While I agree that many people – youths included,
have the tendency to give unfair labels to persons struggling with mental
health issues – ‘Crazy, weird, scary’: Survey unveils negative labels youths
associate with mental illness (March 12, TODAY newspaper), it’s just as
important, if not more important, that the media is sensitive to the mentally
ill and her caregivers.
Next month, April 17 will mark the 4th year that my
late wife, Doris Lau, who battled schizophrenia for 44 long years has passed on.
Doris recovered from the illness and went on to author 8 successful books. She was brave enough to allow me to tell her
life struggle with the illness in the media, with one goal: To de-stigmatise mental
illness and give a ray of hope to these marginalised citizens Does she not have
economical value?
The media has the ability to sway
people’s thinking, so it has to present different perspective on this delicate
subject. Headlines which captures the
mentally ill in bad light should never be allowed, and I would like the ministers
in the information ministries and health to advice and counsel journalists to
be mindful of what they put out. And to give me a reply because I am going
public on this. It’s an irony that while
the Ministry of Health is doing its utmost to eradicate discrimination and
stigma, the media companies like Today newspaper is doing the opposite.
Does Today newspaper fully understand that labelling
and unfair criticism of patients trying to cope with mental illness is due to
lack of education on mental illness. Bottom line: People fear what they don’t
understand.
The truth of the matter is that many people – young
and old who have sought treatment are on the road to recovery, with some of
them having the courage to become staunch advocates. Advocacy will not only create awareness of
these often not-talked about issues, but can be instrumental in changing
mindsets.
Some years back,
a lady friend told me that in a game show on a TV programme in America, people
were asked to name secrets, which they would be too shameful to reveal or talk
about. They were given a list of three
secrets to choose from: Taking drugs on
the sly, robbing people and having a mental illness. Surprisingly, most people chose having a
mental illness as the most shameful thing to reveal. So, I am not at all surprised that people feel
ashamed to have a mental illness.
Generally, there
is a lack of education among Asians on mental illness and most of them will not
admit that they are afflicted with the illness.
This unwillingness to be associated with mental illness is perhaps,
understandable given that there is so much social stigma within the community
towards mental illness.
Perhaps the
culprit behind the happy faces of those suffering from depression or other
types of mental illness is FEAR. Due to
fear, people have been suppressing their own unhappiness, emotional pain,
worries and sorrow. And due to the lack
of support from those whom they are in close contact with, be it family, office
colleagues or even employers, people struggling with mental illness in this
negative environment tend to have very low and damaging self-esteem. They fear that they are not good enough to
move on in life. They suffer from low
self-confidence and left unchecked can lead to dire consequences.
Trapped in these
circumstances, the mentally ill feel unworthy and become increasingly sensitive
to people’s comments and language. Fear
causes them to bottle up their feelings and with no one to give them the
much-needed emotional support, their mental health suffers. When there is no avenue for them to pour out
their pent-up emotions, the bubble that is growing inside of them bursts. In
worse case scenarios, they lose the will to live.
Dealing with
people with depression and those with other types of mental illnesses requires
a lot of understanding, patience and compassion. These virtues are needed to help people with
depression unlock the emotional pain in their hearts and if they are able to do
so with love and understanding at an early stage, then they will be able to
move on in life and contribute to their well-being, those around them and to
society.
Some of the symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations, depression and also fear.
When fear overpowers them, patients who default on their medications may
believe that people are trying to harm them, and thus become defensive.
The Institute of Mental
Health and some mental health VWOs has been working very hard to de-stigmatise
mental illness through public education – taking a holistic approach by
bringing in doctors, patients and caregivers to present real-life situations
and coping skills which can help a great deal to enlighten the public and
eventually remove the stigma that plagues the mentally ill. There are also books that speaks of amazing
recovery of patients with mental illness.
I encourage one and all to
be involved in these matters as everyone of us has a one percent chance of
getting the illness, at some point in our lives.
Last, but not least, I want
an assurance from the Singapore government that such negative reports will
become a thing of the past – more so when efforts are being given by Finance Minister
Heng Swee Keat that his goal and that of the government is to build a caring
and inclusive society.
So, let’s walk the talk,
shall we?
RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO
