PSHE Blog Articles

The Increasing Rates of Suicide among Migrants and Asylum Seekers

World Suicide Prevention Day is on 10th September 2023 and the theme for this year is: ‘Creating Hope Through Action’. This blog will examine the increasingly troubling area of suicide among migrants and asylum seekers…

The Rise in Health Anxiety

Health anxiety is a condition whereby an individual spends so much time worrying about their health and the possibility of becoming ill that it takes over their life. In the past it was referred to as hypochondria but it is now more commonly known as health anxiety…

Common Reasons for Anxiety Today

In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 and this year’s theme of ‘Anxiety’, this blog will discuss some common causes of anxiety…

The Importance of Netiquette

We all spend a fair amount of time online, whether this is for school, work or for social reasons. Usually it is beneficial and we gain much from our use of IT and new media. However, sometimes things do not go too well, often due to…

Communicating Effectively Online

In today’s technological world, we live much of our life online. We communicate online, work online, study online and find information at the touch of a button…

Suicides in Treatment and Aftercare

Suicide is a significant health and social problem and those with any form of addiction are most at risk. Numerous studies have highlighted the link between addiction and suicide. It is well known that alcohol, and many other…

The Increase in Pre-Teen and Teenage Suicide

In conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Day held on 10th September 2022, this blog examines the increase in pre-teen and teenage suicides…

The Cost of Living Crisis and Suicide

The cost of living crisis is a term that is being widely talked about in the media. The rate of inflation is increasing and petrol and diesel prices are rising fast. The cost of electricity and gas are astronomical and are set to increase further this year…

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

This blog is part of the Mental Health Awareness Week series and examines symptoms associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This condition is often overlooked when discussing mental health conditions and many people are not even aware it exists…

How Does Depression Affect People?

In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Week, this blog will look at the issue of depression including:

• Symptoms of depression…

The Physical Effects of Stress

As part of Mental Awareness Week 2022, we will look at the signs and effects of stress on the body. In particular, we will examine the physical effects of stress and will look at some ideas for managing stress.

Stress can be defined as a feeling of emotional or physical tension. Stress is the way your body reacts…

Generalised Anxiety Disorder After COVID

Around the world, mental health issues are an ever-growing concern. Global issues such as the recent COVID pandemic, as well as the increased cost of living and worries about climate change have all had a negative impact…

Coping with Loneliness

The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 is loneliness. Many people would describe loneliness as being physically alone or in solitude, whereas loneliness is actually a state of mind. Therefore, loneliness is not about being on your own, it is about feeling all alone. Yet, many people do not now know how to cope with being alone…

What is the Purpose of Mental Health Awareness Week?

Every year, the Mental Health Foundation designates one week in May as Mental Health Awareness Week. It is an opportunity for people around the country to examine their own attitude towards mental health…

The Needle Spiking Scourge

The thought of having a drink spiked while out socially is horrendous. We have read of numerous cases where victims had their drinks spiked before being assaulted or raped. In most cases, the victim was unable to remember…

Gaslighting and Coercive Control

Gaslighting and coercive control are both types of bullying. It is important to understand the meaning of these terms so that you can recognise it when it occurs. To coincide with Anti-Bullying Week 2021, this blog will highlight…

Bullying of Women

As part of Anti-Bullying Week 2021, we are looking at the bullying of women and how it has increased in recent years, particularly since the outbreak of the coronavirus. This is a diverse subject which can also be covered by the…

Bullying in the Workplace

As part of Anti-Bullying Week 2021, it is important to highlight that bullying is not just a school problem — adults are also affected by bullying. In fact, the bullying culture among adults in the workplace can be quite significant…

Immigrant Bullying

The recent conflict in Afghanistan has raised the issue of immigration once again as thousands of refugees scrambled to flee the country. According to the United Nations, up to half a million Afghans could leave the area by…

World Suicide Prevention Day 2021

One in every 100 deaths worldwide is the result of suicide. This is a shocking figure and unfortunately, even in the 21st century, there is still a stigma attached to suicide. While many people are reluctant to talk about this issue…

The Scourge of Racism

It would be nice to assume that, in our modern and enlightened world, racism is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, as recent events have shown hate crimes are on the rise and racism is alive and prevalent. Sadly a small minority…

How To Build A Fairer, More Equitable Healthcare System

Healthcare is a subject which invokes strong feelings and discussions. This is especially true when considering whether healthcare should be free for everyone. Some countries, such as the UK, have a free healthcare system…

