Oct - Dec 15 Issue - Institute of Mental Health

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
AN IMH QUARTERLY PUBLICATION
IMHLINK
MCI (P) 050/12/2015
WHAT’S INSIDE
CLINICAL
RESEARCH
EDUCATION
UPDATES
ASK THE EXPERT
MY SAY
WHAT’S ON
Joining Hands for Addiction Awareness
Results of the Mind Matters Study
Education Hub: A Space to Learn
CLINICAL
Partnership and Education for
Addiction Awareness
By Penny Chua, Corporate Communications
behaviour before they spiral into serious addiction problems.
By developing a culture of learning and recovery to engage
the public on addiction prevention, treatment and wellness,
ARC hopes to provide holistic care for persons with addictions
and their families. “Recovery from addictions involves the
individual’s determination to want to get well, treatment and
counselling from medical professionals. Positive support and
care from the family, employers, colleagues and friends are
also important. By forging close partnerships with our partners
and establishing the ARC, we hope to help and motivate more
persons to overcome their addictions and work towards living
a purposeful and meaningful life,” said Dr Christopher Cheok,
Vice Chairman, Medical Board (NAMS).
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Mayor Teo Ho Pin (second from right) officially launching the ARC.
This year’s National Addictions Awareness Day (NAAD) was
jointly organised by the National Addictions Management
Service (NAMS), North West Community Development Council
(NWCDC) and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH). Held on 22
November at KTPH, the theme for NAAD was “Together for the
Better” and focused on strengthening the community network
through partnership and education to provide care and support
for persons recovering from addiction. Dr Teo Ho Pin, Mayor of
North West District, was the guest of honour.
Community partners such as the Central Narcotics Bureau,
Health Promotion Board, National Council for Problem
Gambling, Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association, Credit
Counselling Singapore, WE CARE Community Services Limited,
Thrive, Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society, and Touch Community
Services put up interactive and informative booths showcasing
various programmes and services. Participants also benefited
from free talks on topics ranging from the types of addictions to
financial management.
The event acquainted residents in the north western side
of Singapore to the different types of addiction, preventive
measures and treatment as well as the various platforms to seek
help. This annual community event, which had previously been
held at south-west and south-east Singapore, is now into the
third year since it was first initiated by NAMS.
“Being closer to the ground enables the NWCDC to be a key
connector of corporate and community organisations and
volunteers, reinforcing community ties through a series of
collaborative social exchanges. We are happy to be a part of
National Addictions Awareness Day 2015, contributing to
the efforts of raising awareness, providing support and care
for persons recovering from addiction. Alone we can only do
so little. However, with these collective efforts, we can help
strengthen the social fabric and in turn, build a better home for
all,” said Dr Teo Ho Pin, Mayor of NWCDC.
At the event, NAMS launched an education arm, the Addiction
Recovery College (ARC), to provide workshops and training
for the professionals as well as the public to help them or their
loved ones better cope with stressors in life and manage their
Collaboration with Community Partners
NAMS counsellor at CCS
• To bring addiction services closer to the community,
NAMS teamed up with Credit Counselling Singapore
(CCS) in August 2015 to station a counsellor onsite at
CCS once a week to see clients who have indicated
gambling or other forms of addiction as a factor of their
financial debts. The clients see the NAMS counsellor as
well as the CCS financial counsellors on the same day.
This helps to screen and provide timely interventions to
client’s addiction behaviour, which had contributed to
their financial debts. Clients are referred back to NAMS
to further manage their addictions when necessary.
Addictions services at Bukit Batok
• NAMS initiated a partnership with Club HEAL in
September 2015 to develop community-based addictions
care in the Bukit Batok neighbourhood. Club HEAL hosts
a NAMS counsellor once a week to provide communitylevel care. The aim is to ensure easy accessibility to
addiction care for residents in the western region of
Singapore.
For courses and details about the Addiction Recovery Centre, please visit www.nams.sg
Delivering Quality Care for Patients
CLINICAL
By Ng Si Jia, Corporate Communications
IMH staff came together in September to celebrate the
annual Quality Day with the theme “We Make It Possible”.
