A young Mullingar man’s experiences of maintaining sound mental health are the inspiration behind a new documentary on the subject, ‘Bruised Not Broken’.
Josh Deegan (19) is working with Michael Benson Productions on the film, which also includes contributions from Jackie Fox (who campaigned for Coco’s law), other members of the Brighter Thoughts Ireland team, mental health nurses, and counsellors. Josh says that growing up in Mullingar was great when he was younger, but the older he got, the more he found life challenging. He attended St Mary’s Primary School and Coláiste Mhuire, where he did his Leaving Certificate in 2019. He went on to Moate Business College in 2019 and graduated in 2020 with an Advanced Social Studies certificate. Josh was a volunteer with the Order of Malta, an activity he has curtailed to focus on his mental health work. He says the organisation taught him valuable life skills and he would encourage others to consider volunteering as well. Joshua has spoken widely about his personal battles with mental illness and in the last three years, as the face of Brighter Thoughts Ireland, he has gained a reputation as a leading youth mental health advocate and speaker. Talking to the Westmeath Examiner, Josh said problems with anxiety have escalated since the Covid-19 pandemic, but they are not new. “I have lost a number of friends through suicide, which has affected me, but also made me want to stand up, and speak out, and evoke change. Of course, mental health needs to be addressed way more in Ireland, and the existing services need to be improved so much. “Covid-19 has greatly affected people’s mental health. I have seen an increase in the numbers of people of all ages reaching out to services requesting help.” In 2017, Josh was selected as a Cycle Against Suicide ambassador. He has also been a Darkness Into Light Mullingar committee member (“the committee has currently stepped down”) and a Pieta House fundraiser. Speaking as filming for ‘Bruised Not Broken’ began in Mullingar, Josh said the aim is to increase understanding about how people can help others, and promote a culture in which it is okay to talk about mental health problems. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a date has not been set for the release of the documentary, though Josh and his team are hoping it will be September 2021. He hopes to have it screened in the IMC cinema Mullingar. “I’m motivated to do this documentary because I know it will help people, and open up a conversation,” Josh said, adding that his long-term plans remain open: “I’d rather live in the moment and take it day by day,” he said. Joshua has received official recognition relating to his work in mental health, including a Garda Youth Award in 2019. In 2020, he was again honoured by the Garda for his work. He has delivered talks in schools, youth clubs and at events such as Cycle Against Suicide and DCU Mental Health Week.
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Mental Health Advocate and Keynote Speaker: Joshua Deegan on his Documentary Bruised Not Broken3/7/2021 Josh Deegan (19), from Mullingar, is the brainchild behind a brand new mental health documentary entitled “Bruised Not Broken”. Michael Benson Productions will steer the documentary with speakers in the film Josh, Jackie Fox (Founder of Coco’s law), the Brighter Thoughts Ireland team, mental health nurses, and counsellors. Jackie recently campaigned for Cocos Law, which President Michael D. Higgins approved in December 2020. This bill is in memory of Nicole Fox Fenlon (Jackie’s daughter), who lost her life to cyberbullying. It will criminalise the distribution of intimate images without consent from the person. Previously, there were several meetings with justice Minister Helen McEntee to get this bill across. It reached all the Seanad stages as the “Harassment, Harmful, Communications, and Related Offences bill”. Josh claims growing up in Mullingar was excellent when he was younger, but the older he got, the more he realised there were not many opportunities available for people like himself. He attended St Mary’s primary school in St Mary’s and enrolled at CBS, Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar, secondary school, where he succeeded with a Leaving Certificate in 2019. Furthermore, he attended Moate Business College in 2019 and graduated in 2020 with an Advanced Social Studies certificate. Secondly, he was a first responder with the Order of Malta, which he has curtailed to focus on his organisation. He claims he has learned life skills from being a member and would encourage others also to follow their dreams. Over the past three years, Deegan, owner of Brighter Thoughts Ireland, a mental health support group, which got no public funding, has gained a reputation for himself as one of Ireland’s leading youth mental health advocates. Schools, youth clubs, and the DCU mental health week are events that he has informed people about the mental health stigma. In 2019, he was honoured at the Garda Youth Award’s in the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise. On the night, MC Will Faulkner from Midlands 103 said, “you set up your own organisation, and what age are you” Josh replied he was seventeen. In 2020, he was honoured by the Garda force again for his actions. Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Josh said that over the last number of years, he has battled with depression, anxiety and feels that the problem has escalated since the Covid-19 pandemic. “I have lost a number of friends through suicide which has affected me but also made me want to stand up, and speak out, and evoke change. Of course, mental health needs to be addressed way more in Ireland, and the existing services need to be improved so much.” “Covid-19 has greatly affected people’s mental health. I have seen an increase in the numbers of people reaching out to services requesting help of all ages.” He added. In 2017, he was selected as a “Cycle Against Suicide” ambassador. He was a committee member of Darkness Into Light Mullingar, a Pieta House fundraiser. “I have worked with Darkness into Light Mullingar. As of this year, the committee has currently stepped down.” Speaking as filming began in Mullingar, Josh said the film aims to increase understanding about what people can achieve to help others. Furthermore, he woukd like to promote a culture where suicide should be okay to talk about. Due to the current pandemic, a date has not been set for the release of the documentary. The temporary date set by Josh and his team is September 2021, for release on the Bruised not Broken Facebook page. Looking ahead, his ambitions are to have it showed for a screening in the IMC cinema Mullingar. Here, people can support their local citizen in his lifelong dream. “I don't really have any plans as of yet I rather live in the moment and take it day by day. I’m motivated to do this documentary because I know it will help so many people, and open up a conversation to talk more about mental health.” Josh Deegan concluded.
Hi everyone,
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone and has changed our lives in ways we couldn't have imagined. Throughout the year, Brighter Thoughts Ireland has worked hard to support young people across Ireland with the information and resources they need right now. It's been challenging, but we're constantly energised and inspired by the young people we work with, and by the support they continue to offer each other. We're hopeful this collective spirit will continue into 2021 and that we can build back a better post-COVID world together. From all the Brighter Thoughts Ireland team & board, we'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year LACK OF FUNDING, long waiting lists and a disjointed system are the common complaints about Ireland’s mental health services, which critics say poorly serves young people. Now, with demand expected to increase due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there are worries over whether the system can cope.
TheJournal.ie spoke to staff, students and politicians who all shared the concern about whether the system could sustain an anticipated spike in cases and referrals. Some referred to the situation as akin to waiting for a tsunami, others likened it to a time-bomb. The months of September and October often see an increase in referrals for mental health as part of the normal cycle. Now with schools set to be transformed by public health guidelines and colleges moving largely online, staff in the sector are preparing for a rising number of issues among students. Read more Former GAA president Nickey Brennan says it is vital for the mental health of the nation that the inter-county championships go ahead later this year.
Croke Park's hopes of the All-Ireland football and hurling championships taking place in half-full stadia suffered a crippling blow yesterday with the Government announcement that sport was being locked behind closed doors until September 13 at the earliest. Only players, management, officials and ancillary match personnel will be permitted inside grounds while training can continue in smaller groups - 15 people for outdoors and six inside. With just five weeks between that date and the first games of the rejigged inter-county programme, the likelihood is now that the race for Sam Maguire and Liam MacCarthy will be run off in front of empty stands - if at all. Read More THE MENTAL HEALTH impact of Covid-19 is likely to be with us for a ‘long period of time’, the Psychological Society of Ireland has warned.
A new paper has warned that individuals across the country – but especially medical staff – are suffering from a range of mental health issues because of the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The study, published today, suggests that nurses, women and “those working in virus epicentres” are bearing the brunt of the mental health impact of the pandemic.
The key warning is that the virus – for which a vaccine still remains unavailable – is likely to cause long-term mental health issues for society. “Living through a catastrophe,” the report warns, “significantly increases risk of anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress, depression, and substance use”. Read more I’m not someone who likes the dark. When I was a kid I used to be afraid of the dark. To remedy this, my mother bought me a glow in the dark cross. She pinned it next to the light switch so I would always know where the light was. As I’ve gotten older I’ve held on to this cross and put it in my children’s room. It reminds me that true light comes from Christ and when I feel alone in the dark places of my life to go to the cross and turn on the switch. Something so simple but something I make so complicated. What’s an area of your life you need to expose to
the light? I challenge you to go to the cross and turn on the switch, God sees you, He cares for you, you are important to him. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. ” John 3:20-21 |
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