PHP Learning Journeys 2024 - IMH and TOUCH!

On 31 May and 4 June, the Peer Helpers embarked on two very different, yet fulfilling journeys to IMH and TOUCH Community Services respectively. During these sessions, we got the valuable opportunity to listen to speakers who are currently in the mental health field, gleaning insights into addiction, the existing mental health services, and the state of Singaporeans' mental health in general. These learning journeys definitely inspired us to take more action in our communities and continue learning about the mental health scene in Singapore!

Please read the website team's personal reflections to gain a deeper understanding of our experiences.

Learning Journey to IMH 

During the learning journey to IMH, I managed to glean insights into mental health that I had not previously realised, particularly in the talks by IMH itself and CHAT, a centre for Youth Mental Health in Singapore.  

One of the key points that I picked up on was the distinction between mental illness and mental health – while mental health simply describes the state of an individual, mental illness is much more than that. Mental illnesses do NOT mean poor mental health, instead, they are likened to physical illnesses or health conditions that could happen to any one of us! Mental illnesses have biological symptoms; they are usually caused by stressors in one’s environment or psychological factors. However, it is definitely the case that mental illnesses can be treated. 

So how does IMH and TOUCH help provide care to those suffering? I found the employment of a tiered care model interesting: to cater to different groups of people, different actions are carried out. Those who are coping well, for example, will still be exposed to promotional material regarding mental health to increase their awareness. Those at increased risk, or who have already been diagnosed, will receive more intensive care. There are many different levels involved in supporting youth mental health as well, from schools and social networks, such as the counsellors and peer helpers, to community agencies, to primary and specialist medial care.  

Finally, it was a privilege to receive a sharing by someone who had struggled with mental health in their past – hearing their personal journey with mental health was inspiring as it taught me the importance of having a strong support network and seeking early treatment. I hope to be able to provide my friends with the same support in my capacity as a peer helper. 

• Julian 

From the journey to IMH, I understood more about the work that NAMS does. NAMS is the rehabilitation for addicts, from all walks of life, including foreign visitors. It is a very inclusive and welcoming place, since there are many recovery peers that have gone through the entire process, and are willing to work at NAMS. Through the talk by SB Viknesan, who has written an article about pornography addiction (link here), I found out that there are many groups such as NA GA AA that have addicts who try to help others to stay clean. It does not matter if one relapses, as it is a very forgiving and welcoming community. Addiction is a serious issue in society, as it destroys families through the loss of trust such as lying and changing of personality, and the isolation of addicts causes distancing between family members. He has also shared that NAMS works with many different groups such as CNB and WeCare in different Community Centres. It also advises governments to create or modify policies, to better prevent and aid addicts in their recovering journey. They have also trained many different organisations’ Social workers on the long process of detoxification to counselling. Finally, one interesting trend that caught my eye was the increase in vaping addicts in students. It revealed that anyone, even my close friends could be affected by addiction. 

• Zhao Zhong 

This learning journey changed my perspective of the place and allowed me to gain insights on what they actually do. Many people think that the place is dark and people are being trapped, but actually, the place is just like a hospital or clinic, where people can move about just like in a hospital. From this learning journey, I have learnt about many things that have allowed me to better help peers. The counsellor shared many ways to better help others, such as building a relationship with the patient first and understanding their reason before providing a solution that would better help them. What was new to me was that they also had past patients being the counsellors helping current patients and I think that this would greatly help current patients as these counsellors would better understand them and can thus provide solutions that cater to their needs. The help provided in the place is also extensive, as the medical tests and consultation are near each other, which provides ease for patients. I am grateful for the extensive help provided by the healthcare sector in Singapore and how it is so advanced. I hope that people will remove the stigma of mental health and would not be afraid to seek help when needed. 

• Jun Kai 

A Trip to IMH: A Reflection 

What would you think of when you hear the words "drugs", "gambling", and "drinking"? Punishment. Prison sentence. Jail time. Things that our parents told us never to do when we're grown up. 

But what's after all the punishments? Life doesn't just stop after someone receives consequences for the actions, right? 

That's what National Addiction Management Services (NAMS) is built for, from I have learnt from our learning journey to IMH on 31 May 2024. Established in 2010, its main goal is to help the addicted stay clean. 

NAMS helps a wide variety of addictions: drug abuse, vaping, drinking, and even gaming. Its patients come from all walks of life, and all sorts of ages. There may be well distinguished doctors, as well as teenagers whom are even younger than us. Everyone may face addictive problems in their life, and of course, everyone is encouraged and welcomed to get help at NAMS to battle their addictions. 