Quality Day recognises those who have contributed
significantly to work practices that have improved customer
service or patient safety. Such events help in cultivating a
learning culture in IMH and in enhancing quality of care.
Ms Karen Wong, Director (Healthcare Sector) in the
Development Group of the Infocomm Development
Authority of Singapore was invited to share how the
healthcare industry can harness maximum value from
technologies. Certificates and prizes were also presented
to 10 teams that competed in the Quality Competition for
innovative hospital improvement projects carried out from
2014 to 2015.
Dietetics and Catering Services staff training at Tan Tock Seng
Hospital in March 2015.
One of the teams that won the gold award was from Dietetics
and Catering Services. The team revamped the central
kitchen and implemented a centralised meal portioning and
dishwashing system, which allowed these tasks to be carried
out more efficiently in one main location. Previously,
meals were sent to wards in large containers, which health
attendants and healthcare assistants in the ward portioned
and distributed to patients. The dishwashing was also done
in the wards. Due to a shortage of health attendants, nurses
often ended up with the tasks.
To improve the process, the team visited various hospitals
and nursing homes to learn from their practices and systems.
In addition, a kitchen consultant was roped in to plan the
work flow and provide advice on the type of equipment
that will be required. The kitchen revamp has resulted in
increased productivity and better patient care. With the
portioning of food and dishwashing managed in the central
kitchen, staff in the ward now have more time to care for
the patients.
Going the Extra Mile
By Christina Low, Department of Community Psychiatry
Established in 2013, ANDS is the first in Singapore to cater for
intellectually disabled people aged 19 to 64 with IQ levels of 70
or below and mental health conditions. The service is available
in IMH and the Community Wellness Clinic in Queenstown.
The ANDS team with Dr Chua Hong Choon, CEO, IMH (front
row, left) and Dr Wei Ker-Chiah, Head, ANDS (front row, second
from right).
The NHG Excellence in Action Awards were presented in
September this year to four staff and one team in IMH for
consistently displaying qualities aligned with NHG’s CARE
values of Confidence, Attentiveness, Respect and Empathy.
Receiving the team award was the Adult Neurodevelopmental
Service (ANDS).
About 40% of people with Intellectual Disability have a comorbid
psychiatric disorder, such as problem behaviours. These patients
often face greater social stigma and exclusion from both mental
health and social (disability) sectors.
A multidisciplinary team works closely together to identify the
causes of a patient’s behaviour, as they are often complex in
this group of patients, and implement care plans that address
their mental health, behavioural and habitation needs. A study
conducted by ANDS in 2014 showed that patients improved
by more than 20% in behaviour and mental state, and saw 7%
improvement in cognition and 8% in social functioning.
The team also supports caregivers and works with community
agencies through case management, consultations, outreach
and training to improve capabilities of service providers to care
for this group of patients.
“The ANDS team has always gone the extra mile to care for
our patients with developmental disabilities, who require more
coordinated care,” said Dr Wei Ker-Chiah, Chief, Department
of Community Psychiatry and Head, ANDS, IMH. “With them,
I see the best of public healthcare ethos in action, and hope we
can continue to make a big difference to the lives of this group
of patients and their caregivers.”
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
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RESEARCH
More Awareness for Mental Disorders
Needed in Singapore
By Penny Chua, Corporate Communications
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
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A two-year population-based study “Mind Matters: A Study of
Mental Health Literacy” has found that across five common
disorders – alcohol abuse, dementia, major depressive disorder
(MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia
– recognition was highest for dementia (66.3%), followed by
alcohol abuse (57.1%) and MDD (55.2%). Recognition was
poorer for OCD (28.7%) and schizophrenia (11.5%).
Mental health literacy has been described as the “knowledge
and beliefs about mental disorders which can help in their
recognition, management or prevention”. Previous studies suggest
that the general public has a poor understanding of mental
illness. They are unable to correctly identify mental disorders,
do not understand causative factors and have incorrect beliefs
about the effectiveness of treatment interventions. This failure
to recognise signs and symptoms of mental disorders leads
to delays in help-seeking or seeking help from inappropriate
sources.
