Singapore nears goal of training 1,500 responders in psychological first aid

The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, changed how Singaporeans viewed mental wellbeing, said Dr Jared Ng, a psychiatrist and senior consultant at Connections MindHealth.

“People talked about social isolation, about uncertainty, how it affected themselves and other people, and made people more aware of topics like mental health,” Dr Ng told CNA.

In June, Singapore launched a national mental helpline – mindline 1771 – with trained counsellors providing round-the-clock free support to those who need it.

Its largest group of users are young working adults, followed by teenagers.

“The topic of mental health is certainly less stigmatised now. People will talk about anxiety, stress and burnout a lot more openly,” said Dr Ng.

“Now I see companies, HR teams, teachers, managers, grassroots volunteers and parents signing up … perhaps because of an encounter (with) family members having mental health distress, colleagues breaking down at work,” he added.