Opening Up: A Therapist’s Perspective on Mental Health in Singapore

Mental health is still very much a taboo topic in Singaporean society – we speak to therapist Sophia Goh, as she shares her views on mental health in the city-state.

The Stigma around Mental Health

“Ah boy! Time for your lesson!” Except this is not tuition or a piano lesson as one would immediately expect—this boy in particular is off to a therapy session.

This is what counsellor Sophia Goh of private clinic Sofia Wellness Clinic experiences from time to time—where parents refuse to acknowledge that their children are coming to her for therapy sessions and call them ‘lessons’ instead.

Singapore is notorious for having one of the least happy people in the world, so why is mental health so often overlooked?

On this island, mental health is viewed with a certain sense of scepticism and negativity. Perceived to be a source of weakness that adversely affects one’s worth to society, this perspective of mental health issues has affected how many on our shores deal with mental health issues – both their own, and of those around them.

“This is a clear sign that a certain stigma is still present, that parents don’t even want to acknowledge that their children are coming in for therapy,” Sophia sighed.

She felt that such behaviour was considered common in Singapore even before she entered the counselling field.

Before Sophia became a counsellor, she taught at a private enrichment center. There, she found that many teens experienced learning difficulties, but their parents were at a loss. Wanting to help, Sophia found that the first step was to get these parents to accept the challenges their children were facing.

For that to happen, Sophia needed a set of communication skills to work through the internal expectations these parents had for their children. This pursuit ultimately culminated in her acquiring a Master of Arts in Counselling and Guidance, and setting up her own counselling and psychotherapy clinic Sofia Wellness Clinic.

During her practice, Sophia has also encountered other manifestations of this stigma—occasionally, she finds that some of her clients’ physical ailments are psychosomatic. In other words, their physical issues are brought on by psychological factors.

This is a combined result of Singaporeans’ lack of knowledge about mental health issues, as well as our tendency to prioritise physical health over the psychological—an observation that Sophia concurs with.

“Some of my older clients find it easier and more acceptable to view their ailments as merely physical in nature rather than psychological—this betrays the stigma their thought process is influenced by,” Sophia noted.

She also mentions that she often gets referrals from General Practitioners (GPs) and polyclinics for older clients, as the doctors were unable to pinpoint any medical issue being the root cause of their ailments.

This stigma, common amongst the older generation, also manifests in ways that might be potentially insensitive and harmful to their loved ones.

“Aiyo, why you cry? Boys cannot cry one!”, and “Why don’t you just pray about it?” might be some of the more frequently-heard solutions proffered to us by the older members of our family.

However, Sophia asserts that rather than blurting out insensitive remarks, we should be open to their experiences and be patient with them.

“It’s about understanding their perspective, where they’re coming from, and educating them,” Sophia said.

Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conversation on mental health was brought to the fore. Many professionals, seeking jobs either for the first time or as a result of retrenchment, faced countless rejection emails, rubbing salt into their already-bleeding wounds.

‘Ding!’ A new email notification pops up on the job seeker’s laptop. Straightening his back, he rushes to open the tab, anticipating a reply from one of the jobs he has applied for.

“This is your billing fee—” Before he could finish reading the entire email, he slammed the laptop shut and sighed deeply.

What if everyone rejects me? What if I cannot find a job? What then?

Doubts started circling around his head as he spiralled deeper and deeper into overwhelming anxiety and agony.

However, he is not the only person facing this.

“Mental health struggles are now a shared experience, which normalises it and opens the ground for more conversations about mental health,” Sophia explained.

There has been an increase in the awareness of mental health through the use of webinars and articles on digital platforms. But more can be done.

One might need to set aside a significant sum of money for mental healthcare. Consequently, the biggest challenge for mental health care is to ensure it is both accessible and affordable.

For the less-privileged, basic necessities would be their number one priority. They may forgo a trip to a counselling session just to afford another meal.

In order to solve this problem, Sophia envisions that mental health care should be recognised as a crucial part of healthcare, and be formalised in the healthcare system.

“Having mental health care in GP Clinics or Polyclinics would make mental health care much more accessible and affordable to the general public,” she noted.

However, this is not an easy task.

How do we balance the sustainability of mental health careers with the affordability of mental health treatment? This is a dilemma Sophia and so many other private clinics face.

As much as the affordability of mental health care is important, the pay level of mental healthcare practitioners is just as crucial. It is important to ensure that it is sufficient enough such that they can still put food on the table.

“This is a challenge that I have not figured out yet,” Sophia sighed.

Unfortunately, this will remain unsolved as long as medical professionals remain underpaid.

Advice from a Therapist

To those who are struggling,

"It's okay."

Feeling stressed or depressed is a normal response, especially during the pandemic. Living with unknowns and uncertainties amid the pandemic would certainly cause distress, and being stuck in that state for almost two years makes it far worse.

One misconception about therapy is that one only goes for therapy when they struggle with mental health. But the truth is that therapy is for everyone.

“It’s okay to seek help. It doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with you, because there is nothing wrong with you to start.”

Although the outlook on mental health in Singapore appears bleak, it is not all doom and gloom. The fact that more people recognise the impact of mental health issues heralds a seismic shift in perspective within Singaporean society.

With more time and greater awareness, there is justified hope that attitudes about this taboo topic will change for the better.

Helplines:

Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours)

Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2222 (24 hours)

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800 283-7019 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)

TOUCHline: 1800 377-2252 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)

Care Corner (Mandarin hotline): 1800-3535-800 (Daily, 10am to 10pm)