Despite increased prevalence of mental health issues, stigma remains a huge barrier towards help-seeking, recovery and inclusion.
To raise awareness and encourage conversations on mental health on a national level, “Speaking Your Mind” – a first-of-its-kind NUS student-led mental health initiative – put together a total of 17 stories from individuals, caregivers, advocates and professionals who work closely in the field of mental health.
These stories not only shed light on the problems which individuals with mental health conditions face in the areas of stigmatisation, workplace or school support, and laws and insurance policies; but also highlight the rewards and challenges of working with individuals with mental health conditions and how we, as a society, can improve healthcare services for all.
Mr Melvin Yong, Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC, graced the event and joined us in launching the “Speaking Your Mind” e-book on 18 January 2020.
“As a society, it is important that we raise awareness and socialise mental health issues among the general public. Only by doing so, can we then destigmatise the topic and build an ecosystem of support to help with the detection and early prevention of mental health issues.” – Mr Melvin Yong
He added that several of the stories show the resilience of those who struggle with mental health issues and this highlights the importance of the support network around us.
The event also featured a panel discussion which comprised several presenters and speakers well-known in the field of mental health, namely Ms Voon Yen Sing. Assistant Director of Clinical Services at the Singapore Association for Mental Health; Ms Jenny Teo, Co-Founder of the PleaseStay. Movement; Ms Nawira Baig, Peer Support Specialist at the Institute of Mental Health; and Ms Porsche Poh, Executive Director of the Silver Ribbon, Singapore.
The panellists discussed about the issues covered in the book and engaged the audience in exchanges and reflections on what can be done to improve things in the mental health sector.
With the hope of creating greater understanding of mental health among Singaporeans, the “Speaking Your Mind” initiative aims to continue exploring ways which we can build an inclusive nation and provide impetus for the development of more concrete support for people with mental health issues.