One thing that stood out to me particularly was that it offers group counselling services, which was something I did not really expect. I was always under the impression that addiction issues varied greatly from one individual to another, and should only be dealt with between the patient and the counsellor. However, the presentation that NAMS gave changed that entire worldview. During such group counselling sessions, patients are allowed to sit together and help each other along the rehabilitation journey. Furthermore, NAMS also offers a programme called BRIDGE-Family, where family members of the patients are taught skills and strategies on how to manage their addicted family member. By providing adequate support for the patient, this would then help lower the probability of relapse. The programme also helps serve the entire purpose of NAMS: to let addicts know that they are supported, and they are not alone in the road to recovery.  

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Rehabilitation. Care. Understanding. Integration back into society. That's what comes along with the consequences, and that's what we should be prioritising too. Instead of immediately labelling that person as an offender, maybe it's time for us, as a society, to lend them a helping hand. 

• Chenyuan 

During the learning journey to IMH, NAMS demonstrated to me the powerful steps they take to uplift those who have delved a little too deep. The counsellor of NAMS shared much on the various external organisations they work with, how inpatient and outpatient services work, training sessions etc. These initiatives presented to me all the thought and effort put towards making the patient’s life a better one moving forward. What moved me the most during the sharing was the way in which counsellors approached those who are warded into IMH. Rather than immediately labelling them as "addicts", the counsellors would instead take a step further to understand the circumstances which led the patients to become dependent on substances. They are careful and sensitive to the course of action taken towards guiding patients. Their approach reassured me on the stability of Singapore's mental health support system. Furthermore, they changed my own existing stereotype towards those who have relapsed even after receiving treatment. These people should not be looked down on as relapsing is a natural part of recovery.  

With regards to its facility, its internal structure is decorated with encouraging messages to drive those struggling with addiction to not give up and keep walking the road of recovery. The building is well equipped with a variety of healthcare services, ward rooms, a testing area for healthcare professionals to examine patients blood, urine and more. What surprised me the most was the new found knowledge that some counsellors were once battling addiction before. They took on this role to empower others with their experience. Recovery is not an unreachable ideal. It is possible. 

In my eyes, this learning journey allowed me to redefine the term mental wellbeing and addiction. It is not as shallow of a term I once thought it was, but a causeway of distinct experiences. 

• Jolene 

From this learning journey to the institution of mental health (IMH), I learnt how mental health is a state of well-being, and mental illness does not equate to poor mental health. Mental illness can happen to any of us. It was reported in a 2016 Singapore Mental Health study that 1 in 7 people had experienced a mental health condition in their lifetime, with the most common being Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), followed by Alcohol Abuse and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In order to address this and improve mental health, one well-being strategy used is the tiered care model, which better caters to the needs of different groups of people. Tier 1 focuses on mental health promotion mainly for those who have no mental health conditions, whereas tier 2 focuses on those with an increased risk of developing mental health conditions. Tier 3 and 4 support those who are clinically diagnosed. 

• Yinjia 

The learning journey to IMH was an eye-opener that allowed me to understand the perspectives of various groups of people struggling with mental illness and mental health. These 2 are distinctly different, poor mental health happens to any of us at any point while mental illness can be diagnosed. From further reading, I found that 2 of the most common mental illness in Singapore are depression and anxiety. However, did you know that there are also other disorders such as substance abuse, generalised anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder? While poor mental health is constantly on the rise among both adults and students due to increased levels of stress and poor work life balance, unfortunately, there is a 78% treatment gap, which refers to the difference in people having the disorder and the people treated. In fact, it took an average of 11 years of one with OCD to seek treatment. This shocking figure can be attributed to the stigma around mental illness and the lack of knowledge to spot symptoms. Singapore places emphasis on a recovery-based model, focussing on each person as a person rather than a patient. In other words, rather than just treating the illness, there are goal directed programs to guide patients to plan their life goals and acquire the skills needed to reach them. For example, independent learning through work opportunities to take on relevant jobs post discharge. I believe that such a framework is incredibly nurturing and beneficial for these patients. Overall, the change in access to healthcare has become more progressive as more people step up to speak about their journeys. 

• Iniya 

Learning Journey to TOUCH 

I enjoyed my time at TOUCH community services, especially during our session with the “Smol Tok” card game. These useful cards allowed for meaningful conversations on mental health, ultimately inspiring people to Relate, Reflect, and Realise. In trying out the card game with my peers, we managed to grow closer and learn more about each other’s views on mental health while having fun.  

I feel that this kind of board game is especially useful due to the prevalence of mental health conditions in the world: 1 in 5 people in their lifetime will experience a mental health condition. We must therefore decrease the social distance that comes with stigma, and understand and communicate with those who struggle. Alarmingly, just being aware does not actually decrease social distance – instead, it is the attitude we have towards mental health that helps us to approach others.  

Aside from the card game, TOUCH does this in other ways by providing diverse programmes catering to different groups – the healthy, at-risk and unwell. It was especially interesting hearing of the unorthodox methods used to deliver care such as nature and art therapy. The Virtual Reality tool showing us a glimpse of a life with anxiety also helped me to not only understand, but empathise (literally and metaphorically putting myself in someone else’s shoes) with the character in the simulation and therefore with others who may be suffering from the same condition.  