The Homelessness and Temporary Housing Crisis

The terms ‘homeless’ and ‘temporary housing’ are becoming increasingly commonplace. The amount of people and families who have no permanent place to live and who are on a waiting list for housing…

No Smoking Day 2021

As today is No Smoking Day, it is a good idea to focus on why quitting smoking is beneficial. Not only are there health benefits, but also financial ones as the price of tobacco is so high. The health problems caused by smoking are…

Fuel Poverty — The Stone Cold Reality

Fuel poverty is a very real issue. As with food poverty, it affects every member of a low-income household. Fuel poverty can be defined as: ‘A situation where members of a household cannot afford to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost, given their income’. So, in a nutshell, the problem is high fuel bills coupled with poverty…

Children and Food Poverty During the Pandemic

An issue that has been discussed many times during the coronavirus pandemic is that of food poverty. The campaign to reinstate free school meals was championed by footballer and food poverty campaigner Marcus Rashford MBE. This led to a turnaround by the government and free school meals were finally provided during the first lockdown…

Can Gaming Become a Problem?

Gaming is the activity of playing games on computers or some other form of electronic game. This could be on a games console, pc or mobile phone. Gaming is an extremely popular pastime of youths today, but when does gaming cease becoming a hobby and start becoming an addiction…

United Against Bullying and Cyberbullying

This year’s Anti-bullying Week runs from Monday 16th–Friday 20th of November and the theme is: ‘United Against Bullying’. The last part of the Anti-Bullying Alliance manifesto for this year states…

The Long-Term Effects of Bullying

In conjunction with anti-bullying week (the theme for #ABW2020 is: ‘United Against Bullying’) this blog will look at the long-term effects of bullying. Whether it is bullying in schools, bullying in the workplace or online bullying…

Workplace Bullying

The term ‘Sunday Scaries’ is often associated with returning to work on a Monday morning after the weekend. Although it might seem a light-hearted or comical expression, many people experience this feeling, and…

Anti-Bullying Week 2020

It is Anti-Bullying Week from 16th–20th November 2020. The theme for this year is: ‘United Against Bullying’ and it starts off with Odd Socks Day on the Monday to kick-start the week. Odd Socks Day is a way to celebrate…

COVID-20 — Coping with the Mental Health Time Bomb

As COVID-19 continues to throw new challenges at us every day, experts are warning of an impending mental health crisis following on the heels of the coronavirus, which they have dubbed ‘COVID-20’…

How the Coronavirus Has Affected Mental Health

You do not need to go far today to be confronted with the current pandemic. Wearing a mask as a routine and the constant sanitising of hands and equipment is the new norm. It seems as if the news channels are reporting…

ITV’s Campaign for Mental Wellness

ITV is the oldest commercial network in the UK and was originally launched in 1955. In Britain it is a popular TV broadcaster and it distributes some of the most popular programmes on TV…

Was there an Increase in Suicides During the Lockdown?

It is a well known fact that social isolation can have a negative impact on emotional wellbeing. For this reason, there was an increase in mental health issues during the lockdown and many people sought medical help during this time…

The Increase in Male Suicides

Recently there has been an alarming increase in mental health problems across the board. Medical professionals are reporting an increase in individuals seeking help for anxiety & depression and other mental health disorders…

World Suicide Prevention Day 2020

World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). The theme for the third year running is: ‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’. The aim is to raise awareness of suicide and provide information on the causes of suicide and the warning signs of suicide…

The Business of Drugs:

Opioids

The sixth and final episode of the Netflix series ‘The Business of Drugs’ covers opioid use and opioid addiction. As the episode begins, we are given a set of statistics which are truly shocking…

The Business of Drugs:

Cannabis

The fifth episode of the Netflix series ‘The Business of Drugs’ examines the production and sale of cannabis. The presenter, Amaryllis Fox, focuses largely on the legality of cannabis in the US — she examines certain…

The Business of Drugs:

Meth

This blog is a review of the fourth episode of the Netflix series ‘The Business of Drugs’ and it is about the drug meth.

