Dear PM Lee,
Mental
illness - a taboo subject which is often not talked about, discussed and swept
under the carpet. Yet from the several reports I read in the press, many
of our citizens are struggling to cope with the onslaught of mental illness
that includes hoarding, depression, schizophrenia and many others. Our suicide
rates have also gone up. People can no longer control their temper. You
may recall a couple on a motorbike who bashed up a taxi driver who almost
collided with them. Stress levels are also going up and you many have
read about the recent case in which a 25-year-old kindergarten teacher was
charged in court for abusing a 5-year-old child that includes asking her to
strip herself and stand in front of the whole class.
Like
it or like mental illness is spreading – into our schools, our offices, in the
community and even in churches. So we should not be ashamed to address it and
find solutions to help the sufferers and their caregivers cope. I have never
heard you talk about mental illness, PM Lee which is really
disappointing. Why do we want to avoid this issue when it is becoming a
big social problem here and causing enclaves in our society?
Singapore
does not have a good structural support system that can help caregivers cope
when there is a loved one struggling with mental illness. For instance when a
family member who suffers a relapse of mental illness and is hospitalized, no
one rallies around the caregiver & help him/her cope. The focus is always
on the patient and the caregiver is clean forgotten; and suffers all alone. I
have gone through this predicament umpteen times.
A
few years ago, I sent you a published press letter in which I offered to train
grassroots leaders (given my 37 years experience in helping my wife cope with
schizophrenia) all over Singapore on mental illness so that they can help the
patients and their family members cope better. You were receptive to the idea,
PM Lee and sent a direction to MCYS & MOH. Until today, no one has taken up
the offer.
I
hope that you can enlighten me as well as the thousands out there who are
voiceless to bring hope to this group. Thank you, PM Lee.
Sincerely,
Raymond
Anthony Fernando
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