A Social Experiment on Mental Health Stigma

Silver Ribbon (Singapore) - Advocacy - 1st Global Summit for Mental Health Advocates Introduction Since launched by Former President of Singapore Mr S R Nathan on 4th February 2006, Silver Ribbon (Singapore), a non-profit organisation, has been working closely with its policymakers, government agencies, grassroots organisations, school institutions, religious groups, media, local & overseas mental health organisations, consumers and caregivers, etc, to combat mental health stigma and encourage early help through innovative means. This year, with the support of Lundbeck, Silver Ribbon (Singapore) is pleased to host the 1st Global Summit for Mental Health Advocates to: We are pleased to share that 23 local and 18 overseas speakers from 14 countries such as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Taiwan, Thailand and United States have accepted our invitation to impart their knowledge and skills at this summit. Summit Programme

6 common mental disorders affecting Singaporeans today and where you can go to get help, Business Insider - Business Insider Singapore Pexels There’s been an increase in the number of Singapore adults who have suffered from a mental disorder in their lifetimes, the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) said recently. According to a 2016 study, one in seven people in Singapore have experienced specific mood, anxiety, or alcohol use disorders in their lifetime, up from roughly one in eight six years prior. Read also: 1 in 7 people in Singapore have experienced a mental disorder – and some millennials are more susceptible to mood and alcohol-related ones Part of the study’s findings is the alarming revelation that most of these sufferers (more than three-quarters) have never sought any professional help for their illnesses.

‘Crazy, weird, scary’: Survey unveils negative labels youths associate with mental illness SINGAPORE — Researchers have called for regular and compulsory education on mental health for youths, in the wake of a study that found a large proportion of this group having misconceptions of mental illness. Almost half (44.5 per cent) of 940 teenage students polled attached negative and pejorative labels to people with mental illness. “Crazy”, “weird”, “scary”, “stupid” and “dangerous” were among the words that came to mind then the respondents heard the term “mental illness”, reported the study, which was presented at the Frontiers in Mental Health symposium organised by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Nanyang Technological University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine on Tuesday (March 6).

Family, bomohs and why mentally-ill aren’t seeking help While treating mental disorders is in itself a challenge, encouraging access to the treatments has proven to be the bigger challenge. The reality is, a majority of those who suffer from mental disorders here do not seek or receive help – which is surprising for a country like Singapore, where modern mental health programmes, services and platforms are readily available. There have been increased efforts to provide such services and programmes especially in light of the ageing population, and pressures from work and family. Such efforts, identified in the National Mental Health Blueprint for 2007-2012, include (among other things) public education, outreach in schools, workplaces, integrated programmes such as the Community Mental Health Team and Mental Health-General Practitioner Partnership, and mental health research.

Many still steer clear of people with mental illness: Poll, Singapore News Even as more people are seeking outpatient treatment at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), more than five in 10 respondents in a recent survey indicated they are unwilling to live with, live nearby or work with a person with a mental health condition. The survey, which is the first of its kind by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), found that most people agree that more needs to be done to reduce societal stigma, yet they are also reluctant to accept them on an individual level. In the survey of 1,796 people conducted last year, six in 10 people said they believe that mental health conditions are caused by a lack of self-discipline and willpower, while half believe that persons with mental health conditions should not be given any responsibility. But seven in 10 respondents acknowledged that persons with mental health conditions experience stigma and discrimination in their daily lives, and eight in 10 said they believe the best therapy is for them to be included in society.

President's Challenge 2019 to focus on mental health issues, Singapore News The President's Challenge, an annual community outreach and fund-raising campaign, will centre on helping those with mental health issues next year, while continuing its support for a broad range of social causes, said President Halimah Yacob yesterday. The President's Challenge 2019 will be launched early next year. "I hope that by placing more emphasis on people with mental health issues, we can raise greater awareness of their needs and we can better support them in their journey of recovery and reintegration," said Madam Halimah in her opening address at the first Global Summit for Mental Health Advocates held at The Grassroots Club in Ang Mo Kio.

OCD one of the most common mental disorders in Singapore SINGAPORE: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of most common mental health conditions here, according to findings from a nationwide study released on Tuesday (Dec 11). The disorder affected one in 28 people in their lifetime, making it the third-most prevalent condition after major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse. The illness is commonly characterised by recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images, and when severe, impedes a person's ability to function. Younger people aged 18 to 34 were more likely to have the condition than those aged 50 and above, said researchers from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), citing the findings from the second Singapore Mental Health Study. The study also found that those who had a monthly household income of between S$2,000 and S$3,999 were less likely to have the condition than those with a household income of less than S$2,000. “It’s a very neglected disorder,” said Assoc Prof Mythily.

Duke-NUS students seek to remove stigma of mental illness, Latest Singapore News He was having a cup of coffee with a secondary school friend last year when the friend told him he had been suffering from depression. Mr Clement Sim was surprised that his friend had had depression for about a decade and he never suspected anything. Mr Sim, 29, now in his third year studying medicine at the Duke-NUS Medical School, said: "He was always cheerful and bubbly, and it really pained me to know that he was suffering in silence for the past 10 years." Upon learning he was studying psychiatry, two more of Mr Sim's friends came forward to tell him that they were suffering from depression. This prompted Mr Sim to start I'm Steady Lah, a student-organised community service project that aims to remove the stigma associated with mental health disorders. Together with six of his schoolmates, Mr Sim started the project in June last year and held its first event last October.

More kids in Singapore seeking help for mental health issues SINGAPORE: Depression, relationship issues, bullying, family problems – kids as young as five years old are seeking help for these problems. Suicide prevention centre SOS told Channel NewsAsia last week that it received about 1,900 calls from those aged five to 19 last year – an increase of 70 per cent compared to 2012. Another helpline Tinkle Friend, which caters to primary school students, saw a 50 per cent increase in the number of calls and messages on its online chat service from 2012 to 2016. Some of the questions stemmed from boredom and loneliness - “What can I do when I’m bored?” Alcohol Abuse Support Whether it is binge drinking, smoking, drug or solvent abuse, you do not need to be a lone ranger in the fight against addiction. Seek support and help from these organisations to come up with a good treatment plan. Remember, a good strategic plan is half the battle won <div class="ExternalClass2FD74442A00E4B45B722792E3A2F5BF3"><h2>Alcoholics Anonymous</h2><div>Alcoholics Anonymous is a self-funded, worldwide organisation that provides a platform for alcoholics to support each other in achieving sobriety.</div><div>Tel no&#58; 6475 0890</div><div>Address&#58; 1 Commonwealth Drive, Singapore 149603</div><div>Email&#58; help@singaporeaa.org</div><div>Website&#58; <a href="http&#58;//www.singaporeaa.org/" rel="nofollow">http&#58;//www.singaporeaa.org</a></div><div> </div><h2>Al-Anon family groups</h2><div>The Al-Anon Family Groups offers help and support to families and friends of alcoholics.