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?