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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. About one in seven Singaporeans have experienced a mood or anxiety disorder at some point of their lives[1]. Diagnosis is made through clinical tests and observations. Despite their prevalence, persons with mental illness still face considerable stigma and discrimination. Let us look at some common misconceptions associated with mental illness. Take the first step by acknowledging that you may have a mental health condition. Consult a doctor or mental health professionalTalk to family members and friendsFind support in online forumsJoin a peer support groupCall SAMH Counselling Hotline at 1800 283 7019 (toll-free) You are aware that someone close to you may be suffering from a mental illness. Recovery is unique to each individual.

https://www.samhealth.org.sg/understanding-mental-health/what-is-mental-illness/

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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.

Psychological Disorders and How They Are Diagnosed What exactly is a psychological disorder? How is a psychological disorder diagnosed? Defining exactly what constitutes a mental disorder can be tricky and, definitions have changed over time. The first problem is that psychologists must first decide exactly how to define disorder. How do you determine if there is something psychologically wrong or unhealthy about a person? How do you decide what's normal and what's abnormal?

More struggling with alcohol abuse, but seeking help earlier, Health News A growing number of people here are struggling to cope with alcohol abuse, though more are seeking help for the condition earlier than was the case before, a nationwide mental health study has revealed. The second Singapore Mental Health Study, which was conducted in 2016, showed that in the six years that separated it from the first study, the issue had become more serious. Almost 13.9 per cent - or one in seven people here - admitted that they had experienced mental illness at some point in their life. This was an increase from the 12 per cent - or one in eight people - who said the same thing in the first study in 2010. Touching on the general trend, Dr Mythily Subramaniam, the research division director of the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), said: "Younger cohorts have a higher prevalence of mental illness, possibly because they are more aware of it and willing to talk about their symptoms." This means one in 24 people here now battles alcohol abuse, compared with one in 32 in 2010.

7 Avenues to Get Help In Singapore For Mental Health Issues According to a study done by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in 2010,12% of Singapore's population has had mental health disorders in their lifetime. It led me to think about what I would do if a friend of mine was struggling with a mental health issue. As a Singaporean, I was disappointed to find out that I actually have no idea where someone can get help if they have a mental health issue. Searching on the internet gave me only a few options, which I felt was insufficient.

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.

Silver Ribbon (Singapore) - Advocacy - 1st Global Summit for Mental Health Advocates Introduction Since launched by Former President of Singapore Mr S R Nathan on 4th February 2006, Silver Ribbon (Singapore), a non-profit organisation, has been working closely with its policymakers, government agencies, grassroots organisations, school institutions, religious groups, media, local & overseas mental health organisations, consumers and caregivers, etc, to combat mental health stigma and encourage early help through innovative means. This year, with the support of Lundbeck, Silver Ribbon (Singapore) is pleased to host the 1st Global Summit for Mental Health Advocates to: We are pleased to share that 23 local and 18 overseas speakers from 14 countries such as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Taiwan, Thailand and United States have accepted our invitation to impart their knowledge and skills at this summit. Summit Programme Registration

Self-imposed stigma compounds struggles of individuals with mental illness SINGAPORE: Individuals with mental illness often grapple with stigma or negative public perceptions about their conditions and their struggle can be compounded further through self-imposed stigma. “Self-imposed stigma is the process by which persons with mental illness accept the negative attitudes of others towards them, then internalise and apply these beliefs to themselves,” said Associate Professor Mythily Subramaniam, director of the Department of Research at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH). “Examples of self-imposed stigma include endorsement of negative stereotypes held by the public such as ‘I am dangerous’, ‘I am weak’, or ‘I am ashamed that I have a mental illness’,” she said.

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. The mental health literacy study spanning one year started in March last year and involved about 3,000 adult residents aged between 18 and 65. More teens call SOS about mental health problems, Singapore News Awareness of mental health issues such as depression is gaining among one group: teenagers. In two years, the number of teens who called a suicide hotline asking for help with their mental health problems has doubled. "Mental health problems highlighted by teens included depression and bipolar mood disorders," said Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) executive director Christine Wong. Last year, SOS received about 550 such calls from those aged 10 to 19, a fifth of the 2,680 calls from that age group - a sharp rise from the 244 in 2014, when there were 1,767 calls from people in that group. The main reasons for their calls remained academic pressure and relationship problems at home or school. Ms Wong said SOS did not know if the callers had been formally diagnosed or were just seeking to put a name to their feelings.

NCSS - Counselling Services Counselling Services Provide emotional support to individuals, couples and families facing psychological issues arising from relationship problems and lifestyle pressures. A specialised track of the above is available for victims of sexual assault.Care Corner Counselling Centre Counselling and therapy services for marital relationships, including pre-marital, in-marriage, extra-marital and post-marriage situations. President's Challenge 2019 to focus on mental health issues, Singapore News The President's Challenge, an annual community outreach and fund-raising campaign, will centre on helping those with mental health issues next year, while continuing its support for a broad range of social causes, said President Halimah Yacob yesterday. The President's Challenge 2019 will be launched early next year. "I hope that by placing more emphasis on people with mental health issues, we can raise greater awareness of their needs and we can better support them in their journey of recovery and reintegration," said Madam Halimah in her opening address at the first Global Summit for Mental Health Advocates held at The Grassroots Club in Ang Mo Kio. She also encouraged voluntary welfare organisations supporting people with mental health conditions to apply for next year's edition of the Empowering For Life Fund, which helps enable employment for vulnerable groups.

As a family members, we need to be able to recognise any symptoms of mental illness before things get out of hand. Singaporeans should be educated to recognise these mental illness symptoms at a community scale. by nadiahtoha Mar 25

From here, we could conclude that mental illness is something that is not visible to the eye, yet the impact of this illness could be quite severe and devastating for the person who is experiencing it. by nurulsuhaidah Mar 25

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