This episode begins with a trip to Myanmar in South East Asia. It is a relatively unknown fact that the biggest…

The Business of Drugs:

Heroin

The third episode in the Netflix series ‘The Business of Drugs’ looks at heroin production. The episode begins in the slums of Kenya where a heroin dealer explains his reasons for producing the drug. Selling heroin is his only means…

The Business of Drugs:

Synthetics

The second episode in the Netflix series ‘The Business of Drugs’ covers synthetics — drugs made from synthetic substances. Amaryllis Fox introduced the episode by acknowledging Dr Alexander Shulgin. When he was…

The Effect of Alcoholism on the Family Unit

Alcohol addiction has a devastating effect on the personal lives of the addict and their family and friends. Nobody escapes unscathed when there is an addict in the family, and the ease with which alcohol is available and socially acceptable only adds to the problem. So what is the impact of alcoholism on families…

The Business of Drugs:

Cocaine

‘The Business of Drugs’ — Episode 1 deals with cocaine addiction. The presenter of this series is a former CIA analyst, Amaryllis Fox. Her research and investigation into the war on drugs delves into the economics of…

Anti-Bullying Week 2019

It’s that time again — Anti-Bullying Week 2019. This year’s theme is: “Change Starts With Us”.

What does this mean? It means we are all responsible and we all have a part to play in combating bullying. Whether this is bullying in schools, workplace bullying or online bullying…

The Increasing Rise in Knife Crime

Knife crime is not something restricted to TV, films or violent inner city neighbourhoods in America. In fact, knife crime statistics are a much closer reality. For example, 2018 was London’s bloodiest year in almost a decade with the murder toll from knife crime claiming 134 lives. On 3rd July 2019, the Sun Online reported that in London so far this year, more than 30 knife-related deaths have been reported…

Suicide and Social Media

The recent story of the death of the YouTuber ‘Etika’ to suicide has been truly shocking not only to his subscribers and fans but to the social media community as a whole. His tragic death, and the recent suicides of reality TV stars, has led to increased media awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. Many questions have arisen including…

Homophobic Bullying

The graphic image of the two women on the Camden night bus in London on 30th May 2019 was truly shocking. This unprovoked attack was a case of vile homophobic bullying. The bloodied and distraught faces of the two innocent women caused shock and outrage. The UK is largely an inclusive and tolerant nation. However, this vile incident highlights the bigoted view that many…

The Bullying Epidemic in Schools

A shocking report by the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) has indicated that England is ranked highest in the world for bullying and cyberbullying among students. This survey, which was reported in a number of daily papers including the Telegraph, revealed that 13.9% of head teachers reported that students had been targets of online bullying…

Young People and Mental Health Awareness

According to a report by NHS Digital published in November 2018, mental health illnesses affect one in four older teenage girls aged 17–19, and one in eight people between the ages of 5 and 19 had a mental health disorder last year. Even more worrying, a quarter of 11–16-year olds with mental health problems had self-harmed or attempted suicide, increasing to 46%…

How to Deal with Bullying

Our final blog in conjunction with Anti-Bullying Week 2018 looks at how to deal with bullying.

The areas discussed are:

• how to deal with bullies…

Educating Children from a Young Age About Bullying

This blog discusses the issue of educating children from a young school age about bullying. In general, if children are taught from a young age that bullying is unacceptable, these lessons and values will carry on into adulthood. Bullying education in schools is vital, as is an anti-bullying policy which teachers must be familiar with…

The Link Between Bullying and Substance Abuse

This blog is going to examine the link between bullying and substance abuse. As discuseed in our previous blog, there is a ink between bullying and mental health issues, but what do bullying and substance abuse have in common? To answer this, it is important to look at the relationship between bullying and substance abuse. The term substance abuse is not limited to just drugs and alcohol…

The Effects of Bullying on Mental Health

Following on from our blog on bullying in secondary schools, this article is going to examine the effects of bullying on mental health.

Bullying and mental health are two factors that tend to go hand in hand, but can bullying cause mental illness in children? Is the statement that ‘bullying leads to mental health problems’ always the case…

Bullying in Secondary Schools

This blog is going to discuss the issue of bullying in secondary schools. It will discuss the types and effects of bullying and also how to tackle bullying in secondary schools.

Bullying can be defined as the on-going abuse of another person by physical and mental means. The major problem with bullying in secondary schools is that it is conducted out of sight of the victim’s parents or loved ones…

Social Media and Bullying

To kick start our blogs in conjunction with Anti-Bullying Week 2018, the first subject we are covering is social media and bullying. As social media has such an extensive audience and influence today, the negative side of it is the alarming amount of cyberbullying that occurs via social media. It is important to understand the role that the internet has in bullying and how cyberbullying…

Anti-Bullying Week 2018

Anti-Bullying Week is with us again on Monday 12th–Friday 16th November — a time for schools, youth organisations and businesses everywhere to look at ways of preventing and tackling bullying.

