‘Crazy, weird, scary’: Survey unveils negative labels youths associate with mental illness

Considerable stigma against mental illness: Study SINGAPORE — An Institute of Mental Health (IMH) study has found a common perception here that those with mental illness can get better if they wanted to and that their condition is a sign of personal weakness. Researchers behind the study said this suggests “considerable” stigma towards individuals with mental illness. The stigma could hinder such individuals from seeking treatment out of fear of being associated with a disorder. 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.

Let’s end stigma of mental illness With the recent highlight of mental illness in our society, we need to start asking if we are doing enough to understand and treat mental illness in Singapore. Perhaps the first step would be to address the stigma against mental illness. With one in six people in Singapore suffering from some form of mental illness, it is quite likely that patients include our friends, colleagues or family members. Yet, mental illness is still stigmatised by prejudice, ignorance and fear. There are still some within our society who view symptoms of psychopathology as threatening and inappropriate, and these attitudes foster stigma and discrimination towards people with mental illness. Numerous international studies have suggested that stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental health problems are widespread and commonly held.

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.

'I don't want to be Eugene Tan with bipolar': People with mental health issues face workplace discrimination SINGAPORE: At first glance, Mr Eugene Tan’s 20-year work history shows a strong background as a counsellor and social worker. But on closer inspection, you will find that he took a year's break at the age of 24 and there have been some gaps between jobs. This was due to Mr Tan’s condition. He has bipolar disorder - a mental condition characterised by extreme highs and lows in mood. Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after a car accident, his emotions took a turn for the worse, culminating in fits of rage and hallucinations.

More people in Singapore have experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime, study finds SINGAPORE — One in seven people in Singapore have experienced a mental disorder such as bipolar disorder or alcohol abuse in their lifetime, an increase from roughly one in eight several years ago. The top three mental disorders here were major depressive disorder, alcohol abuse and obsessive compulsive disorder. This is based on the finding of the second Singapore Mental Health Study, which started in 2016 and involved interviews with 6,126 Singaporeans and permanent residents. Read also Gen Y Speaks: What caring for my mum taught me about mental illness The lifetime prevalence of 13.9 per cent in 2016 marked an increase from 12 per cent in 2010, when the first study was conducted.

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.

Parliament: New measures to boost mental health in the community, Politics News SINGAPORE - Frontline staff from government agencies, including the police, will be trained to spot and respond to mental health cases in the community. Social service and community agencies will also receive basic training to identify and respond to people with mental health issues, and refer them to the Agency for Integrated Care for help. These are among the objectives to boost community mental health care that wereannounced in Parliament on Thursday (March 9) by Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor. Support for Individuals and Caregivers Support for Individuals and Caregivers As an individual living with a mental illness, social inclusion plays a central role in recovery. However, the lack of understanding about mental illness, compounded by the negative portrayals of the mentally ill in the media, often adds to the marginalisation of this misunderstood group. Without acceptance from the community, people with mental illness often face discrimination, lack social support, and find themselves isolated. It is therefore important to build the emotional resilience and find pillars of support at home, at work and in the community. As a caregiver, one may experience various issues and problems in caring for his loved one who has mental illness.

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. But there were some encouraging notes in the findings, which were released on Saturday (Sept 8). The findings highlight the misconceptions and stigma suffered by persons with mental health conditions, said NCSS deputy chief executive officer Tina Hung.

Fast Facts on Mental Health in Singapore 51% of mental illness patients suffer from a chronic physical illness, because there is a link between the twoDepression, alcohol abuse and obsessive compulsive disorder are the top 3 most common disorders in Singapore29 The age at which the majority of mental illnesses occur5.8% of the adult population in Singapore has suffered from depression at some point in their lives Symptoms of top 3 disorders Depression: loses interest in daily life, has feelings of hopelessness and thoughts of suicide Alcohol Abuse: has to drink more and more alcohol to feel its effects as tolerance for the substance increases, experiences sweating and other withdrawal symptoms when not drinking Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive: has persistent and irrational thoughts, impulses or images that cause anxiety or distress like an overwhelming fear of germs and dirt Compulsive: repeats actions like checking and rechecking locks several times over Treatment

National Healthcare Group Polyclinics A clinical psychologist works closely with doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals to enable patients to manage and improve their mental and physical health. A clinical psychologist is qualified to provide assessment, counselling and psychotherapy for patients with stress-related problems, common mental health problems, with or without physical health conditions. A clinical psychologist also helps patients with an understanding of the factors that contribute to their problems and that maintain them.

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.