Mental health hotline receives over 45,000 calls amid pandemic
THE National Care Hotline, which provides psychological first aid and emotional support to those who dial in, has fielded more than 45,000 calls since it was set up in April last year.
Revealing these numbers yesterday, Senior Minister of State for Health Dr Janil Puthucheary said the Covid-19 pandemic had been a stress test of the country’s mental health and healthcare systems.
“This pandemic will continue to pose a challenge to the mental well-being and health of the population since the impact is likely to last for some years to come,” he said.
Janil was speaking at the Asiapacific Mindfulness Conference, which featured a series of local and international experts sharing their views on topics such as mindfulness and mental well-being.
The virtual conference, held over nine days beginning yesterday, was organised by mental wellness charity Brahm Centre. Over 6,000 people from 59 countries joined the event.
One topic that came up frequently in discussions was the pandemic’s impact on Singaporeans’ mental well-being.
For instance, a series of polls by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) found that anxiety had generally been “sustained” since the circuit breaker last year.
These polls were carried three times – during the circuit breaker, in June last year when Singapore entered phase two of its reopening and about a month ago, said NCSS chief executive Tan Li San.
Most of this anxiety was related to employment and finances, she said, adding: “Even as we move into the endemic (phase), there are a lot of concerns about the future. Therefore, it is much more critical that we take care of our mental well-being and mindfulness practice.”
Assoc Prof Angie Chew, who is Brahm Centre’s chief executive, observed that many people – from healthcare workers to teachers and students – were experiencing a great deal of stress.
She emphasised the importance of learning good coping techniques, adding: “If there isn’t an approach or technique that can help us calm our minds, that’s when we experience burnout, insomnia, depression, anxiety and many other mental health conditions.”
The centre has received more inquiries on its mindfulness courses since April last year.
It trained more than 23,000 people last year, marking a threefold rise from the year before, Chew said.
In Malaysia, those suffering from problems can reach out to: Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999 or Whatsapp 019-261 5999); Jakim’s Family, Social and Community care centre (Whatsapp 0111-959 8214); and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (037627 2929 or www.befrienders.org. my/centre-in-malaysia).