Does your school or organisation have a robust anti-bullying policy in place? Does everyone know what to do if they are being bullied or if they know of someone else who is the target of bullying…

Should We Stop Saying ‘Commit Suicide’?

We have been using the expression ‘commit suicide’ when referring to people who take their own life. It has been brought to our attention that this term should not be used as it implies a crime has been ‘committed’. Going forward we will no longer use this term but instead will use other expressions such as ‘ended their own life’ or ‘died by suicide…

Why Are Males More Likely to Attempt Suicide than Females?

This blog will examine the issue of male suicide. It will compare male vs female suicide rates and also discuss the issue of male depression and the link to suicide. We ask why suicide rates among men are so high, and what can be done about these distressing statistics…

Is Self-Harm and Suicide Linked?

The number of individuals self-harming has rapidly increased in recent years. A recent study by The Children’s Society reported that one in four 14-year-old girls in the UK are self-harming. This statistic is alarming. However, we are investigating a possible link between self-harm and suicide and this blog will examine if there are ties between the two…

Suicide and How to Recognise the Signs

Why would someone attempt suicide and what are the signs of suicidal behaviour in an individual? These questions are the subject of this blog.

A common expression synonymous with suicide is that it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem…

Is there a Link Between Antidepressants and Suicidal Thoughts?

Antidepressants are regularly prescribed for depression and are also used to reduce the risk of suicide. However, there is mounting evidence that antidepressants can cause suicidal thoughts in a person who previously had no thoughts of suicide…

Our Relationship with Alcohol

According to WHO (the World Health Organisation) alcohol is responsible for around 3.3 million deaths every year which is almost 6% of all deaths. This is a shocking statistic! Most alcohol-related deaths result from injuries, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver cirrhosis. There is also the danger of alcohol poisoning when people misjudge the effects of alcohol…

Is there a Link Between Social Media and Suicide?

In recent years, the rise in teenage suicides has been shocking. Although the role social media plays in suicides is not totally transparent or clear-cut, recent studies have linked a rise in rates of anxiety and depression in teenagers to their use of social media…

Positive Steps to Leaving a Gang

This is the third blog in our gang series which will discuss how to help and advise youths if they want to leave a gang.

All gangs are different and have different sets of rules. However if you are involved with gang culture or you are worried about a family member or student or friend, there are ways to leave a gang…

How to Recognise if Your Child is in a Gang

Youth gang involvement is a growing problem. Following on from our previous blog Why Do People Join Gangs?, this article will examine how you can know if a child is a gang member. The thought that your child may be affiliated with a gang is extremely upsetting and worrying. However, it is important to look out for the signs of gang membership…

World Suicide Prevention Day 2018

In the past 45 years there has been a 60% increase in suicide rates worldwide, and the total number of annual suicides stands at almost 1 million. It is therefore vital that nations focus on World Suicide Prevention Day 2018 and develop strategies to help prevent this terrible loss of life. Remember — suicide is preventable…

Why Do People Join Gangs?

Gangs and gang violence are always in the news — and the high level of shootings and stabbings in inner cities is increasing at a phenomenal rate. Most of us view gangs as something frightening, to be avoided at all costs. However, to many people, mostly males from poor backgrounds, the appeal of gangs is very strong…

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

The final blog for Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 examines the issue of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD.

Many people have a narrow view of OCD and regard it as an odd, quirky condition where the sufferer is obsessed with constant cleaning or repeating certain actions such as turning on and off switches. However, there is so much more to this disorder…

Coping with Panic Attacks

The next blog in the series for Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 is highlighting the anguish of panic attacks.

A panic attack is an intense reaction to fear. While an attack can be a one-off occurrence, in most cases the initial attack is the first of many. There are many physical symptoms of panic attacks and these include sweating and trembling, anxiety, nausea, rapid pulse, lack of air & trouble breathing and a rapidly beating heart…

Seasonal Affective Disorder

In the fourth blog for Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 we are looking at the issue of seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is more than just a case of the winter blues. It is actually a type of mental health disorder — a type of depression that is caused by the changing seasons…

Loneliness

In our third blog for Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 we are covering the issue of loneliness.

Loneliness may seem to be more of an emotional issue than a mental health condition. However, there is a big difference between being on your own — enjoying your own company and having a certain amount of solitude…

Workplace Stress and Anxiety

In the second of our Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 blogs we examine the growing problem of stress and anxiety in the workplace.

