The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) is commissioning a virtual game where players can take on the role-play young people with mental illnesses, so as to better understand these conditions and seek help if they themselves are struggling with mental issues.
The NCSS is developing an e-escape room for a virtual game in which the player has to find clues, solve puzzles and accomplish tasks in one or more rooms to progress and accomplish a specific goal within a time limit.
The game will be launched in late September as part of the NCSS’ Beyond The Label campaign.
The campaign is aimed at reducing the stigma attached to those with mental health conditions, boosting awareness of mental health issues and encouraging people to seek help.
An NCSS spokesman said that it has partnered with the Youth Alliance to curate a physical escape room last year as part of the Beyond The Label Fest.
Through the immersive multi-sensory experience, participants in the escape room had a glimpse into the life of a youth facing a mental health condition.
The experience, which was well received by around 250 participants, was also designed to emphasise the importance of seeking help early and providing peer support.
In the game, players take on roles such as of young people suffering from major depression and obsessive- compulsive and eating disorders. These conditions are common among young people here, said the NCSS spokesman, citing the 2016 Singapore Mental Health Study, which found about one in seven residents here has experienced a mental disorder.
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Source: The Straits Times, 10 July 2020