Samaritans prepare for World Cup blues

Heightened emotions as a result of the World
Cup could lead to more depressed people contacting the
Samaritans.

A
spokesperson for the charity said that events of national
significance always resulted in an increased number of calls, and
volunteers expect more people to ring in because of the
football.

“Something very important can act
as a trigger and can exacerbate feelings of isolation,” she
said.

However the tournament is
unlikely to be the main reason to call, she added, and it is more
likely to act as an icebreaker for conversation about deeper
issues.

“Something as neutral and as
common a language as football makes it easier to speak,” she
said.

Samaritan volunteers have
reported Ireland star Roy Keane’s name being frequently mentioned
in calls after he left the national squad.