Mental Health Organisations Received More Calls From Help in 2020; Experts Say More Help Needed During COVID-19

By
Shawn Ambrose
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Last Updated on 2021-03-18 , 3:56 pm

The COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing but dark, destructive, and depressing. But one good thing it has done is open up the much-needed conversation about mental health.

Mental health issues are often something we’re afraid to speak about, for fear of being labelled ‘weak’ or even ‘weird’.

So we keep these problems to ourselves, which often makes things worse.

Then the coronavirus came along and dumped a whole heap of worries onto our already aching backs.

On the verge of collapse, many desperately sought support.

Mental Health Organisations Received More Calls From Help in 2020; Experts Say More Help Needed During COVID-19

At least four mental health organisations in Singapore said they received more calls for help in 2020, as residents struggled to deal with the anxieties of the pandemic.

Suicide prevention centre Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) said it received 39,492 suicide and crisis-related calls last year, 18% more than the 33,387 calls in 2019.

A large portion of the calls – nearly one-third – came between April and June last year, during the circuit breaker period.

The agency received 10,671 calls then, up from 7,844 in the same period in 2019.

This wasn’t a coincidence, as other organisations reported the same finding.

The Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) said it received 50% more calls between April to June last year, compared with the same period in 2019.

In total, SAMH received 2,719 calls last year, up from 2,143 in 2019.

And Brahm Centre, an organisation that provides mental health support, said they received an average of 227 calls a month from April to June last year.

From August 2019 to Jan 2020, they only attended to around 80 calls a month.

The Institute of Mental Health also saw a 48% increase in calls to its mental health helpline between April and December in 2020, compared with the same period the previous year.

So, what accounts for this worrying trend?

Uncertainty & Financial Woes

The keyword here is uncertainty.

With so much uncertainty over our jobs, health, and even loved ones, the stresses of everyday life simply became too much to bear for some.

Many people also lost their jobs during the pandemic, causing financial uncertainty and self-esteem issues.

Other reasons included being cooped up in the house for too long, disruptions in routine, and a lack of personal space.

While life has certainly improved since the circuit breaker last year, a massive cloud of uncertainty still hangs over us as the coronavirus continues to spread.

Whatever the reason, if you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call the following helplines:

Samaritans of Singapore: 1800 221-4444 (24 hours)

Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2222 (24 hours)

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800 283-7019 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)

National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am-12am)

Brahm Centre Assistline: 6655-0000 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)

Featured Image: kenchiro168 / Shutterstock.com

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]