Course on coping for those prone to self-harm
Nine mental health patients who took part in the pilot project received certificates from Mental Health Minister Kathleen Lynch at Cork City Hall yesterday.
As part of their treatment, they availed of group skills training, individual therapy, and out-of-hours phone coaching with a therapist to help let go of patterns of self-destructive behaviour.
Having taken part in the programme, the class were found to make fewer visits to emergency departments and have fewer admissions to hospital. Significant reductions in anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and borderline symptoms were also recorded over the year and on a six-month follow-up.
The graduates had all been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, which includes difficulties in managing emotions, continual self-harm and repeated suicidal behaviour.
One of the graduates said the course “gave me the tools to build a life worth living, to finally be able to step out into the world”.
“Now, I recognise self- harm as damaging my body and it is not a way of coping,” said the course graduate. “I recognise now where my thoughts to harm are coming from and how to understand and deal with them.”
Self-harm and repeated suicidal behaviour is a growing problem in Cork with, at 484 per 100,000 population, the highest self-harm rate in the country seen among Cork City men. The rate of self-harming among Cork men is twice that of men in other cities. A fifth of people who turn up at hospital having self-harmed will have previously presented with symptoms.
Principal psychology manager and leader of the Endeavour Programme in Cork, Daniel Flynn, said it had also been of benefit to families.
“Many have learned to accept that they cannot protect their loved one from emotional distress and thus begun getting on with normal life while their relative has had the support of the Endeavour team,” he said.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
