Clare Samaritans Partially Attributes Rise In Helpline Calls To Pressures On Students

Clare Samaritans has identified student exam stress as one of the main reasons behind a recent rise in calls to its helpline. The Samaritans Ireland Impact Report for 2022 has found that calls to the service rose by more than 10% last year with volunteers speaking to over 1,000 people a day. The majority of concerns related to mental health or illness at 42%, followed by isolation and loneliness at 34%, family at 30% and relationship problems at 20%. Newmarket-on-Fergus native and Director of Clare Samaritans Margaret McMahon says while people often associate the service with older people, she has observed that students are not immune to stress, anxiety and loneliness.