Mental Health Support Groups in Singapore

Mental Health Support Groups in Singapore 

According to a Singapore Mental Health Study conducted in 2016, while one in seven in Singapore has experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime, more than three-quarters do not seek any professional help. 

Even though people might not be open at first to engage in help-seeking behaviours and to seek medical help for fear of mental health stigma, there are many mental health support groups for people to better cope with their mental health challenges and to understand their mental health triggers. 

Mental health refers to the behavioral and emotional well-being of an individual as he or she goes about life. A person’s mental health can be affected by many factors ranging from internal and external stimuli such as personal well-being, environment or people. It also shows how we think, feel and act. Poor mental health can lead to unhealthy lifestyles and harmful behaviours when help-seeking is delayed. 

There are many reasons why it is hard for people to seek help regarding mental health. One of the major reasons would be the stigma surrounding mental health. Many would rather not associate themselves with people who are diagnosed with mental health conditions and would stay away from them. 

Another reason would be the awareness of resources in the community. Even though mental health care services have been expanding over the years, the accessibility and availability of such services is not straightforward. Not many know about the resources or organisations that are available. Thus, the formation of mental health support groups help to plug these gaps. 

Mental health support groups are usually formed to bring people who are or have gone through similar experiences during their mental health recovery. It provides them with opportunities to share their inner struggles and speak openly about them while receiving support and validation. Through the group sessions, they can be better supported by formulating their own personalised coping strategies and look at suitable resources that can help them during their recovery. 

Through the support groups by these mental health non profit organisations, persons struggling with their mental health or someone with a lived experience of a mental health condition can attend these groups where one can be supported and build mental resilience together. 

Here are some mental health organisations that provide mental health group support in Singapore are:

• Resilience Collective 

• Institute of Mental Health (IMH) 

• Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) 

• Silver Ribbon 

• PSALT care 

• Over The Rainbow 

• Campus PSY 

One of these non profit organisations that offers mental health support groups is Resilience Collective (RC). RC is an IPC registered mental health charity powered by peers, for peers.Peers, or persons with the lived experience of mental health conditions are empowered through our resilience education modules which equip peers with recovery strategies and coping mechanisms, and peer support initiatives which see peers supporting each other as they progress ahead in their recovery journeys.

By harnessing the voices of peers which speak to the value of first-hand perspectives and knowledge of mental health recovery, and co-producing holistic mental health solutioning with other stakeholders, RC together with our peers help to drive anti-stigmatism and promote help-seeking among those at risk.

Through community-driven initiatives and engagement, RC aims to drive meaningful dialogue based on equal partnerships between peers and society, building inclusivity and removing the damaging mentality of “us and them.” To find out more, join their vibrant community here.

When should one start to seek help? If you find that your mental distress persists for a long period and it affects your daily functioning, it is important to consult a mental health professional and seek help. It is important to not delay help-seeking as this action could save lives.  

Anyone can experience mental health struggles at any point in their life. Mental health support groups are essential and encouraging people to attend these sessions would allow them to chart their own recovery journeys and to know that mental health conditions are treatable.