Mental health myths: Is it possible to get better? And is seeking help expensive?

It is prohibitively expensive to seek mental health help in Singapore – or is it? Ms See Yen Theng, chief of caregiving and community mental health division at the Agency for Integrated Care, sets the record straight on common misconceptions about mental health in Singapore.

Myth #1: The Institute of Mental Health is the only place to seek help for all mental health issues

The Institute of Mental Health is the only tertiary hospital in Singapore that specialises in psychiatry, which is the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. However, other restructured hospitals also have psychiatric services that offer diagnosis and treatment.

What’s more, hospitals are not the only places where you can seek mental health help. Those who recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health issues in themselves or their loved one can also go to their general practitioner, or regular polyclinic for a diagnosis and treatment.

Other mental health first-stop touchpoints, such as Community Outreach Teams, can be found at social service agencies. These teams can understand a person’s needs, promote early recognition and provide emotional support to individuals and caregivers.

Social service agencies also have a Community Intervention Team, which provides assessment, counselling, therapy, case management and psychoeducation support for clients with mental health issues and dementia, and their caregivers. With the assessment, the team develops individualised care plans for clients or link them up with other suitable services.

To locate and contact these teams, individuals can use the Community Mental Health Wayfinding Tool, co-developed by the Agency for Integrated Care and MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation.

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