Mental Health: How to Improve Your Wellbeing with Health Insurance

In one way or another, the pandemic is taking its toll on all of us. Over the past 18 months, many people have seen their mental health suffer at the hands of continuous lockdowns, with separation from friends, family and leisure activities resulting in a myriad of emotional challenges for people across Ireland.

In fact, a staggering 83% of women, and 36% of men, have said they encountered mental health issues during the pandemic.

Ireland’s mental health crisis is unlikely to disappear when lockdown restrictions are lifted on 22nd October 2021. Experts are predicting a ‘4th wave’ of the pandemic, characterised by rising mental health illness following the psychological burden felt over the past 18 months.

But with Mental Health industry leaders calling for an additional €85 million to address the “historical underinvestment” in Ireland’s mental health services, accessing support through public healthcare may prove challenging in the short-term.

Fortunately, there are several supports and tools available through Ireland’s three health insurance providers. Whether you already have a health insurance plan in place, or are considering taking out a policy for the first time, we break down what supports are available to help you find the care that’s right for you.

 

Opening Up: It’s Time to Talk

Talking about how you’re feeling can have a hugely positive impact on your mental health. If you’re struggling, try speaking to a trusted loved one – opening up can help ease your stress levels and ensure that those around you know what you’re going through so they can help and support you. Feeling heard, understood and supported can work wonders!

But if you need additional support, expert guidance, or don’t feel able to speak openly about how you’re feeling to those around you, there are numerous support lines available. Laya, Vhi and Irish Life Health all provide 24/7 confidential support lines and counselling services for their members - for anything from mental health difficulties and work-related stress to financial or legal issues.

 

Laya:

Members can access 24/7 confidential counselling over the phone, at no extra cost, through Laya’s partnership with the international EAP provider, Spectrum. Depending on your needs and policy entitlement, you may also be referred to a specialist for further support – with some plans offering five face-to-face counselling sessions.

To find the contact details for this benefit and speak with a qualified counsellor, log into your Laya Member Area here. Alternatively, you can log in through the Laya member app.

 

Irish Life Health:

Through their ‘Healthy Minds’ programme, ILH also provides 24/7 over-the-phone access to confidential counselling. You may be referred to a specialist, depending on your needs, with six face-to-face sessions covered through this programme.

You can speak with a qualified counsellor now by calling 01 562 5150, or by downloading the LifeWorks App.

 

Vhi:

All Vhi members are entitled to 24/7 access to over-the-phone counselling, with over 300 counsellors available. Again, you may be referred to a specialist depending on your needs and policy entitlement.

To access Vhi’s Mental Health Support service, call 1800 995 957.

 

Meditation and Mindfulness

Practising meditation and mindfulness has been proven to have positive impacts on mental health. There are numerous ways you can independently engage with these practices at home – but if you’re new to meditation and mindfulness, you may benefit from additional support to learn how to relax your mind, ease anxiety and live more in the moment.

For example, through the 24/7 support line, Laya members may be referred for meditation sessions – helping to declutter your thoughts and reduce feelings of anxiety. If you’re an employer, you might consider Laya’s 6-week Mindfulness Seminar Series to help your workforce learn and utilise the principles of mindfulness in their day-to-day lives. A full list of Laya’s mental health programmes can be found here.

Vhi members, meanwhile, can currently claim €30 off annual subscriptions to popular meditation apps, Headspace and Calm.

Likewise, Irish Life Health members on a 4D Health Mind Extra plan can also claim €30 off mindfulness app subscriptions - Headspace and Stop, Breathe and Think – as well as a €30 contribution towards meditation support devices, Muse and Pip. Meanwhile, members on a 4D Health You Extra plan can claim €50 cashback on mindfulness courses or a Headspace subscription.

All three providers offer a range of free tips and resources around mindfulness, meditation and mental health via their online blogs. You can check them out using the links below, regardless of whether you’re a member:

 

Understanding and Caring for Your Mental Health

To help you understand and improve your mental health, Irish Life Health’s LifeWorks app enables members to take a mental health assessment and provides simple lifestyle changes to positively impact your wellbeing.

Irish Life Health also offer a comprehensive range of benefits under their ‘Mind Extra’ option, which can be added to certain plans for free. From contributions towards stress reduction and self-compassion programmes, to positive mental health training and life coaching, Mind Extra plans offer numerous supports to help care for your mental health.

 

Get Support for Your Mental Health

Whether you need support and guidance from a qualified counsellor, or simply want to take steps to maintain your mental wellbeing, there are many supports available through Ireland’s three health insurance providers.

With some benefits depending on your specific policy, you may wish to consider mental health supports when comparing and selecting health insurance plans – whether you’re taking out a policy for the first time or are coming up for renewal on your existing policy.

If you’re unsure of which policy is right for you and your loved ones, at HCC.ie our experts can help you find the best and most cost-effective plan to support both your physical and mental health.

Get in touch using the form below, and we’ll give you a call to understand your needs and start comparing plans.