A study by HR Review 2018 revealed that: “Nearly a third of UK businesses say that mental health is now a bigger issue among employees than physical illness”. Anxiety at work is often not mentioned or even ignored by individuals…

Generalised Anxiety Disorder

During Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 we have produced a series of blogs which highlight the increase in mental health disorders and the impact this has on physical wellbeing. A key point to remember is that maintaining good mental health is as important as maintaining good physical health. Our first blog will examine generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)…

Dealing with Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a word we hear a lot today, but many people are unaware how prevalent it is.

Anyone can be a target of bullies. Bullying is not restricted to a certain age, race, gender, religion or sexuality. In fact, cyberbullying has become one of the most pervasive forms of bullying mainly due to the increase in technology…

Anti-Bullying Week 2017

This week is Anti-Bullying Week and as always it is time for schools, youth organisations and businesses throughout the country to examine their anti-bullying policies and put measures in place to deal with bullying and other unacceptable behaviour.

Bullying is a pattern of deliberate behaviour that causes physical or emotional distress to the target…

Unrealistic Expectations at Christmas

One aspect of Christmas which causes problems is that of unrealistic expectations. We are bombarded with images in the media of what the perfect Christmas looks like when, in reality, there is no such thing.

We all want the ideal Christmas, and the focus is on perfect gifts, endless fun, great social activities, wonderful family gatherings, sparkling lights, beautiful Christmas carols, love and goodwill etc…

Bereavement at Christmas

Many people associate certain times each year with a sad time in their life. This may be due to depression, loneliness, redundancy or the loss of a loved one.

For those who are grieving because of the death of a loved one, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time. The fact that someone you love is no longer with you to enjoy the celebrations can be unbearable and the pain can be acute…

Post-Christmas Blues

For some, Christmas is a depressing time of year and many people suffer from post-Christmas blues. Christmas can also be a time of great loneliness and the jollity surrounding the festive season can make loneliness particularly difficult to bear. Everyone seems to be having a good time with their friends and families, and this magnifies the feelings of loneliness…

World Suicide Prevention Day 2014

According to the World Health Organisation, there are approximately one million suicides globally — this is one every 40 seconds. World Suicide Prevention Day is on 10th September 2014 and it is a day when all nations focus on worldwide action to prevent suicides…

Selfies — Do They Damage Self-Esteem?

Angle your smartphone, strike a flattering pose, eyes wide, cheekbones sucked in and snap! Hashtag your byline and upload to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Voila, your selfie is visible for all to see! Self portraits, or the selfie, is the hugely popular phenomenon of recent times. The trend made popular by modern icons like Kim Kardashian and Justin Beiber has evolved on a huge level and really came to the public’s attention with Ellen DeGeneres’ photo at the Oscars ceremony…

Social Services in Ireland and the Roma Community

On October 21st 2013, a child was removed from her parents’ home in Tallaght by the Gards. On October 22nd it was reported that a 7-year old blonde haired, blue eyed girl was removed from the care of her parents and family home… because a question had been raised regarding her parentage. She did not look like her mum and dad. This followed the hype when a child…

How Does it Make You Feel When You Recall that Time?

I still have the odd nightmare about the bullying I experienced, even 42 years after leaving school. I still feel angry and resentful to a certain extent because I was denied a normal school life by bullies. It has taken me a long time to build up any kind of confidence. Although I’ll never be the most confident person in the world, I have started to feel better in recent years…

What Did Your School/Teachers Do?

I’ve already mentioned what happened when my mother went to see the headmaster of my secondary school. Nothing really changed — in fact it actually made the bullying worse. I didn’t find the teachers approachable. I’m sure some of them must have known I was being bullied, but they didn’t do or say anything to me. They probably thought I should have stuck up for myself, but how could I when nearly the whole class was against me…

What Did Your Parents Do?

My father worked long hours, often seven days a week. He did go to my primary school once to see the headmaster when he manhandled me.

My mother came into secondary school with me once and I was asked to name the worst offenders which I did. Four boys were brought to the headmaster’s office and later caned…

Young People and Drug Abuse

A question many parents and teachers ask is: “What can we do to prevent young people experimenting with drugs?” This is a difficult question, and one which causes much disagreement and debate. But it is a question that needs to be addressed.

The drug-related death of somebody famous will often draw the nation’s attention to the issue of drug abuse (we can think of famous people such as River Phoenix, Kurt Cobain, Michael Jackson, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix to name a few)…

The Torture of Bullying

Some people might feel that using the word ‘torture’ about bullying is a bit of an exaggeration; but that is what it can feel like when you’re on the receiving end of it.

