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. But sufferers also sought treatment earlier – the median number of years they delayed treatment in 2016 was four years, down from 13 years in 2010.
She helps spot those with undiagnosed mental illness, Latest Singapore News
She was arrested for trespassing in a nursing home in 2008. Ms Chan Li Shan said: "I was lost. I was looking for a church so that I could become a nun and I walked into a nursing home by accident." The staff ended up calling the police because "I think they really wanted to help me".
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).
Seeking Help For Mental Issues Can Be Affordable In Singapore
Do you feel often sad and irritable? Have excessive anxieties? Are you unable to cope with everyday activities and problems? If these apply to you, do you have a mental health issue or are you just stressed out at school and work? We get it, it’s hard to draw that line for yourself, let alone coming to terms with the fact that you have a real mental problem before seeking help.
Singaporeans Confront Mental Health Stigma In Poignant Experiment
Some people say love doesn’t discriminate. Well, neither does mental health illness. A bunch of Singaporeans learnt this lesson in more ways than you’d expect in a meaningful experiment by Beyond The Label SG. The viral video has garnered 1.6k shares in just one day, and you’re reminded to keep your tissue box close if you plan on viewing it. 1 in 8 adults have mental health issues
Alcohol abuse worse among younger people, Singapore News
SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - The young man woke up in his bed one morning to find himself surrounded by chocolates. He had blacked out after a night of heavy drinking and had no recollection of how he had got home with his bounty. The young man, who does not even like chocolates, suspected that he might have stolen them and was lucky not to have been caught. Mr Lawrence Tan, a psychologist, related this anecdote to show how excessive drinking can lead to individuals committing a crime without being aware of it. He told The New Paper: "I work with people as young as 17 who have trouble with alcohol, and this can lead to other problematic behaviours." Dr Reina Lim, a consultant at Singapore General Hospital's Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, said people here have shown a growing interest in alcohol as Singapore becomes more prosperous.
Awareness about depression reduces stigma, Letters on the Web News
The increasing incidences of depression in youth is indeed a growing concern (An escape room to learn about depression; Jan 9). The number of young people aged 10 to 19 who called a hotline asking for help with their mental health problems more than doubled from 244 in 2014 to 550 in 2015. The suicide rate for youth under 19 has also risen in recent years due to mental health challenges and stress experienced in schools, at home and in relationships. The escape room initiative from the National Youth Council and Campus PSY to increase awareness of depression is commendable. The Singapore Association for Mental Health has been addressing youth mental health issues for many years. YouthReach, a programme employing a personalised family-centred model for psycho-social interventions, since 2006 has worked with children and youth who have been identified with emotional or psychological issues.
What is Mental Illness
A mental illness is a disturbance of the mind that impairs the way we think, feel and behave. It affects our daily activities, as well as impact the lives of family members and friends. Mood and anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses.
There's no shame in mental illness, Singapore News
Dr Radiah Salim remembers the old Woodbridge Hospital as a dark and scary place. The old mental hospital was sited off Yio Chu Kang Road and, as a child, she went there often to visit a patient - her schizophrenic elder sister. "The corridors were dark and dingy and you would see all these 'gila' people there," she says, using the Malay word for mad. "Some of my sister's attacks were so bad that they had to tie her down and give her electro convulsive therapy." Her sister is not the only family member living with a mental illness. Her paternal grandmother, more than half a dozen relatives on her father's side, three of her second cousins, and a nephew lived or live with mental disorders too.
How to tell if someone has depression
SINGAPORE: The suicide death of SHINee lead singer Kim Jonghyun on Monday (Dec 18) has cast the spotlight on the pressure K-pop artistes face. But it has also brought depression, clinically known as major depressive disorder, to the fore. In Singapore, depression is one of the top three mental health disorders, indicated the Singapore Mental Health Study conducted in 2010 by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH). The findings from the next survey, which started in 2015, are likely to be released in August 2018, according to IMH. The 2010 survey showed that depression affected over 57,000 adult men and about 102,000 adult women during their lifetime.
Coping with depression
Everyone has felt sad at one time or another. Usually it is due to a disappointment, frustration or losing someone. Such sadness is normal. Time heals, the mood lifts and people continue to get on with their lives. But in some people, depression can be so severe that it dominates their lives, preventing them from coping as they are used to. Depression of this degree is an illness and needs treatment.
