Dublin mum writes post asking parents not to dismiss their child’s feelings

The loss of a child is something that no parent should have to go through.

Yesterday Dublin mum and mental health charity founder Sandra Kelleher took to social media to share a heartfelt post asking parents not to dismiss their child's feelings. Sandra warned parents not to assume that their child's feelings of anxiety and depression are 'just for attention'. Sandra shared the post on what should have been her daughter Shannon's 21st birthday. Sandra lost her daughter to suicide when she was only 13 years old. While the post began as a commemoration of Shannon's birthday, Sandra went on to speak out to other parents and make them aware of the problem of believing mental health is just a trend.

"Apparently there is a new fad (craze) spreading around. Lately the stars the celebrities have been coming out and talking about their mental health, which I think is fantastic. People are saying, because of this the teens think its the fashion to be depressed or sad. Unfortunately, because it is thought to be the fashion, the young people's cries for help are being dismissed. This is classic Stigma. Whether you thinks it's a fad or not, I wouldn't dismiss it. I'd take it very seriously. What is the harm in seeking help for your child anyway? You know your child, am I right? I thought I knew Shannon, we were very close, she talked to me, we had a wonderful bond. But it turns out I didn't really know her at all. The truth is we never truly know what goes on in anyone's mind. So please don't take it as a fad anymore. If your lucky enough for your child to open up about their feelings, just listen and act on it. I wasn't so lucky."

After tragically losing Shannon in 2012, Sandra and her family went on to found Shannon's Hopeline, a charity dedicated to helping those dealing with mental health issues. As well as offering counselling services the charity also provides workshops and has even organised community exercise groups to help people who may be feeling isolated. Ireland has one of the highest suicide rates in young people of any European country and it is more important than ever for both parents and young people to be aware of the signs of depression. If you know anyone dealing with mental health issues and would like to avail of the services of Shannon's Hopeline you can by visiting the Shannon's Hopeline website.