The Current Status of Mental Health Services in Singapore
While there are many forms of professional psychology in Singapore—including executive coaching, organizational consulting and career counselling, the role played by professional psychologists in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness plays a central role. The World Health Organisation constitution states: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Until recently, there was very little appreciation of this goals of well-being—especially when it came to the identification and treatment of mental illness. People suffering from mental illness were considered “crazy” or at least not socially acceptable. Those who were challenged by emotional and mental disturbance were often isolated by their family and stigmatized as being “unfit” for proper society.
Seeking professional help was for people with “real” medical problems—that is with physical ailments. There was little education on the topic of mental health–so many people living in Singapore were not fully aware regarding the true nature of mental illness. In recent years, we see improvements. The Singapore government has placed more emphasis on mental health wellness. The public is much better educated, and more people are seeking professional help. There may still be some concerns over the stigma of seeking professional help; at the same time more information is being given to the public.
It is important that the public become well educated about mental illness in Singapore because, according to the Singapore Mental Health Study 2010, the lifetime prevalence of mental illness in the Singapore resident population is 12%, which is about 1 in 8 people having a mental disorder. Major Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Abuse and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder were found to be the top three most common disorders here. It is crucial for someone to be able to recognise when they need to seek help from a professional. According to a Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey done in 2019, a staggering 92 per cent of working Singaporeans report feeling stressed. Numerous reports have shown that stress among Singaporeans predominately culminates in the workplace—and especially during this period of COVID 19 with people losing their jobs or experiencing a pay cut. It will definitely increase the stress levels of people in Singapore.
