Alex's Answer

Hi there, and thanks for contacting Ask Alex. 

You talk about having mood swings and mention that you are afraid that your plushies will get thrown out, and you are fearful your beloved pet will die soon. You think you have mental health issues. It sounds like you may be having trouble with negative thoughts (losing your plushies or pets) and that this is impacting on how you feel (mood swings). Although unpleasant to experience, this is quite common and something for which we can definitely get help.

Firstly, we would like to say how brave you are to reach out for support. Taking this first step is huge so don’t underestimate what a significant thing this is that you have been courageous enough to do. So now, what’s the next step? Making use of your support network is a good place to head next. Is there somebody in your life that you feel can trust, who will listen to you and assist you in finding the correct help? This person can be a parent, another family member, an adult like a teacher or sports coach or a friend’s parent. You could open up to them about how you are feeling and what you are experiencing. Sharing troubles is often relieving in and of itself and it can ensure that you get the support you may need. 

Speaking of effective support, as important as it is to have support from our loved ones, when it comes to mental health, it is very important to get professional help too if necessary. A mental health professional can help us make sense of our experiences, where these thoughts and concerns may be coming from and what skills can be used to enable us to feel well.  

Sometimes, when we experience difficulties in our lives it can be tough to navigate the situation on our own or to find solutions for our problems but by reaching out for help, either through our support network or to a professional, we can share the burden and begin our journey to recovery. Your GP could refer you to CAMHS, counselling services or talk to you about other mental health services such as Jigsaw (www.jigsaw.ie). 

If ever you need to talk about it and you don’t know who to go to, know Childline is here for you. We will listen and support you whenever you need a listening ear. You can call us at 1800 66 66 66 or use the live chat in our website which you can find here: www.childline.ie. 

We hope this helped and we hope you feel better soon! 

Take care, 

Alex