ENNISKILLEN PRIEST Fr Brian D’Arcy has given his thoughts on mental health in a video shared online.
The video, made as part of the Western Trust’s mental health support campaign, sees the rector at the Graan speaking candidly about the issue.
“Mental health is a very difficult subject to talk about because it means quite different things to different people. When somebody is suffering from an issue in mental health, it’s not a moral failure, it’s not a defeat – sometimes it had a sort of stigma attached to it,” Fr Brian said.
“If I for example, had a broken leg, nobody would be in the slightest bit disturbed if I went and got a plaster on it. In fact people would say he’s an awful eejit if he didn’t go to get a plaster on it.”
As he has told this paper before, Fr Brian spoke of his own mental health issues, around the time of his censuring by the Vatican.
“I don’t know of anybody who doesn’t have moods and periods in life when they’re very depressed. If there’s a big disappointment, a breakdown in a relationship, authority comes down on it – I know that from myself when the Vatican tried to silence me. It was an enormous strain on mental health – which actually had an effect on my physical health. Now, that’s normal.”
Among advice he offered centred around the importance of a balance between rest and work.
“If it weren’t for football and music, I’d be a lot madder than I am.
It means that I need to every now and again take time to think.
Some people would call that praying, I just call it taking time to let life pass over. And when you put a distance between you and your troubles, you can actually get a better idea and a better judgement of how things are.”
For the full video, see fermanaghherald.com.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere