What’s On In Cork That’s Good For Mental Health And Wellbeing

As the Minister for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly launched Connecting for Life Cork on Wednesday 26th July 2017, we thought it would be useful to look at what’s happening in Cork this summer that can be good for mental health and wellbeing.

The launch of Connecting For Life Cork took place at Millennium Hall, Cork City Hall. The event was attended by a large number of those involved in the drafting of the plan, including Cork community and voluntary groups and members of the public from across the local area. A total of 356 people took part in public meetings, with 700 comments and suggestions recorded. Online surveys were conducted and separate youth consultations also took place at City Hall. The results of this extensive feedback were formed into a 72 point action plan for Cork, work has already started on some of these actions.

The vision of the four year plan, which runs from 2017 to 2020, is a County Cork where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

If you are worried about your mental health, or the wellbeing of someone else, it’s important to talk to someone or look for support. Exploring the small things you can do, that are good for mental health and wellbeing, can really help:

Healthy Eating

Good food is fundamental to make sure your mind and body are working properly. More and more studies are showing that what you eat can make a big difference to your mental health. Familiarising yourself with the Irish Food Pyramid can help when it comes to planning healthy meals. Of course, good food also tastes great and can be great fun to boot. If you feel like you need some help to learn how to cook healthier meals at home, there are a number of cooking classes for adults in Cork.

We’re lucky in Cork to enjoy a rich culinary culture and an active calendar of food events. This summer checkout Bia Sasta food events in Cork and the upcoming A Taste Of West Cork Food Festival which runs from the 8^th to the 17^th of September this year. If you’re looking to eat out, we enjoy a wealth of healthy eating restaurants in Cork.

To learn more or get involved in community initiatives to promote and prioritise a healthy food system in the area, see the Cork Food Policy Council website.

Stay Social

Social contact and being actively involved in the local community can make all the difference to your mental health. Although it can take courage to get out and meet people if you’re suffering mental health issues, it can make a very real difference to how you feel. If the cost is a big concern, there are many free events available in Cork.

Promoting events and activities in Cork is a key action plan point in the Connecting For Life plan. From Heritage Week from the 19^th to 27^th of August, to Cork City Libraries events to Summer In The Park events run by the City Council, there are loads of great family and adult activity events in Cork this summer. Many events running in Cork are free of charge too.

Take Time Out

Taking time out to relax allows you to give yourself permission to let go of worries for a while. We all need to relax, to give our mind and body time to recover from the stresses of life. The Wellness Workshop is an online app that shares practical tools to help maintain wellness when we’re feeling good and improve wellness during difficult times.

There are always lots of events and activities taking place in the area which provide the opportunity to take time out and enjoy a relaxing activity.

The UCC Walking Tour is an hour long historical and cultural tour taking in historical sites and the story of George Bool, the UCC’s first professor of maths and inventor of Boolean logic. Cork Nature Network promote nature conservation by offering public events, many of which are free. The Cork Heritage Open Day sees Cork’s most fascinating buildings open their doors, free of charge, for this special event.

Talk To Someone

There are a range of organisations nationally, and in Cork, providing support via the phone, internet or text message.

Have you been affected by suicide, self-harm, or just need to talk?

Support is available for you now in Cork:

Anyone in crisis can get support through their GP.

Round-the-clock psychiatric care is available at the Emergency Department of your nearest hospital, where care is provided out-of-hours by on-call psychiatrists.