Why we need better maternity mental health care in Malaysia Being pregnant is a big part of a person’s life and one that we most often associate with physical health. We might think about the physical and hormonal changes someone goes through during the term of their pregnancy – but what about their mental health? […]
MEDIA STATEMENT MORE THAN 50% OF MALAYSIANS SHOW SYMPTOMS OF EATING DISORDERS, STUDY FINDS [KUALA LUMPUR, April 22, 2022] — The majority of Malaysians are engaging in unhealthy eating behaviours that could increase their risk of eating disorders, according to a new study by a mental health NGO. In the paper, Estimated […]
By Low Win Li World Mental Health Day 2021: Malaysian context For World Mental Health Day 2021, this year’s theme is ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’. This theme was chosen by the World Federation for Mental Health based on their survey of the accessibility of mental health services across countries around the world. Access […]
MEDIA STATEMENT IDEAS and Relate Mental Health Malaysia: Urgent Action Needed to Stem Rise of Youth Suicide in Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 18 February 2021 – Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people in Malaysia, with the economic cost of suicide estimated to be RM 346.2 million in 2019, according […]
What is self-injury? Self-injury is the intentional act of harming yourself without the intention of suicide, such as scratching, cutting or burning. We need to urgently address self-injury in our society as self-injury is increasingly common especially among youths and it can increase the risk of death by suicide up to 7 times. Who is […]
Youth suicide costs a staggering RM350 mil each year, according to Relate Malaysia’s new study. In the paper, Economic Cost of Youth Suicide Malaysia, Relate Malaysia found that, for every youth suicide in 2019, the Malaysian economy lost RM676,165. Dr Chua Sook Ning – clinical psychologist and founder of Relate Malaysia – said the shocking […]
On 6 November 2020, the 2021 Malaysian Budget was tabled by Finance Minister YB Dato’ Sri Tengku Zafrul bin Tengku Abdul Aziz. Regarding the allocation for mental health, these are the two separate figures we should be taking note of: RM 24 million for the Mental Health Program, Prevention of Physical Abuse and Substance Abuse […]
by Dr. Chua Sook Ning, PhD We celebrate World Mental Health Day on October 10th 2020. This international event offers an important contribution to raising mental health awareness and advocating against the social stigma of mental health. The 2020 World Mental Health campaign encourages us to invest: it calls on society to invest in providing […]
We know how important it is to maintain staff mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic but many medical staff do not have the time or resources for self-care. We are a team of clinical psychologists fundraising to subsidise 95% of our usual rates so that MOH frontliners pay only RM10 for a 50-minute session until […]
Mental health issues are significant health issues that can negatively affect a person’s relationships, productivity, and physical health. Common signs of poor mental health are feeling down, loss of pleasure or interest, sleeping difficulties, appetite changes, constant worry or feeling numb and empty inside. Consequently, workers with mental health issues are more likely to take […]
As the demand for insurance companies to cover mental health conditions, insurance companies are explaining why they cannot do so. Here is why we need to continue pushing for mental health coverage. Dr. Chua Sook Ning Summary: It cost more when people are not treated than when people are treated. I estimate it will cost […]
In March 2019, Cuepacs (Congress of Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Services Malaysians) released a statement saying that more than 400, 000 civil servants (or 20-30%) experience emotional stress, with a number of them needing psychiatric treatment. This was quickly followed by a press conference by the Public Service Department disputing the […]
Elections are around the corner, and all cards are on the table. Politicians on both sides are slinging mud, trying to undercut the other. Promises are made to increase minimum wage, to create new jobs, to give cash handouts, to ease loans and reintroduce fuel subsidies among other things. Just several years ago, the government […]
Do mental health issues personally affect me? Now some of us may be thinking, “do mental health issues personally affect me?”. And don’t get me wrong, if you are not battling with a mental health issue, that is a good – great thing in fact. However, it is interesting to note that according to the […]
Relate Mental Health Malaysia was part of a ground-breaking theater production on Mental Health by I’M Entertainment. ‘The Human Exhibit’ is one journey that the audience will take to watch different representations of certain mental illnesses. Instead of looking at paintings/sculptures, there will be a human representation of the mental illness in the form of dance, […]
Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah had worded perfectly what one of the common stigmas surrounding “mental illness” has been (in the context of a lack of awareness): “Mental health is a very misunderstood issue and many associate it with madness. We should not simply dismiss […]
It’s the best time of the year! For the mentally ill, festive seasons can be of little cheer. The hustle of festivities, the expenses incurred, and the hosting of visitors can be overwhelming. There is also the unspoken pressure to look cheerful. 2017 has been encouraging for mental health advocacy in Malaysia. Mental health issues have […]
It’s bittersweet to see more and more mainstream news outlets cover mental health issues (a step in the right direction) but while using language that perpetuates stereotypes and stigma. A recent NST headlines screamed : “[Exclusive] Overworked souls risk going mental and dying early”. The Oxford Dictionary defines “Going mental” as informal phrase that means […]
The new 2018 budget has been tabled and there is an increase in the Health Ministry 2018 budget from RM 25 billion in 2017 to RM26.58 billion in 2018. Unfortunately we have yet to see a specific mental health allocation in the health budget. There was no mention of increasing mental health resources in Malaysia, […]
“Suicide is not a blot on anyone’s name; it is a tragedy.” Due to a lack of awareness on the validity behind mental health issues, there is a tendency for mental illness to be chalked down as ‘something that went wrong’ with the people who dare to share about their struggles. For example, depression […]
Mindfulness is a particular state of awareness cultivated through intentional practice. WHAT IS PARTICULAR ABOUT THIS STATE OF AWARENESS? 1. It is focused on the present moment. Our awareness is usually caught up in thoughts about the past or the future. We therefore cruise through life on autopilot unaware of what’s actually happening now in […]