All in all, I was very content with the activities conducted during this session. It was both educational and inspiring, and I appreciate how the staff took time to answer questions and talk about their own pathways as social workers, highlighting the need for people on the ground. 

• Julian 

Our learning journey to TOUCH was an insightful one. We were introduced to Beyond the Label (you may find that it sounds familiar). Through a study the organisation conducted, they found that the areas of focus in addressing the stigma surrounding mental health include eliminating barriers to understanding, communicating and getting along with others as well as social participation. The question "How can we reduce our feelings of prejudice (regarding mental health conditions)?" was also brought up. Just having knowledge of mental health conditions is not enough as it does not directly reduce social distance. It is most effective to improve affective attitude (feelings). The Beyond the Label Conversation Tool (a fun card game) also helped us to reflect more on our knowledge of a certain topic, and our attitude towards it. It also helped to address our misconceptions, and exposed us to other people's views.  

In the second part of the LJ, we delved deeper into state of mental health of our society and the service programs that TOUCH and other organisations have to support those with mental health conditions, and to raise awareness. TOUCH has different tiers of programs for those with different needs, categorised into "healthy", "at-risk" and "unwell". The SG Mental Well-Being Networks is one such program. More information can be found in the image: 

Overall, this learning journey was definitely enjoyable, and the TOUCH team even surprised us with a small gift (upon completion of a survey regarding mental health) 

• Yinjia 

A Trip to TOUCH: Beyond the Label  

We like linking concepts to one another, it's part of our human nature. In most cases, these categorisations help us remember certain things more quickly.  

However, what happens if these labels are put on people? And what if these labels are entirely misleading?  

On 4th June, PHP has allowed us to explore deeper into this topic with a learning journey to TOUCH, hosted by the National Committee of Social Service (NCSS) They are particularly famous for one event: Beyond the Label. Launched in 2018, it is an anti stigma movement, which seeks to tear off labels from certain mental illnesses. In the past few years, it used to be an event where members of the public are brought together with arts and exhibitions. Now, due to the greater emphasis on mental wellness, TOUCH works together with 46 other organisations to reach a wider audience. 

During the trip, TOUCH has also provided us with a card game called Beyond the Label Conversation Tool (the name doesn't make it sound very fun, I know). There are many "levels" in this game, ranging from simple questions like "what gets you through a difficult day?" to "what are you passionate about in Singapore?" This card game allows us to challenge our perspectives on mental illnesses, which we have found to be very meaningful. During the debrief, the presenter also shared more tips on how to properly support our friends and family members who may be struggling with mental health issues. 

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Fortunately, the issue of mental health has received more attention in recent years. Although there are improvements to the status quo, many people with mental health issues still face a lot of stigmatisation in real life. 

It's time to look beyond the label. 

• Chenyuan 

The learning journey enabled me to learn more about fellow peer helpers especially through the smol tok card game where we shared more about our experiences through the ice breakers at the start and learnt about ways to help people with mental health conditions. The card game enabled us to delve deeper into mental health issues and gain new perspectives on mental health issues. They also shared with us some of the ways to help solve and handle such issues. The second talk was about what services they provide and how we can refer friends who are facing mental health issues to the relevant people and the programmes that they offer to help those who have mental health issues or are just feeling stressed. They also had acronyms to help others. APPLE, which stands for assure, presence, point to a trusted adult, listen and encourage them to seek help when needed. 

• Junkai 

During the learning journey at TOUCH, I have understood more about the work done at TOUCH community services. Their motto was ABCD, where they activate potential, build independence, connect people, and deliver impact. TOUCH has also partnered with many different organisations such as WeCare and IMH, offering more than 20 services to people from all walks of life. The Social workers informed us about programmes such as Do You M.I.N.D? and Beyond The Label that started in 2018, and have since partnered with 26 more organisations. A major trend from the research that they have conducted was that many people misunderstand mental health issues, and are not knowledgeable about them. TOUCH has also allowed us to play a card game called Smol Tok. This card game started with a facilitator guiding the entire conversation through questions asked on cards, and helping the group through awkward silences and pauses during their sharing. This card game ensured a safe space for the players to share their personal experiences, beliefs and thoughts, with everyone keeping a open and curious mindset. It allowed me to open up to my group and get to know people more, along with sharing our understanding of what mental illness is and how it affects people. Furthermore, TOUCH has also prepared a VR journey that allowed us to perceive a fictional story in 3D. It was a really immersive story, might I add, a little too nauseating, giving us the choices that allowed for us to choose different options and decisions that will affect the story’s ending. It placed myself in the shoes of a person with anxiety and depression, allowing me to fully understand the journey they are going through, revealing how mental illnesses affect individuals. 

• Zhao Zhong 

By Website Team 2024 :)