How Society Can Better Cater to the Needs of Youths

Link to Article: https://www.suss.edu.sg/blog/detail/youth-mental-health.-how-can-we-do-better

In 2017, it was reported that mental illness was the largest contributor to years lost to disease among people aged 10-34 years in Singapore, and the second largest contributor across all age groups[1]. Even more alarming is the fact that suicide is the leading cause of death for Singaporeans aged 10-29, and that this rate is on the rise[2]. In a speech made in Parliament on 27 July this year, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing draws on data from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), highlighting that the suicide incidence rate among those aged 10 to 19 had risen from 4.0 per 100,000 in 2019 to 5.5 per 100,000 in 2020[3]. Our youths are clearly having trouble dealing with mental health issues.

This begets the question. What is causing these mental problems for our youths? According to Dr. Emily Ortega, Head of the Psychology Programme at SUSS, stress is a big contributor to mental health problems, but many other factors such as biological circumstances, past experiences, and the environment that we are in, play a part as well.

Delving into the current environment of our youths, we uncover reasons as to why they may feel stressed. The pressure to succeed academically, the desire to meet parental expectations, and the advent of social media have created unhealthy conditions that affect their mental wellbeing[4]. Social media, in particular, has ramped up and given rise to existing and new stressors. Such as the fear of missing out, social isolation, and amplified feelings of inadequacy.

It is impossible to completely get rid of such stresses, but we can and should create better support systems to manage the situation. In the wake of recent high-profile incidents this year, the Education Minister stated that The Ministry of Education (MOE) aims to deploy more than 1000 teacher-counsellors across Singapore in the next few years, an increase from the over 700 currently deployed[5]. While this represents a positive step towards alleviating our youth mental health situation, we should also take on a more holistic approach to tackle the problem.