‘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).
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. At first, they all thought he was “just becoming extra introverted”. It was, in fact, his descent into depression.
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.
On-going public education on mental health issues and advocacy can help remove stigma
Most people fear what they don’t understand. In the case of mental illness, a lack of understanding can give the wrong impression that all psychiatric patients are violent, cannot function properly and are nothing but trouble makers. This perception is magnified when the media highlights people with mental disorders who commit crimes and cause disruptions in the neighbourhood and not those who contribute to society. Combating stigma is by no means an easy task. Stigma leads to discrimination where sufferers of mental disorders become isolated and become a prime target of all kinds of humiliating remarks within the community and at the workplace.
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.
More people seeking help for mental health conditions, community group says, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - More people have been stepping forward to seek help in handling mental health conditions. According to Dr Vincent Ng, chief executive officer of AMKFSC Community Services, there has been a 42 per cent increase in people seeking help from its mental health service MindCare over the past two years, either for themselves or their loved ones. He was speaking at the MindStories exhibition at Ang Mo Kio Central Stage on Sunday (Oct 14), the first event in this year's Mental Health Awareness Singapore Learning Series initiative. Organised by AMKFSC, it features the personal experiences and anecdotes of 18 people in the fight against mental health conditions, such as people in recovery, caregivers and advocates. Guest of honour Koh Poh Koon, an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC and Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, said that from 2016 to June this year, AMKFSC Community Services provided intervention to almost 400 people with mental health conditions in Ang Mo Kio GRC.
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.
Mental illness more prevalent among young adults, OCD one of top disorders in S’pore
SINGAPORE — Young adults are most at risk of suffering from mental disorders in Singapore, the latest Singapore Mental Health Study found. Those aged between 18 and 34 are more likely to have experienced bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, alcohol abuse, and obsessive compulsive disorder, it said in a report on the findings, which were released on Tuesday (Dec 11). Other socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, education and income status are also associated with the prevalence of mental disorders. For example, alcohol abuse is more prevalent among the lower-educated, compared with those who have received tertiary education. Dr Mythily Subramaniam, the co-principal investigator of the study, said that this is congruent with universal findings, because those with lower education may have “poor coping mechanisms” and may not understand the dangers of alcohol addiction.
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.
