The first nationwide mental health anti-stigma campaign “Beyond the Label” was launched by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) on 8 September 2018. It aims to correct misperceptions, raise awareness and promote greater social inclusion of people in recovery from mental health conditions.

Co-created with people in recovery, the campaign is a response to key findings from a 2016 NCSS Quality of Life study and a newly released 2017 NCSS study on attitudes towards people with mental health conditions in Singapore.

The findings from the 2017 attitudes study, showed a need to change the attitudes, perceptions and behaviour of the public towards people with mental health conditions, in order to dispel stigma.

The Straits Times talked to seven people whose lives have been touched by mental health conditions, with each sharing something that was significant to their journey of recovery.

FINDING HOPE AND STRENGTH WITH THE SUPPORT OF PEERS

Ms Deborah Seah, 36, was diagnosed with bipolar and anxiety disorder in 2013. She had extreme mood swings, even in lower primary school. She struggled with anxiety and stress, spoke rapidly when she was irritable and could not control her emotions.

It was her participation in a Peer Support Specialist programme last year, where she attended recovery workshops and engaged with peers, that she began to believe recovery really was possible and everyone had their own battles to fight.

She will be starting a new job as a personal assistant in late September and now has a support system made up of friends she made in the ward.

‘SEEING THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE, BEYOND THEIR DIAGNOSIS’

Ms Sumaiyah Mohamed, 30, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression in 2007. When she was an undergraduate in National University of Singapore, majoring in Psychology, she was obsessed with her studies due to her university scholarship. She put a lot of pressure on herself to do well and had insomnia for weeks.

She currently works as a programme coordinator of rehabilitation sessions and other programmes at Club HEAL, an organisation helping people with mental illness and their family members lead a fulfilling and stigma-free life.

PRESSING ON WITH THE HELP OF FAMILY MEMBERS

Ms Nidhi Paritosh Mahana, 30, was diagnosed with an obsessive compulsive disorder and acrophobia, which is an extreme or irrational fear of heights.

When she had her first daughter, born two months premature in 2013, her rituals of cleanliness – sterilising, disinfecting and cleaning multiple times a day – became even more obsessive.

She stopped working as an information technology consultant for almost two years to look after her daughter, without realising that what she was experiencing was a psychological problem.

In 2015, she sought treatment at the Institute of Mental Health, with the support of her husband, who accompanied her to appointments.

Now married for five years, Ms Nidhi has another daughter who is one year old. She said her daughters motivate her to face her disorder and phobia.

REACHING OUT TO OTHERS BY SHARING HIS EXPERIENCE

Mr Desmond Ng, 24, was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2012. The auditory and visual hallucinations started when was 18 years old during his polytechnic days.

Different voices in his head would put him down or tell him to hurt others first before they hurt him. He kept turning around to check on presences he felt.

Fortunately, he has close friends in polytechnic whom he was able to speak openly with, leading him to seek help after six months. He was directed to Chat Hub, a centre at non-profit organisation *SCAPE that offers free mental health assessments for youth.

He still deals with occasional visual hallucinations but he does not hear voices any more. He now works as a peer support specialist with IMH, using his own experience to help others in similar situations.

LEARNING FROM INCLUSIVE COLLEAGUES

Ms Baizura Rahman, 30, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 17 years old. She said that those diagnosed with mental illnesses also have to learn to shed the stigma.

She recalled four men holding her down to sedate her in hospital when she was hysterical and confused. She was hospitalised for a week and received treatment.

The 30-year-old is now managing her illness without medication or having to see the doctor.

Five years ago, she became a full-time property agent at PropNex to help her parents, who are both property agents. During one of the training sessions, she found that her colleagues were willing to work with those who have mental illnesses. She saw it as a reminder that she, too, has to learn to shed the stigma.

FINDING MEANING AND COMFORT THROUGH ART

Mr Nur Salaam Adnan, 27, was diagnosed with depression and general anxiety disorder. He suffered from panic attacks at least twice a day and he would not be able to move for five minutes.

He was a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. He drove himself hard, took on multiple projects, and went three days without sleep because he wanted to prove that he could be successful despite his condition.

He eventually reached out for help through a social networking mobile application and met his mentor Vincent Soo, founder and managing director of H.O.P.E. Alliance, a social enterprise which supports and empowers people with mental health issues. The organisation taught him how to get back on his feet by giving him opportunities to return to the workforce and the real world.

Now, he is the graphic designer for H.O.P.E. Alliance, and also takes on the role of a facilitator to support others in their recovery journey.

WRITING TO COPE WITH ILLNESS

Freelance writer Nawira Baig, 26, experienced her first depressive episode eleven years ago. She wrote suicidal thoughts on her diary. She has kept multiple journals through the years, and turned to writing to cope with challenging experiences and to plan for the future.

When she was 17 years old, the drastic mood swings and intense emotions became more severe.

She spent a lot of time in hospitals, with 10 to 14 admissions every year to manage her suicidal thoughts. She has had fewer admissions over the years as she gained better control of her emotions.

She acknowledges that not everyone’s path in life is the same and that no experience in life is wasted.

Read more here.

 

Source: The Straits Times, 10 September 2018