The Mind Matters study examines mental health literacy and
how it correlates to the adult resident population as well as
the extent of stigma and social distancing for specific mental
disorders. Conducted by IMH’s researchers on residents aged
18-65 years in Singapore, the study found that age, gender,
ethnicity and education were among the factors associated with
recognition:
• Older age was significantly associated with poorer
recognition. Those aged 35-65 years were less likely to
recognise OCD symptoms compared to 18-34 year olds;
• Women were more likely to recognise depression and
OCD compared to men;
• Indians were less likely to be able to recognise dementia
and MDD compared to Chinese, while Malays were less
likely to recognise dementia compared to Chinese;
• Those with less education (compared to those with tertiary
education) were less likely to recognise alcohol abuse,
dementia, depression and OCD.
Principal investigator Prof Chong Siow Ann, Vice Chairman,
Medical Board (Research), IMH, said that the findings of the
study show the need for more awareness of mental illness,
especially among those with lower education and income levels
as they were less able to recognise mental disorders. They were
also more likely to view those with mental disorders as “weak,
not sick” or “unpredictable or dangerous”. “This may explain
why the treatment gaps for some of these disorders are wide as
well,” Prof Chong said. Treatment gap refers to the estimated
percentage of persons with mental illness who are not seeking
professional help.
The 2010 Singapore Mental Health Study found that while
mental illness is quite common among the Singapore population,
the treatment gap associated with common mental disorders
is significant. However, critical information such as gender,
education, religion, ethnicity, personal experience of mental
illness, and how they would impact and shape mental health
knowledge and attitudes are unknown. Also, the current state
of knowledge on the ground about mental illness is unknown
in Singapore. As such, the Mind Matters study was conducted
to help bridge this knowledge gap, guide public health policies
and formulate better educational programmes, which in turn
can encourage early treatment and narrow the treatment gap.
This study cost $1 million and was funded by the Ministry of
Health, Health Services Research Competitive Research Grant.
Other Findings from Mind Matters
On help seeking behaviour
•When asked about where someone with mental illness
should seek help from, friends and family were the most
common response for alcohol abuse (30.1%), MDD
(54.2%) and schizophrenia (21.5%) while seeking help
from a doctor or general practitioner was the most
commonly reported source for dementia (53.8%) and
OCD (26.8%).
•More than 88% of study participants said seeking
help from a psychiatrist would be helpful for someone
with a mental illness.
On stigma
•When participants were asked about their attitudes
towards those with a mental illness, 89.4% of them felt
that a person with a mental illness could get better if they
wanted to, while 62.5% said that people with a mental
illness are unpredictable. Among them, 50.8% said that a
mental illness is a sign of personal weakness.
The study assessed the recognition and beliefs pertaining to causes, treatment options and outcomes on five common
mental disorders – alcohol abuse, dementia, major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and
schizophrenia in Singapore. Here are some of the signs and symptoms of these mental disorders.
Schizophrenia
•Delusions such as paranoid ideas about being followed or watched,
and believing others are plotting to harm them.
•Hallucinations, such as hearing voices talking amongst themselves or
commanding the person to do certain things; seeing, feeling,
tasting or smelling things that are real to the person, but are not
actually there.
RESEARCH
About the Five Common Conditions
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•Lack of drive to engage in usual daily activities, such as working,
cooking or doing other household chores.
•Social withdrawal, avoiding going out or interacting with people.
Dementia
Alcohol abuse
•Memory loss specially related to recent events, messages
and names as well as asking questions repetitively.
•A strong and continuing compulsion or need to
drink, despite persistent physical or psychological
problems caused by alcohol.
•Personality and mood change.
•Impaired judgement, facing difficulties with abstract thinking
and finding the right words.
•Need to drink increasing amounts of alcohol in
order to “get high”.
•Loss of communication skills.
•Withdrawal symptoms when a person stops
drinking e.g. sweating, nausea and tremors.
•Disorientation to time and place and sometimes displaying
inappropriate behaviour.
•Loss of control of alcohol intake.
•Problems with gait, motor skills and balance.
•Unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control
alcohol use.
•Neglecting self-care and safety.
•Reduce social, occupational, or recreational
activities because of alcohol use.
•Hallucinations, paranoia, agitation or depression.
