News
Anxiety in teens is rising: what’s going on?

By Tommy Flaherty from Activate Fitness
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nearly 1 in 3 of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder.
These numbers have been rising steadily; since 2012, anxiety disorders in children and teens went up 20%.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness. They are characterised by intense and prolonged feelings of fear, distress, excessive worry, preoccupation, obsessive thoughts, and apprehension. In addition to mental symptoms, those who experience anxiety disorders also exhibit physical symptoms, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, rapid breathing and heartbeat, and myocardial ischemia. Anxiety disorders can be classified into sub-groups such as general anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
Be aware of the signs of anxiety. Sometimes children may say that they are anxious, but other times it is less clear - especially as they may not even realise it themselves.
Signs can include:
• recurring fears and worries about routine parts of every day life
• changes in behaviour, such as irritability
• avoiding activities, school, or social interactions
• dropping grades or school avoidance
• trouble sleeping or concentrating
• chronic physical complaints, such as fatigue, headaches, or stomach aches.
Inactivity and increased sitting time are associated with numerous diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Individuals who are affected by an anxiety disorder tend to have large amounts of sedentary time and fail to meet exercise guidelines, which puts them at an increased risk of chronic diseases associated with low physical activity.
Resistance training
Resistance training has been scientifically proven to help and improve many, if not all, the signs of anxiety listed above. Resistance training is an exercise modality that has a positive influence on muscular strength, endurance, bone density, and body composition as well as cognitive behaviour, quality of sleep and energy levels. Individuals who are coping with an anxiety disorder that partake in resistance exercise training have responded well with a decrease in anxiety, improved mood, decreased worry, decreased depression, increased cognition, and reductions in cardiovascular responses to mental stress. Research has found that when state anxiety levels are elevated before exercise, there is a resulting decrease in state anxiety independent of intensity.
Our youth programme is designed to help teens to excel and express their physical capabilities through strength and conditioning which is also proven to help and improve our teens mental and psychosocial well-being in today's world.
To sign up, just click on the link below or email me at youth@activate.ie.
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News
Strong connections made at tourism tradeshow
Many significant business deals were signed at this year’s Meitheal – Ireland’s largest and most important trade event for the tourism industry. Held in the INEC, 450 Irish businesses pitched to over 230 international […]

Many significant business deals were signed at this year’s Meitheal – Ireland’s largest and most important trade event for the tourism industry.
Held in the INEC, 450 Irish businesses pitched to over 230 international buyers from 17 countries at Fáilte Ireland’s flagship trade event.
Running since 1975, Meitheal is organised in partnership with Tourism Ireland to provide Irish tourism businesses with the opportunity to sell directly to top international buyers and tour operators.
The best of what is on offer across Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Ireland’s Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin, were showcased with the aim of being scheduled on the itineraries of the global tour operators.
Key themes and trends emerging this year are sustainable travel options, immersive outdoor experiences and festivals.
Speaking about the importance of developing a future pipeline of tourism business, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said that “creating a strong pipeline of future business is key for the recovery of tourism”.
“Seeing the demand for the Irish tourism product with international buyers at Meitheal is fantastic. Each international buyer represents tens of thousands of possible visitors to Ireland, and their business will be hugely important for tourism and hospitality businesses, communities, and destination Ireland as we continue to work towards recovery,” he said.
News
Outdoor dining area officially opens in town
A new outdoor dining space at Kenmare Place was officially opened today (Wednesday). The project, which was supported with €605,000 in funding from Fáilte Ireland under the Local Authority Weatherproofing and […]

A new outdoor dining space at Kenmare Place was officially opened today (Wednesday).
The project, which was supported with €605,000 in funding from Fáilte Ireland under the Local Authority Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Infrastructure Scheme, provides an attractive outdoor dining option for locals and visitors to Killarney.
“This is a really wonderful addition to Killarney’s tourism infrastructure and will prove a great asset throughout the year and particularly during the forthcoming tourist season,” said Cllr Kelleher, Cathaoirleach of the Killarney Municipal District, who did the honours.
“One of the effects of the recent pandemic was the need to utilise and maximise outdoor dining options and this infrastructure shows what can be achieved in an imaginative way. It will greatly enhance Killarney’s reputation as a destination for top quality tourism experiences.”
The project has been operational since last October but the official opening was timed to coincide with the Meitheal 2023 tourism industry showcase that was organised by Fáilte Ireland at the INEC this week.
“It is fantastic to see Killarney’s outdoor dining infrastructure being so well received by trade and visitors alike,” Miriam Kennedy, Head of Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland, said.
Councillors in the Killarney Municipal District approved planning permission for the infrastructure which was completed by Daniel Canty Construction.