has been ready to open for several months is still lying idle because staff have not been appointed to run it.

TO most of the people who live there, it’s not a hospital — it’s home.

MORE than €6.5 million was spent on treating 39 Irish people with mental illnesses in Britain over a three-year period from 2005.

MORE than €6.5 million was spent on treating 39 Irish people with mental illnesses in Britain over a three-year period from 2005.

ALMOST 500 white crosses have been erected as part of an awareness initiative remembering the victims of suicide was yesterday launched by the Students’ Union at the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in conjunction with Mental Awareness Week there.

MENTALLY ill patients who had their welfare payments stopped when they were admitted to psychiatric hospitals could be eligible for repayments totalling hundreds of thousands of euro following a landmark court settlement.

THE High Court has ruled that a woman with a long history of mental illness was being detained unlawfully because of a flaw in the forms used by psychiatrists to renew a patient’s period of detention.

Subsuming the Combat Poverty Agency into a Government department would destroy the watchdog’s independence and ability to carry out vital work, it was warned today.

THE Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) have been criticised for their failure to attend what was described as an urgent meeting to discuss the relocation of patients from the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) to a high-security prison site at Thornton Hall.

A MENTAL health programme for primary schools, similar to one successfully working in Scotland, could improve behaviour in the classroom, a conference heard at the weekend.

ABOUT half of the €50 million promised by the Government for mental health services over the past two years has been delivered to date, according to a leading advocacy group.

Unions representing psychiatric nurses will hold discussions today with health chiefs in an attempt to end industrial action.

Unions representing psychiatric nurses are expected to announce an escalation of action in their bitter row with health chiefs today.

HEALTH chiefs could be forced into a crisis situation in a potentially “long and dirty battle” with psychiatric nurses, it was warned yesterday.

THE workplace is getting more hot-tempered with the majority of workers experiencing regular verbal abuse, according to a survey published yesterday.

GRIEVING mother Collette Wolfe still waits at home for the daughter she knows will never return.