Action Mental Health is a regional charity that aims to enhance the quality of life and employability of people with mental health needs or a learning disability. Locally, the Action Mental Health service is called New Horizons and has been based at Drumcoo, Enniskillen since 1991.

“We have very extensive services here in Enniskillen where we have training in IT, horticulture, woodwork, catering, we deliver OCNs, NVQs and a BL in IT, we also have a beautiful ceramics studio and we have an onsite gym. We really have everything that has an impact on emotional wellbeing and mental health,” said Service Manager at Action Mental Health Caroline Ferguson.

When asked if she has seen a recent rise in the number of people who are struggling with their mental health, Caroline said: “Absolutely, we have a very high rate of people with mental ill health, at least one in four people in the population and we estimate that to be actually higher.”

She continued: “We see an increase in the number of people presenting with mental ill health problems but we also see an increase in the number of people who are talking about it, which is absolutely brilliant. We see a community which is more open to discussion around mental health and emotional wellbeing and people are able to articulate their own needs in that area and that is very positive.”

“I’ve worked at Action Mental Health since 1991 with the service here at New Horizons and one of the biggest changes I have seen is the change in attitude of the community. The local community is so supportive and that is demonstrated in everything from the conversations people are having, fundraising which they do on our behalf and support from employers when we go out looking for placements. People are really tuned in to the importance of better mental health for all in our community,” added Caroline.

Highlighting that there are many different factors that can have a detrimental effect on a person’s mental health, Caroline noted that she has seen an increased level of social anxiety in young people in Fermanagh. “Social media plays its part in that. Living in a world that is materialistic and the whole concept of body image and body shaming plays a factor with our young people,” she said.

Caroline explained that rurality is another factor that is affecting people in Fermanagh. “Rurality plays its part. Recently a lot of research has shown amongst the farming community that mental ill health is on the increase. In the past farmers would have had a helper who worked with them, who worked alongside them on the farm. That is increasingly a very isolated occupation and certainly loneliness plays a factor,” she explained.

During Mental Health Awareness Day on Thursday, October 10, Caroline spent the day in Derrylin in local community hardware store JP Corry’s. She said: “I spent the day meeting customers and staff in a very male orientated place, and men don’t traditionally speak very comfortably about their emotional wellbeing and that’s an industry, the construction industry, where there are high levels of stress and also of mental ill health. Having an initiative like that where we were talking about mental health in the hardware store is just phenomenal because you know we should be able to talk about mental health everywhere.”

“It’s not something that you go and have a hushed conversation about with your GP,” Caroline concluded.