SINGAPORE:Â In the wake of a recent survey that showed how big a problem mental health is in the opinion of Singaporeans, one Singaporean content creator shared a practice that can help them improve their mental wellness.
The content creator, who goes by the name Uncle Chan, has shared a method to help Singaporeans improve their mental well-being. “Improve your mental well-being by using the OKAY technique,” he says in a video, before breaking down what each letter stands for.
“O: Observe your emotions,” he starts. “Pause and reflect upon how you’re feeling and what causes you to feel the way you do.” Second, is “K: Keep a healthy lifestyle. Get adequate sleep, have a balanced diet, and exercise regularly.” Third, “A: Adopt coping skills. Engage in activities to clear your mind and learn how to reframe your thoughts. Last but not least is “Y: You can reach out. Create a support system and stay connected. You can be the one receiving the support or providing it.”
@the_uncle_chan 4 steps to improve your mental well-being #learnontiktok #mentalhealthawareness
According to the global market research and public opinion specialist firm Ipsos, Singaporeans now see mental health as the “biggest health problem”.
Ipsos found in a survey almost half the Singaporeans identified mental health as the number one health issue in the country. Cancer took the number two spot, while stress took third place. While 46% of Singaporeans put mental health at the top, 38% assigned cancer the second spot, and 35% voted stress at third.
Quite interestingly, mental health took the top spot from the COVID-19 virus, which reigned supreme in the 2021 survey. Covid-19 is now in fifth place.
The survey also showed that though 78% of Singaporeans believe that mental health is as important as physical health, only 54% believe that within the Singaporean healthcare system, both are given equal treatment. However, that’s an 11 per cent increase from the number of people who believed both were given equal treatment in 2021.
Fifty-five per cent of Singaporeans also said that at least once this year, they had experienced stress to the point where it affected how they went about their daily lives.
In a statement, Ipsos Director of Public Affairs in Singapore Melanie Ng, said, “Quite a considerable population of Singaporeans admit to seldom or never focusing on their mental wellbeing, a tendency that may be attributed to the high-stress, relentless rhythm or life in Singapore. Nonetheless, it is indisputable that employers, governmental bodies, and communities must heighten their commitment towards enhancing preventative mental health care.”
/TISG
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