‘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). Some 46.2 per cent of the respondents, who were aged between 14 and 18, also said they would be “very embarrassed” if they were diagnosed with a mental illness, while nearly a quarter (22.7 per cent) said they would not want others to know if their relative were mentally ill.
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.
Busting the Myths of Mental Illness
Do you know anyone with mental illness? According to statistics, one in six people in Singapore suffer from some form of it[1], which means someone close to you may be affected. Unfortunately, many patients are forced to keep their condition under wraps because of the stigma and taboo surrounding mental illness. They may be reluctant to seek treatment, or not follow the prescribed course of medication for fear of being found out. The social isolation makes it harder for patients to get the help they need.
Many in Singapore unwilling to live or work with people with mental health conditions: Survey, Health News
SINGAPORE - Even as more people are seeking outpatient treatment at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), more than five in 10 respondents of 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), also found that six in 10 people believe that mental health conditions are caused by a lack of self-discipline and willpower. Another key finding from the survey conducted last year - half of the 1,796 respondents believe that persons with mental health conditions should not be given any responsibility.
Facing depression: Working adults battle not just demons, but also stigma
SINGAPORE: Outwardly, his wife and two young sons are his sources of joy. He seems a regular family man when he's with them. What is less apparent is that Mr Mak Kean Loong struggles to feel emotions like happiness. “In the past few years, I think I’ve never even felt that emotion,” said the bespectacled 38-year-old, who speaks with the numbed air of a tired man.
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.
Campaign on track to raise mental health awareness, Singapore News
A campaign to fight the social stigma surrounding mental health issues took to the tracks yesterday morning at HarbourFront station. A specially themed train, encouraging families, friends, neighbours and members of the community to support people with mental health conditions, set off on the North East Line, with passengers greeted by a performance of Bruno Mars' Count On Me by local singer Joseph Soh. Mr Desmond Choo, Mayor of North East District, launched the train and said he hopes it will start conversations and raise awareness of mental health. He said: "Mental health tends to be under-reported and understated.
More people in Singapore struggling with alcohol abuse, but seeking help earlier: Study, Health News
SINGAPORE - A mental health study has shown that while alcohol abuse is a growing problem here, sufferers have been seeking help earlier. The second Singapore Mental Health Study, conducted in 2016, found that one in 24 people struggled with the problem in their lifetime, or 4.1 per cent of the population. This is up from one in 32 people in the landmark study done in 2010. Symptoms include recurrent alcohol use that affects obligations at work, school, or home.
