More people in Singapore struggling with alcohol abuse

SINGAPORE: A mental health study has shown that while alcohol abuse is a growing problem here, sufferers have been seeking help earlier.

The second Singapore Mental Health Study, conducted in 2016, found that one in 24 people struggled with the problem in their lifetime, or 4.1% of the population.

This is up from one in 32 people in the landmark study done in 2010.

Symptoms include recurrent alcohol use that affects obligations at work, school, or home.

But sufferers also sought treatment earlier – the median number of years they delayed treatment in 2016 was four years, down from 13 years in 2010.

The results released yesterday also showed that a smaller proportion, or 0.5% of the population, suffered from alcohol dependence.

This refers to a condition where a person is hit with withdrawal symptoms when intake is stopped, among other things.

Individuals with alcohol dependence sought help from a professional almost immediately – within one year – after the start of associated symptoms.

The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) study was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Nanyang Technological University.

The study also found that more people were willing to seek help for their problem. While the 2010 study found that only 3.1% of sufferers sought treatment for alcohol abuse, the latest one showed that nearly one in five had approached a psychiatrist, counsellor, psychologist or family doctor for help.

Dr Mythily Subramaniam, director of the research division at IMH, said: “While there is an increase in the prevalence of anxiety disorders and alcohol abuse, early positive trends in the form of reduction of the 12-month treatment gap and decrease in the delay in seeking treatment are heartening.”

However, Dr Mythily, who is also an associate professor at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, noted that “there is still a significant proportion of people who are not seeking help, which is a concern and we hope that this will improve”. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network