SINGAPORE : The Institute of Mental Health has said that more children and teenagers are seeking help for mental problems.
It has seen a steady increase over the last decade, and more than half of those hospitalised are new cases.
One group under the Singapore Association for Mental Health, which turns 40 this year, has been helping this group of young people since 2006.
"Selvi" (not her real name), has been coming by weekly for the last one year to learn how to cope with her illness.
The 19-year-old was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 15.
Her mother, "Madam Kumari" (not her real name), said: "Day and night, she used to cry, she used to run, how far she can run, she will run."
Sylvia Sivanesan, counsellor, YouthReach, said: "When I first met her, she was in her own world. When I tried to engage her, talk to her, she will be talking to herself.
"Today, she has come to a point where she is able to respond to me very immediately. I think the bonds with the friends have helped her come out of that shell."
At YouthReach in Jurong East, young people like "Selvi", with varying degrees of mental disorder, find expression for their feelings and learn life skills.
But the stigma is very real.
Dr Daniel Fung, vice president, Singapore Association for Mental Health, and senior consultant, Institute of Mental Health, said: "it is just an illness. If you can look at someone with cancer and look at them with compassionate eyes, then look at the mentally ill with compassionate eyes."
"Madam Kumari" said: "I love children, so for me I do not find much difference, they are the same. I do not find that they are mentally ill, and they are normal. I find that they are all the same to me, the only thing is that they are a little bit slower."
Since the National Mental Health Blueprint was launched in October 2007, the push has been to enable every agency that deals with youths to spot signs of mental problems.
To date, some school counsellors and family doctors have been trained.
Dr Fung said: "We have seen more coming into the clinics. In the past five to 10 years, we have seen growth - almost a 10 times increase - in terms of numbers presenting to a psychiatric centre. This is due to greater awareness."
The Child Guidance Clinic is another such agency, which sees young people up to age 19 and handles about 3,000 cases annually.
About 200 eventually need to be hospitalised for treatment, and more than half of them are new cases.
Experts said caregivers have to be on the lookout if children display unusual emotional and behavioural problems, because as with many other illnesses, early intervention is key.
Even anxiety disorders, if not treated early, can have serious repercussions.
Dr Fung said: "Ultimately it is really to prevent suicides. A lot of suicides among the young do have some links to mental illnesses."
Grave as it is, help can start by first seeing them with compassion.
As for parents, Dr Fung has this piece of advice: "Do not try to live vicariously through your child. Make sure that it is their lives and it is the life that they chose for themselves. And when you do that, you would have been a successful parent." - CNA
It has seen a steady increase over the last decade, and more than half of those hospitalised are new cases.
One group under the Singapore Association for Mental Health, which turns 40 this year, has been helping this group of young people since 2006.
"Selvi" (not her real name), has been coming by weekly for the last one year to learn how to cope with her illness.
The 19-year-old was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 15.
Her mother, "Madam Kumari" (not her real name), said: "Day and night, she used to cry, she used to run, how far she can run, she will run."
Sylvia Sivanesan, counsellor, YouthReach, said: "When I first met her, she was in her own world. When I tried to engage her, talk to her, she will be talking to herself.
"Today, she has come to a point where she is able to respond to me very immediately. I think the bonds with the friends have helped her come out of that shell."
At YouthReach in Jurong East, young people like "Selvi", with varying degrees of mental disorder, find expression for their feelings and learn life skills.
But the stigma is very real.
Dr Daniel Fung, vice president, Singapore Association for Mental Health, and senior consultant, Institute of Mental Health, said: "it is just an illness. If you can look at someone with cancer and look at them with compassionate eyes, then look at the mentally ill with compassionate eyes."
"Madam Kumari" said: "I love children, so for me I do not find much difference, they are the same. I do not find that they are mentally ill, and they are normal. I find that they are all the same to me, the only thing is that they are a little bit slower."
Since the National Mental Health Blueprint was launched in October 2007, the push has been to enable every agency that deals with youths to spot signs of mental problems.
To date, some school counsellors and family doctors have been trained.
Dr Fung said: "We have seen more coming into the clinics. In the past five to 10 years, we have seen growth - almost a 10 times increase - in terms of numbers presenting to a psychiatric centre. This is due to greater awareness."
The Child Guidance Clinic is another such agency, which sees young people up to age 19 and handles about 3,000 cases annually.
About 200 eventually need to be hospitalised for treatment, and more than half of them are new cases.
Experts said caregivers have to be on the lookout if children display unusual emotional and behavioural problems, because as with many other illnesses, early intervention is key.
Even anxiety disorders, if not treated early, can have serious repercussions.
Dr Fung said: "Ultimately it is really to prevent suicides. A lot of suicides among the young do have some links to mental illnesses."
Grave as it is, help can start by first seeing them with compassion.
As for parents, Dr Fung has this piece of advice: "Do not try to live vicariously through your child. Make sure that it is their lives and it is the life that they chose for themselves. And when you do that, you would have been a successful parent." - CNA
