Awareness about mental health is on the rise, and youths are becoming more open and resourceful in seeking help. Some take to social media to share their struggles with mental illnesses, or what it’s like to go to the Institute of Mental Health for treatment.

But the road to recovery can get bumpy. For example, encountering school counsellors who ‘snitch’, being traumatised by stays in psychiatric wards, or having to wait for months for an appointment with a psychiatric doctor.

Sometimes, parents can make things worse by being dismissive or when they have a stigma against mental illnesses. There are also parents who might feel helpless and uncertain about what they can do for their child.

So how can we support a young person who’s struggling with their mental health? And what’s needed to make mental healthcare more easily available for them?

This two-part documentary special by CNA Insider explores why mental health problems commonly occur in young people, and how the journey of getting help can be difficult but ultimately rewarding.

(Video produced in partnership with Temasek Foundation, supported by the Institute of Mental Health.)

What’s in this episode:
00:00 What gets youths to seek help
02:08 Why children hide their struggles from their parents
04:30 When parents find it hard to accept that they may be part of the problem
09:16 Learning to be a caregiver: What parents can do to help their child
11:00 How peers and friends in school can help
13:10 Are schools really a safe space?
16:53 List of hospitals in Singapore with psychiatric departments
17:05 Issues within the healthcare system
18:44 What is the Institute of Mental health doing to improve support for their younger clients?
21:56 How long is the wait to get an appointment at public hospitals?
24:31 The cost of private mental healthcare
26:09 Community support available in Singapore
29:19 Don’t give up on getting help

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WATCH Part 1: Why Children And Teenagers Struggle With Mental Health https://youtu.be/B2_fhjTxEJU
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To find out more about support available for caregivers:
- Caregivers Alliance: 6460 4400
- Caregiving Welfare Association: 6734 2991

If you need help:
- Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1-767
- Institute of Mental Health Helpline: 6389 2222
- Singapore Association of Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019
- Club HEAL: 6899 3463
- TOUCH Community Services: 6377 0122

To find out more about IMH’s Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT), visit: https://www.chat.mentalhealth.sg/

Resource directory on mental health services in Singapore: https://www.ncss.gov.sg/press-....room/publications/Me

Mental health mobile apps:
- CARA Unmask
- Safe Space
- Intellect
- MindFi
- Myloh

Mental health support website: https://www.mindline.sg/

You can also find a list of international helplines here: https://www.befrienders.org/contact-us

If someone you know is at immediate risk, call 24-hour emergency medical services.

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