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More people in Singapore have been seeking help for mental health issues amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
Today, before World Mental Health Day, The Straits Times spoke with more than a dozen doctors and mental health service providers from the public, private and community sectors.
Most said there has been a significant increase in the number of applicants for aid in different age groups.
BOTH OLD AND YOUNG AFFECTED
Asher Low, CEO of Limitless, a nonprofit organization that addresses youth mental health, said the organization has seen more than 250 new clients seeking help so far this year, 13 more than the number of new customers in all the past. year.
“Many of our existing clients deteriorated because they lost access to coping activities and social support, or were trapped at home in an unsuitable environment, such as (one with) poor family relationships or abusive parents,” he said.
But it’s not just about the young people whose mental well-being has suffered due to the pandemic.
O’Joy, a voluntary wellness organization that deals with the mental health of the elderly, saw a 26 percent increase in the number of clients in August and last month compared to the same period last year.
O’Joy Clinical Director Teo Puay Leng said older people who are still working may be anxious about losing their jobs and unable to find another in the current economic climate, while others are affected by layoffs from their loved ones.
Those who are used to participating in outdoor activities have also become anxious as they have had to stay home alone, he said.
MORE CALLS TO THE SUICIDE HELPLINE
Meanwhile, Samaritans of Singapore, which focuses on suicide prevention, received 26,460 calls for help from January to August this year, up from 21,429 in the same period last year.
Executive Director Gasper Tan said callers sought help for problems arising from the economic impact of Covid-19, the stress of having to adjust to teleworking and learning at home, and social relationships affected by the situation of the virus.
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Help lines
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National hotline: 1800-202-6868
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Mental Health Institute Mobile Crisis Service: 6389-2222
Care Corner Counseling Center (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800
Silver ribbon: 6386-1928
Tinkle’s friend: 1800-274-4788
OBSTACLES TO SEEKING HELP
While the number of mental health help seekers increased at public hospitals such as Alexandra Hospital and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP) and National University Polyclinics (NUP) polyclinics did not see a significant increase in aid seekers.
SHP Mental Health Task Force Clinical Leader Dr. David Koot noted that there was an overall drop in patient attendance at SHP during the breaker period, possibly due to fear of contracting Covid-19 at a polyclinic. .
Similarly, Dr. Benjamin Cheah, a family physician at NUP’s Jurong Polyclinic, said safe distancing measures may have led people to seek help from helplines such as the National Care Hotline.
He added that NUP psychologists conducted teleconsultations, whenever possible.
Teleconsultation was also introduced by the National Medical Care Group Polyclinics, which saw a 10 percent increase in patients seeking treatment for mental health conditions in the first half of this year.
Dr. Wong Mei Yin, principal psychologist at Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic, said that this allows patients to better manage their conditions “from the safety and convenience of their homes.”
While this may be true for some, Ms Lee Yi Ping, Senior Case Manager and Team Leader for the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Community Health Assessment Team, noted that for others, home is not a safe space.
He advised people caught in such a situation to leave their home for a moment to contact their service provider and come to a suitable arrangement.
OLD CONDITIONS WORSE, NEW CONDITIONS ARISE
Dr. Geraldine Tan, director and lead psychologist for The Therapy Room, saw a 15 percent increase in clients this year. He noted that the pandemic had not only caused mental health problems in people who previously had none, but also exacerbated pre-existing conditions.
Dr. Marcus Tan, a consultant psychiatrist at Healthway Medical’s Nobel Center for Psychological Well-Being, observed a similar mix of old and new help seekers. He saw a 25 to 30 percent increase in patients.
A RAY OF LIGHT
But not everything is pessimism.
Joy Hou, a lead psychologist at EmpathyWorks Psychological Wellness, who saw a nearly 20 percent increase in clients, said that while the increase may be partly due to Covid-19 taking its toll, it could also point to increased awareness. about mental health problems and reducing stigma when seeking professional help.
IMH senior consultant Jimmy Lee echoed the sentiment, saying that the increase in help-seeking behavior during this period is “a good thing.”
Dr. Lee said the crisis has prompted several mental health organizations to introduce new initiatives, such as webinars, the creation of new helplines and people learning how to identify and help people in distress.
“I think this is a good opportunity … People are concerned about the mental health needs of various aspects of the population,” he said.
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