Introduction Suicide among young people is one of the most tragic and often inexplicable public health problems in Ireland. It is estimated that one in three people will be affected at some point in their lives, either directly or through a family member. For many years, mental health problems such as depression and suicide have been stigmatized and marginalized, but now more and more people are becoming aware of their severity and prevalence in society, particularly among young people, which this essay will focus on. Prevalence Although Ireland has the sixth lowest rate of suicide death in the EU, it ranks fourth in the EU for suicide deaths among 5-25 year olds, at 13.9 per 100,000 population. While women are more likely to suffer from depression, men are more likely to commit suicide, statistics show. In 2010, 495 suicide deaths occurred in Ireland, equating to a rate of 10.9 per 100,000 people. Of these 405 (82%) were men. This gender differentiation is a consistent feature of suicide deaths over the past decade. In fact, young males are particularly vulnerable to suicide. The highest rate is among males aged between 20 and 24, at 31.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, 42% of those who died in 2010 were men under the age of 40. Risk Factors Risk factors for suicide are numerous and wide-ranging and include mental disorders. , abuse of alcohol and other substances, feelings of hopelessness, experiences of bullying, family history of suicide, previous suicide attempts, lack of social support, feelings of isolation, serious physical illness, history of trauma or abuse, significant life events ( e.g. family bereavement), loss of a relationship, job or financial loss and easy access to lethal methods. Mental disorder...... half of the article ...... available ions significantly improve the detection and treatment of depression. One of the keys to reducing depression and suicide is to destigmatize mental health. This can be achieved by raising public awareness about depression and mental health. Much progress had already been made with many people such as Conor Cussack and Niall Breslin blogging and going on television to describe their personal experiences of mental health. Public education can help destigmatize mental health. Many people have misconceptions about the nature of mental health believing that it is related to a person's character and morality as opposed to physiological causes such as poor regulation of certain neurotransmitters and hormones. Teaching people about the true causes of mental health through television advertising campaigns and information leaflets will help change public opinion on mental health.