St Patrick's University Hospital’s Young Adult Service was established in 1988. The aim of the service is to provide comprehensive mental health treatment to young people between the ages of 18 and 24.
The service is designed to meet the mental health needs of young adults experiencing difficulties with stress, anxiety, depression, self esteem, mood swings and psychoses.
It focuses on early intervention and treatment with the aim of maximising one's chances of a full recovery and preventing problems in the long term. The service provides a broad range of psycho-social and medical interventions.
Due to their developmental needs young Adults between 18 – 24 years are often too young to be treated in general adult services but are too old for treatment in adolescent services. Early adulthood is a time when mental health issues can be promptly diagnosed and treated successfully.
According to the World Health Organisation, Ireland has the seventh highest rate of suicide in people aged 15-24 in the EU. Mental Health Commission statistics indicate that one of the highest percentage of first admissions to Irish psychiatric in-patient facilities in Ireland is in the 20-24 year old age group.
Tags: Services
