Daily Lessons from Life 13 August 2014 - IMH's CHAT Hub helps youths with mental health concerns

"IMH's CHAT Hub helps youths with mental health concerns - CNA 13 August 2014

SINGAPORE: From May 2009 to Jun 2014, 80 per cent of 700 young people who went for mental health checks at a centre run by the Institute of Mental Health - known as the Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT) Hub - were assessed with mental health concerns.
These ranged from mood disorders like depression and anxiety, as well as adjustment and relationship concerns, to early psychosis. Sixty per cent of them were referred to specialised outpatient clinics.
"Lin", whose younger brother has schizophrenia, believes the CHAT Hub's free assessment and relaxed setting helped take away the stigma prevalent with the condition, even though she felt it came a little too late to help with her brother's condition.
Since its launch five years ago, CHAT Hub has also reached out to youths through various programmes, including outreach to schools and tapping social media like Facebook and Tumblr. It also launched a free iPhone app, named Gacha Island, that features a game which educates youths on mental health issues."

This piece of news is timely in the light of the apparent suicide committed by the Oscar-winning actor, Mr Robin Williams, on Monday in the USA. It seems that Mr Williams had been battling depression in recent years and was seeking proper medical help.

Lessons for me are:

1. for whatever reasons, some people are pre-disposed to certain mental health issues that others. Maybe they are simply too sentimental and emotional. Sometimes it is NOT for us to judge and criticise as to why they behave in a certain manner. If the mental health has been assessed to be less than ideal by properly qualified medical examiners, the next course of action is really about how to help them get out of the conditions. NOTHING ELSE matter. Really!!;

2. when the mental health conditions are detected earlier, hopefully the conditions can be managed better and the 'patients' have a greater chance of gaining some controls over their conditions with proper medication and timely attention and intervention. It is heart warming to learn that people are becoming more and more open about talking about depression;

3. despite the efforts and progresses on treating certain mental health issues, it is VERY VERY difficult for the family members and close friends of the afflicted person to approach him or her to talk about the mental health issues. The 'patients' are so close to them that they will not be able to detach emotionally from the issues. The 'family and friends' most likely will welcome some form of education and training on how to relate to the 'patients' and to help the 'patients' to live as calm and event-free lives as possible.

Are there such help around? Hopefully so as that will be useful!

Once again, RIP Mr Williams. You will be missed by many fans around the world.