SPEECH BY MR AMRIN AMIN, SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS & MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT THE YOUTH CONVERSATIONS – MENTAL HEALTH DIALOGUE ON SATURDAY 27 OCTOBER 2018

Dr Tan Weng Mooi,
Chief, Community Mental Health Division, Agency for Integrated Care

Mr Cho Mingxiu,
Founder of Campus Peer Support for Youths (Campus PSY)

Ladies and gentlemen,

             Good afternoon. I am delighted to join you today at the inaugural Youth Conversations – a mental health dialogue.

2.            Mental health is a fundamental and indispensable component of an individual’s health and well-being. We all face struggles in life that can affect our mental wellbeing. For example, the teenage years can be a difficult time when young people struggle with issues of identity and belonging.  Transition periods of entering National Service or getting one’s first full time job can feel overwhelming. Young working adults may face stresses in managing their new life roles when they get married, become a parent, or a caregiver.

3.            Mental health issues can affect anyone. Celebrities such as Demi Lovato and Jason Mraz have shared openly about their experience with depression. So have others, like the author of the Harry Potter books, JK Rowling.

4.            Prevention, early detection and intervention are critical in promoting good mental well-being and improving outcomes for those with mental illnesses. We have programmes in schools and workplaces to promote good mental health, build resilience and coping skills, and provide peer support. Basic mental health literacy training is available to equip educators and school counsellors with skills to support youths in times of challenges. This training is also available for managers, to help them recognise signs and symptoms of common mental health conditions, as well as learn how to approach staff who may be in need and encourage them to seek help early.    

5.            We also have programmes to support those in distress. For example, CHAT, or the Community Health Assessment Team, is a professional team located at *SCAPE, that reaches out to youths between 16 and 30 years old to raise mental health awareness, and provide information on where to seek help. The Response, Early Intervention, Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) programme supports schools in taking care of our students’ mental health. REACH teams are mental health professionals who work closely with school counsellors to provide students with suitable school-based interventions, such as anger and anxiety management, coping skills and social skills group programmes. They can also provide specialised intervention services if needed.

6.            As part of World Mental Health Day this year, month-long activities have been organised as part of the Mental Health Awareness Singapore Learning Series 2018 for different groups of Singaporeans, including youths. One of the events is the “Stay Woke” Youth Fest happening on 31 Oct at University-Town at the National University of Singapore organised by Campus PSY and partners. There will be educational exhibits on mental health, short films and fringe activities. The organisers will also be organising a dialogue on mental resilience in a changing world to explores mental health challenges faced by today’s youths. Three inspiring youths will be sharing their personal experiences. The event aims to help youths develop greater awareness on mental health, show its relevance to their lives and encourage them to speak up and take proactive steps on self-care.

7.            While there have been efforts to help Singaporeans manage mental health issues, there is still significant societal stigma associated with mental illness, which is a major barrier to people getting the necessary help they need. A recent study^[1] among Singaporean youths aged 14-18 years found that there were considerable negative attitudes and beliefs towards mental illness. These misconceptions and lack of understanding may lead to delays in seeking help and treatment, poorer outcomes and a longer recovery process.

8.            As a society, we need to challenge these misperceptions, and encourage open and honest conversations about mental health. Our words and actions can have the power to change public perceptions about mental illness, and engender a more supportive and accepting environment. The National Council for Social Service (NCSS) recently launched a campaign entitled, “Beyond the Label”, to encourage people to look beyond the label of a mental health diagnosis and celebrate the resilience and contributions of those in recovery from mental health conditions.  

9.            To those who are struggling with mental health issues, you are not alone. Speaking up and seeking help is a crucial first step. Sharing your experiences is also an act of great personal courage, and will go a long way to helping overcome the misconceptions and lack of understanding that often surrounds mental health issues.

10.         More importantly, mental health challenges need not define you. Take the case of 25-year-old Shafiqah Nurul Afiqah Bte Ramani for example. Shafiqah was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and depression during her polytechnic years. She was repeatedly admitted to IMH due to multiple suicide attempts. At her last stay, she noticed that multiple admissions were common among those with mental health conditions. She also saw other young people like her missing out on school and life as a result. After discharge, she decided to do something to break the cycle. Apart from following her treatment plan diligently and joining a support group, she developed the PsychKick mobile app for persons in recovery with the help of her boyfriend. The app keeps track and reminds users of therapy sessions and helps their therapists assess if they need more support. Now, Shafiqah wants to be a voice that dispels social misperceptions that people like her are strong, not weak!

11.         I am glad to see so many of you here today and I look forward to having a fruitful dialogue with you, and to brainstorm ideas on how we as a society can better strengthen our mental wellbeing and support those living with mental illness.

Thank you.

[1] Pang et al., Stigma Among Singaporean Youth: A Cross-Sectional Study on Adolescent Attitudes Towards Serious Mental Illness And Social Tolerance In A Multi-ethnic Population, BMJ Open 2017:7:e016432. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016432