Obsessive compulsive disorder
•Recurrent intrusive and unpleasant thoughts or images known
as “obsessions”, such as irrational fear of contamination, fear of
hurting someone, distressing sexual or religious thoughts or a
need for symmetry and exactness.
•Engaging in repetitive behaviour such as checking, cleaning,
washing, counting, hoarding and mental ruminations to
“neutralise” these obsessions which are often time consuming
(usually taking more than an hour a day).
•Constant feelings of anxiety.
•Daily functioning such as school or work performance affected.
Major depressive disorder
•Sleeping difficulties and appetite problems.
•Poor concentration, feeling of hopelessness or having
suicidal thoughts.
•Constant low mood and lack of interest in life.
•Downward spiral of self-esteem.
•Overwhelming sense of sadness, guilt, and unable to control mood.
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
•Thought disorder that interferes with the normal thinking process.
The person’s speech may be difficult to follow, being disjointed or
jumbled with no apparent logical connection.
EDUCATION
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
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Sharing Mental Health Expertise
at SHBC 2015
By Penny Chua, Corporate Communications
Seven staff from IMH were recognised for their mental health
research and care improvement projects at the Singapore Health
and Biomedical Congress (SHBC) in October. Organised by the
National Healthcare Group, SHBC is the largest healthcare
and scientific congress in Singapore, where local and overseas
healthcare delegates convene to network and exchange
innovations and ideas to bring healthcare to greater heights.
One of the winning entries was “Assessment of physical health
status of long-stay patients with severe mental illness in a
tertiary care hospital” submitted by Ms Saleha Syafie from IMH’s
Research Division. This project was part of a study led by Prof
Chong Siow Ann, Vice Chairman, Medical Board (Research),
IMH, to assess the physical health status of long-stay inpatients
between the age of 25 and 90 with severe mental illness.
Conducted from July 2014 to April 2015, the study aimed to
establish the prevalence of physical illness, such as diabetes
and hypertension, the risk of osteoporosis, and frailty in longstay patients. Patients with severe mental illness typically have
shorter life expectancy of 13 to 30 years as they are known
to have higher prevalence of diabetes and high cholesterol
compared to the general population. However, proactive
monitoring and management of these conditions through
medication and lifestyle changes can help to reduce their risk
for cardiovascular diseases.
Winners with Dr Chua Hong Choon, CEO, IMH (centre)
and Adj A/Prof Sim Kang (left), Chairman, SHBC 2015
Organising Committee.
The study also indicated that there is a need to develop better
medications with fewer side effects for patients with severe
mental illness. Patients must be informed about the risks of
comorbid physical conditions and motivated to be involved in
their own care by regulating their diet and exercising to prevent
physical illnesses. To this end, IMH’s care team conducts regular
psycho education, which includes advice on good lifestyle and
behavioural habits, for both outpatients and inpatients.
A Space to Learn
By Vera Soo, Corporate Communications
to IMH for their clinical training. The Education Hub adds to
existing education infrastructure in IMH, namely the DukeNUS Secretariat Office and the Centre for Mental Health
Education, established in 2008 and 2010 respectively.
Guest-of-honour, Madam Kay Kuok, Chairman, NHG (left) at the
official opening of the Education Hub, with Clinical A/Prof Chiam
Peak Chiang, Vice Chairman, Medical Board (Education), IMH
and Dr Chua Hong Choon, CEO, IMH (right).
As the only tertiary psychiatric institution in Singapore, IMH’s
role in educating the next generation of mental healthcare
professionals is integral. Education forms one of IMH’s three
strategic thrusts, in addition to Clinical Services and Research.
Our goal is to provide quality education to support national
mental health capability-building for the future.
With this in mind, the Education Hub was officially opened
on 28 October 2015, at a ceremony graced by Madam Kay
Kuok, Chairman, National Healthcare Group. With flexible
spaces purpose-built for both didactic and interactive teambased styles of learning, locker facilities and a group study
lounge, the Education Hub was designed to enhance the
learning experience for post-graduate psychiatry residents
and medical, nursing and allied health students who come
In the last financial year, nearly 2,300 medical, nursing, and
allied health students passed through IMH’s doors for preprofessional training. These numbers are set to increase, as
students from Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine start coming
through from January 2017. As for postgraduate programmes,
77 residents are undergoing training in the psychiatric residency
programme currently.