Tell your heart to beat again; because this life is worth fighting for and there are people worth fighting for. On a bright Saturday morning, more than a hundred people showed up for RELATE Malaysia’s talk on the basics of depression. This addition is one of the many of the series of free talks organized […]
The government allocated RM 25 billion for health care in the 2017 budget. According to WHO, Malaysia dedicates 1.5 % of the health care budget on mental health, or approximately RM 375 million. This RM 375 million would be for mental health care in general. That is far from sufficient. According to US researchers, the cost of […]
An emotional injury damages the attachment to the injurer, and damages the injured’s sense of self. The emotional injury can usually be named. It feels like a violation or betrayal of trust and happens within an ongoing relationship. Examples of emotional injuries are: abandonment, betrayal, neglect, humiliation, shaming and violation. How can you resolve emotional […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning Mental illness is often brought up as a possible cause when an incomprehensible violent crime is committed. The authorities usually just say “mental illness” without further explanation or specification. Here are just some recent cases in Malaysia where the authorities have implicated mental illness: Assault and arson (http://malaysiandigest.com/news/654630-man-suspected-of-running-amok-killing-three-and-burning-down-home-remanded.html) Gun violence […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning WHAT IF we treated our physical illnesses the way we treat our mental illnesses? Let’s imagine you woke up one fine morning in Kuala Lumpur. 1. Your head hurts, you had a fever, your throat was sore and your nose was runny. Your whole body was aching and you felt […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning The NST Online report of Selva Kumar Subbiah addressed the social stigma against convicts and rightly affirms the civil rights of all citizens regardless of one’s past. Unfortunately, the article ends with this: “The American Supreme Court has interpreted this recidivist tendency as a mental health problem and sentences of […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning IN 2015, the Health Ministry revealed that 30% of Malaysians have a mental health condition. This figure is alarming and reflects a three-fold increase since 1996. Yet we have not heard much from the Government to address this issue. The silence from the authorities is disappointing, to say the least. […]
What is mindfulness? i. It is focused on the now. There is a time to reflect on the past, and a time to plan for the future. This time is for the present, to experience what is going on with the now. Just because we don’t think about it, does not mean it does not […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning In the past week, there has been a great deal of attention on the incarceration of certain prominent activists, leading many Malaysians to protest against SOSMA and its application. Since 2000, the prison population in Malaysia has doubled and many of these offenders do not have anyone to speak up on their […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning In 2005, the Ministry of Health (MOH) conceded that the rate of suicide is severely underestimated and that the true rate of suicide ranges from 10. 5 – 13.5 people per 100000 (Malaysia Health 2005, p. 162). Below is a screenshot of the summary posted in the report. How does the rate […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning Dr. Ong Kian Ming, MP of Serdang recently asked the government for the annual rate of suicides in Malaysia. This week in parliament, the government reported that 1513 suicides were recorded from 2010 to September 2016, or on average 227 people a year. This means one person every 2 days commits […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning Did you know that 1 in 3 Malaysians are suffering from mental health issues? RELATE is going to take you through the report released by the Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Malaysia. The measure: General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) It has been used by the National Health and Morbidity Survey since 1996. […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning In ancient Greece, the word stigma referred to a mark that was cut or burned into the skin of a slave or criminal. This brand served to visibly identify this individual to society as unworthy or a risk to society. It was to warn the people this individual was to be […]
Cilisos recently reported on the treatment of the mentally challenged at a welfare home in Perak. RELATE believes in behavioural treatment as the first line treatment for children and adults who are mentally challenged, and medication if necessary to handle psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety or aggressivity.
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning Recently the Chief Minister of Terengganu, Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman, denied the National Health and Morbidity Survey report that 1 in 4 residents of Terengganu are mentally ill. He claimed that mental illness refers to crazy (“gila”) and that the statistics refers to the prevalence of mental health problem such […]
Mental illness is not “madness“. By Dr. Chua Sook Ning It is not just being misunderstood. Mental illness causes distress and impairs someone’s functioning in important areas of his/her life. Perhaps there are a blessed few who are able to use their illnesses to achieve great heights but most people suffering from a mental illness are […]
By Dr. Chua Sook Ning How fused are you? Sometimes it feels like the goals we are pursuing are a part of who we are, that they are included in our self. Look at these two circles and think of a goal that matters to you. One that is important and that you are […]
When you read a report that says Malaysian youth feel suicidal about their jobs, you may be tempted to dismiss the report – “youth always exaggerate!” or “we’ve all been there. they will get used to it”. What are the chances someone would actually go ahead with it? Don’t people just say “I feel like […]
With the sharp increase of mental health problems, the ministry of Health is planning to come up with a National Mental Health Strategic Action Plan. It is intended to be a comprehensive plan that puts programs and strategies to “tackle the problem”. It is unclear what the government conceptualises as the problem. The government does intend to increase awareness […]
The numbers are out – 30% of Malaysians are suffering from a mental health problem. In 2011, the Ministry of Health reported that every 1 in 10 Malaysians suffer from a mental health problem and today, the research shows that it is 1 in every 3 Malaysians. Read more at http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/09/176013/one-three-msian-adults-struggling-mental-health-issues
