Commentary: The Time to Talk is Now
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Any suicide is one too many. Mental wellness is something important and serious,”
~ said MP Seah Kian Peng.
A news release on CNA (www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/suicides-number-2018-teenagers-boys-highest-11761480) by the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) on Monday indicated:
- suicides in Singapore rose by 10% last year
- All age groups, except those aged 60 years and above, recorded an increase in the number of suicides”
More worrying is the rise in suicide among young boys aged 10 to 19, at a record high and 3 times the cases recorded in 2017.
It is indeed troubling that people going through a rough patch may feel unsupported and chose to end their lives.
Regardless if they are going through struggles in their health, relationships, finances and/or experiencing burnout in their studies or work, it is time we encourage the needed dialogue on mental health challenges we may face in our homes, workplaces, schools and community.
People may go on their lives looking OK on the outside but are crying out for help and support on the inside. Gone should be the days when we would say “He/she looked OK and now he/she is gone. I wish I would have picked up the signs or checked in to see how things were for him/her”. We can do our part by seeking to:
- understand more about mental health challenges
- change our perspective that mental health challenges make us less normal as a human than others
- keep a lookout for ourselves and others
- create a safe environment for speaking up about the mental health trials we may face, and • help to direct others (and ourselves) to receive help so we can overcome mental health challenges.
Should you wish to encourage others who might be going through burnout at home, work, school or the community, join us on our “Keep Me Burning” campaign at www.emmaus.sg/public/keep-me-burning/
Should you wish to enhance mental well-being for yourself or your organization, you may also contact us at hello@emmaus.sg
Should you wish to know where to seek help, do refer to www.healthhub.sg/a-z/support-groups-and-others/20/call-on-these-when-you-need-help
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James is the Lead Thrive-Synergist & Founder of Emmaus Strategies; a social enterprise that “fuels good”. It does this through Mental Well-Being programmes for individuals and organizations, as well as Strategic Volunteer Partnerships consultancy and training for non-profits.
