Mental health of Singaporeans | What Do You Think?
Mental health should be taken as seriously as physical health, but is it? We wanted to find out what Singaporeans are doing to aid their mental health.
Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
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00:00I think from when I was much younger to now
00:03mental health is like, it's not really taboo anymore.
00:06Past year no, I said what I said.
00:09How am I going to survive through school?
00:11How am I going to earn enough to enjoy the nice things in life
00:14even though you're busy with school?
00:18Mental health
00:22Mental and physical health are equally important.
00:25Yet, mental health is often neglected
00:27and discussions about it are stigmatised.
00:30Mental wellness is more than just the absence of mental illness.
00:34Sustaining mental health requires time and effort
00:37just like one's physical health.
00:39The Interagency Task Force on Mental Health and Wellbeing
00:42released the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy in 2023
00:46covering four focus areas
00:48and aims to establish a National Mental Health Office by 2025.
00:52So let there be no doubt
00:54the government is making mental health and wellbeing
00:57a key priority in our national agenda.
01:01With the government making mental health and wellbeing
01:03a key priority in the national agenda
01:06we wanted to find out what Singaporeans think about mental health.
01:10Asia 1 recently did a survey which received 1,057 valid responses.
01:15The most common stresses among respondents across age groups
01:18were related to finances, workplace, school or family.
01:23In the last three months
01:24symptoms such as sleep disturbances and low energy
01:27were the most common symptoms among respondents
01:30which may also be experienced in individuals living with depression.
01:34Younger respondents aged below 35
01:37were more likely than older respondents to have experienced these symptoms
01:41including more severe symptoms such as suicidal thoughts.
01:44When asked about which symptoms, when observed in a close friend or relative
01:49would prompt them to encourage the person to seek help for mental health
01:53respondents were more likely to do so if they noticed suicidal tendencies
01:56as compared to all other listed symptoms.
02:0060% of respondents indicated that they would prompt a close friend or relative
02:04to seek help when they observed suicidal tendencies in them
02:07while the remaining 40% did not indicate so.
02:11Respondents were more comfortable talking with their close friends, spouse
02:15followed by therapists.
02:17Male respondents were more likely to be comfortable
02:20talking about their concerns to their spouses compared to female respondents
02:23who were more likely to confide in others in their social circle.
02:27Although 52% of respondents agreed that
02:30awareness of mental health-related conditions in Singapore
02:33has improved compared to a year ago
02:35close to half of our respondents still would not tell anyone
02:38if they were receiving help for a mental health condition.
02:42To expand on our findings
02:44we headed out to find out what the main causes of mental stress for Singaporeans are.
02:49Yes, definitely.
02:51Yes.
02:52I think from when I was much younger to now
02:55mental health is like, it's not really taboo anymore.
02:58Yes, but not a very big change yet.
03:01Past year, no.
03:03No.
03:03I would say mostly work or school.
03:06Work, work environment.
03:08We're students now, I guess like the
03:10short-term thing would be like, you know, finishing school.
03:14Because of living in Singapore.
03:15Finances.
03:17When I don't get to hit my certain expectations, I sad for myself.
03:20So personally, for me, that's quite a big one.
03:23I'm the type of person who likes to cram in a lot of things
03:27and I get overwhelmed quite fast.
03:29So I think like, burnout is a huge thing.
03:31My best friends, my family and also my God.
03:34Mostly with my wife.
03:35For me, it would be friends.
03:37Probably my brother or like, my close friends.
03:40I go on walks, I exercise, I eat well, I guess.
03:43For me, it would be doing things that you love.
03:46Whatever it may be.
03:48And for me also, I guess exercising as well.
03:50If I feel like ever down, I just play like, computer games and all that.
03:54Praying.
03:55Ride my bike.
03:56Travelling a lot lately.
03:58I started seeing a counsellor as well.
04:01It's not like I have any serious issues.
04:03It's just, it just helps to check in and like,
04:06really reset my brain, reframe how I think about certain things.
04:10So that's quite helpful.
04:11Practising some gratitude, waking up every day.
04:14Like, say one thing to yourself.
04:17What's one thing you're grateful to be alive for?
04:20Just have a support circle and have those you love next to you, I guess.
04:24I just go clubbing.
04:28Clubbing.
04:30Of the people we interviewed,
04:317 out of 10 of them felt that awareness of mental health issues in Singapore
04:35has improved over the past year,
04:37with some stating that more can still be done.
04:40Respondents were most comfortable sharing concerns
04:42affecting their mental health with friends, followed by family.
04:46Cost of living, work and school were the most common answers that respondents gave
04:50when asked about main causes of mental stress
04:53and when asked about what helps them with their mental health.
04:56A large variety of answers was given, but exercise was the most common.
05:00So, what do you think?