‘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.
Mental health issues? GPs can help, Singapore News
People with mental health conditions will find it easier to get help in the community as more general practitioners (GPs) are being trained to diagnose and manage such illnesses. The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) said yesterday that it has expanded its Mental Health GP-partnership programme to include 122 GPs who run private clinics, an increase from 70 in 2012. Doctors in the programme attend a course at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) to learn about conditions such as dementia, depression and anxiety disorders. Speaking on the sidelines of the Singapore Mental Health Conference, Dr Tan Weng Mooi, chief of the community mental health division at AIC, said there is often a stigma associated with visiting psychiatrists but this is less so with GPs. Hence, having a network of GPs equipped with knowledge about mental illnesses will help early detection and allow patients to start treatment sooner, she said.
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.
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
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. Like other patients, those with mental illness need the support and help from people around them to get better.
AIA launches Singapore's first policy that covers mental illnesses
AIA Singapore has launched AIA Beyond Critical Care, the country's first critical illness insurance plan that covers mental illnesses. According to a Singapore Mental Health Study by the Institute of Mental Health and Nanyang Technological University, one in seven Singaporeans experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime, an increase from one in eight in 2010. And of those who have experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime, the majority - about 75% - did not seek professional help. To tackle the stigma of mental conditions head-on and to encourage timely and appropriate treatments, the policy provides coverage for five mental illnesses: Major Depressive Disorders Schizophrenia Bipolar Disorder Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Tourette Syndrome
1 in 7 people in Singapore have experienced a mental disorder – and some millennials are more susceptible to mood and alcohol-related ones, Business Insider - Business Insider Singapore
Around one in seven people in Singapore have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives. Singapore Press Holdings A study has found that more people in Singapore have experienced mental disorders at some point in their lives. The 2016 study found that one in seven people in Singapore (13.9 per cent) have experienced specific mood, anxiety, or alcohol use disorders in their lifetime. This proportion is an increase from roughly one in eight (12 per cent) six years prior. The second Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS), which was released on Tuesday (Dec 11), was spearheaded by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), involving interviews with 6,126 Singaporeans and permanent residents.
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. "We will expand mental health and dementia services in polyclinics, to make care more accessible," she said. "Our target is for one in two polyclinics to implement mental health clinics by 2021." Such clinics would play a role in managing patients with dementia, depression, anxiety and insomnia, to name a few mental health illnesses.
Singapore Association for Mental Health : Mental Wellness for All
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.
