Levels of depression and vaping worry councillors

Social isolation during the pandemic has led to a significant rise in the number of local people suffering from depression, according to a local councillor.

Speaking at the September meeting of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Mick Dollard said that “there are a lot of houses, particularly in the greater Mullingar area, that have a problem with depression”.

“You might meet people on the street, but as soon as you sit down with them, you’ll discover that a lot of them have fears, apprehensions and depression et cetera. A lot of this has come about because of Covid and the isolation for two years.”

Cllr Dollard added that he was a psychiatric nurse “for many years” and believes that it was easier to receive help in the past.

“Someone could present themselves to their GP with depression and be referred to a local psychiatrist. It is so difficult to get an appointment with a psychiatrist at the moment.

“I am talking to people on a daily basis – it’s an area that we need to look closely at. Mental health is a huge problem at the present moment.”

Cllr Dollard, who was speaking following a presentation on the Healthy Ireland and Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programmes, said that groups such as the 1428 Club and the community groups in D’Alton Park and Grange are “providing an invaluable service to people who can drop in and talk about their problems”.

Cllr John Shaw said that Ireland has changed a lot over the last two or three decades and that is reflected in the changing health needs of the population.

“There are a lot of problems around in the area of health that certainly weren’t there 30 or 40 years ago. A big part of that is educating people in terms of their health.”

Cllr Denis Leonard said that initiatives such as Healthy Ireland are “absolutely invaluable”. Referring to the importance of educating young people when it comes to healthy habits, Cllr Leonard said that there is an “epidemic of vaping in this country”.

“It’s destroying the health of young people and an awful lot of adults.

“You can buy these things in the shop for €8. They are battery operated and you can get four, five or six hundred puffs, which is probably the same as a pack of cigarettes.

“They come in watermelon, or strawberry, or lemon, or whatever it is. They litter our sidewalks, put batteries in our bins, but most importantly they pollute the health of young people.”