Irish Counsellors say they are receiving an increasing number of calls from people suffering the effects of "digital shame".

The term applies where people regret what they say or post online, often when tired, upset or after consuming alcohol.

The Irish Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy spokesman Shane Kelly, said that people need to be smarter about how they use their smart phone - especially when they are out socialising.

"Alcohol does have a role in this because people tend to make bad decisions when they're drinking," he said.

"So we would see people maybe at the weekends doing something, recording something that they think is funny or entertaining at the time, and then in the cold light of day the next day, they regret what they did."