Mentally, your emotions are all over the place. You start to feel totally worthless and can even start to dislike yourself, thinking, “Well, I must be really ugly, stupid, etc, if all these people seem to think so”. Even though you know in your heart that you’re not, you can’t help feeling that maybe you are…

Who Did You Tell About the Bullying?

When the bullying first started I told my family. My father worked long hours and couldn’t really take time off work to do anything about it. He did go to my primary school to see my headmaster once, but I can’t remember anything really changing and the bullying continued…

My Little Victory Over the Bullies

I remember an incident at school when I was about 13. One of my tormentors (not one of the worst, I should add), had really upset me by what he said to me on that particular day.

If I recall correctly, it was the end of morning lessons and lunchtime. I knew our next lesson in the afternoon would be French, so I waited until everyone had left the classroom…

How Did You Feel at the Time?

The bullying I endured had a big effect on me physically and mentally. Apart from feeling physically sick most of the time, I also felt very depressed and suicidal. I used to find it hard to sleep at night with the thought of what the following day had in store for me. In the morning I would get headaches and stomach aches just thinking about school…

What Form Did the Bullying Take? What was Done/Said?

Some people say that bullying is a normal part of school life. It isn’t and it shouldn’t be. Also, the old saying, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’, is untrue. The mental cruelty of bullying is often a lot worse than physical bullying…

Anti-Bullying Week 2013

National Anti-Bullying Week 2013 takes place from 18th–22nd November. This year the focus is on cyberbullying and it provides an opportunity to examine the use of new technologies — the aim is to use them as a means to promote positive communication rather than cyberbullying…

Limerick Cyberbullying Forum 2013

Cyberbullying is rarely out of the news and we regularly hear reports where abusive messages have been spread by email, Facebook and Twitter as well as other social networking sites. In extreme cases, young people have been driven to suicide because they were unable to cope with the emotional trauma of being cyberbullied. Cyberbullying is clearly a very serious challenge for parents…

Diary of Peter Smith

I got up late again this morning and I ran to the station to catch my train. Just as I reached the ticket machine, a young man in a shirt and tie pushed in front of me. As he turned and grinned I wanted to say something but I bit my tongue and said nothing…

Suicide Myths

There are a number of myths related to suicide and many people find it difficult to separate fact from fiction. We will look at some of the most common misunderstandings…

Anti-Bullying Week 2012

Anti-Bullying Week is here again and it is a fantastic opportunity for organisations and schools all over the country to examine their anti-bullying policies

Bullying is a regular form of deliberate behaviour that causes the target physical or emotional distress and can be carried out by an individual or a group over a period of time…

Cyberbullying

In our technology-driven world, cyberbullying is fast becoming the bullying method of choice. Cyberbullying takes place via text messages, emails, instant messages, online forums, chat rooms, social networks etc. Because of the anonymous nature of this type of bullying, it can be difficult to trace the people responsible…

Smoking-Related Health Hazards

Current or former smokers make up 90% of patients with lung cancer and smokers have a 70% greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Women who smoke 40 or more cigarettes daily have a 74% greater chance of dying from breast cancer. Many of these statistics are widely publicised and many smokers know of the risks to their health in relation to tobacco smoking…

Why Do Some Schools not Recognise Bullying?

Some head teachers/principals are reluctant to admit their school has a bullying problem. This can happen for a number of reasons. Some may be worried about the effect this admission will have on the school’s reputation, while others are concerned about the time and money required to deal effectively with bullying…

The Warning Signs of Suicide

One of the most devastating aspects of suicide is the feeling of helplessness. Could I have done something to prevent this tragedy? What were the signs that something was wrong? Should I have realised they were feeling this way? Why didn’t they talk to me?…

World No Tobacco Day 2012

Thursday 31st May is ‘World No Tobacco Day 2012’. It is a day full of activities to make people aware of numerous smoking-related health problems such as cancer of the mouth, larynx, throat, oesophagus, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, bladder, kidney, and cervix, as well as stroke, heart attack and chronic lung disease. It is also an opportunity to have a no smoking day…

The ‘No Blame’ Approach to Bullying

Many schools throughout the world use a method of dealing with bullying called the ‘no blame’ approach. It is also known as the ‘shared concern’ method, as well as the ‘support group’ approach and was introduced in Sweden by Anatol Pikas…