Putting things into perspective during his opening address,
Dr Chua Hong Choon, Chief Executive Officer, IMH said, “We
cannot simply focus on our clinical services because that is
simply taking care of our patients today. Educating future mental
health professionals ensures that we take care of the patients of
tomorrow.”
Presently, some 111 IMH staff members from the medical, allied
health and nursing professionals hold teaching appointments
and/or roles with academic partners in both pre-professional
and post-graduate programmes. IMH will continue to leverage
its multidisciplinary expertise in training aspiring mental health
practitioners to enable them to deliver compassionate, highvalue, and safe patient care.
Leading By Example
A total of 34 medical, nursing and allied health staff from IMH received the NHG Teaching Excellence Award this year for their efforts
in teaching and mentoring the next generation of mental healthcare professionals as well as contributing towards the professional
development of staff. Some of the award winners share their thoughts on what it means to be an educator.
Dr Tan Bhing Leet, Head, Occupational Therapy, who
received the NHG Allied Health Senior Educators Award
“I believe knowledge, skills and a positive experience
are necessary for the next generation of mental health
professionals to grow. It provides the catalyst for them to
improve the care provided to our patients as well as external
customers.”
Mr Fredrick Varnum, Nurse Clinician, who received the
NHG Nursing Preceptors Award
“Teaching is both an honor and a commitment. Through
teaching and contact with my fellow GPs, I hope to impart
what I know, and at the same time learn from my colleagues.
I wish that through learning from each other and with our
mutual support, we will develop a team of primary care
doctors to support mental healthcare in the community.”
“Good teachers not only define and uphold the highest
standards of ethics and professionalism in mental healthcare
but they also inspire the greatest good in us as human beings.
I have noticed that staff and students who have had the good
fortune of receiving quality guidance from dedicated seniors
and teachers tend to become willing mentors themselves
subsequently to guide their juniors. This cycle of goodwill
passes on to generations to come. This is perhaps part of what
makes teaching a noble and beautiful pursuit.”
“Mental health is an integral part of healthcare. The mental
health profession has come so far over the years and we need
to maintain this by continuing to inspire future generation of
mental health professionals. Engaging in educational work
enables me to widen my circle of influence in this aspect.”
Mr Ng Boon Tat, Principal Pharmacist, who received the
NHG Education Leaders Award
Dr Xie Huiting, Nurse Educator, who received the NHG
Outstanding Nurse Teachers Award
Some of the IMH winners at the award ceremony.
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Dr Alvin Lum, Deputy Director, MH-GP Partnership
Programme, who received the NHG Outstanding
Education Partners Award
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
“The desire to teach stems from my own learning experience
of picking up a new skill and being excited about how I
can apply it to a clinical situation. Therefore, I feel a need
to create interest in learning amongst students and young
healthcare professionals. Many of them are keen to learn
new things and it is a rewarding experience to see them grow
as a practitioner. To meet the changing landscape of mental
healthcare, we have to constantly relearn and guide younger
professionals along the way. This will enable them to have a
satisfying career in mental health. At the end of the day, our
patients will benefit from better care.”
EDUCATION
By Lalitha Naidu, Corporate Communications
A Race with a Touch of Hope
UPDATES
By Fiona Foo, Corporate Communications
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
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In a joint effort to raise awareness for depression and
commemorate World Mental Health Day, IMH collaborated
with community partner TOUCH Community Services (TCS) to
make a difference through a race event on 10 October 2015.
The M.A.D. (Make A Difference) Race held on Sentosa Island
was graced by Ms Denise Phua, Mayor, Central Singapore
Community Development Council and was supported by other
mental health partners, such as the National Council of Social
Service, Silver Ribbon Singapore and the Singapore Association
for Mental Health. More than 70 IMH staff and 15 patients
participated in the race, joining nearly 700 participants to fight
stigma surrounding mental illness.
“We need more community partners to come onboard and take
a stake in ensuring the mental well-being of our population.
This run/walk is a fun and meaningful way to learn more
about common mental health conditions and destigmatise
mental illness,” said Dr Chua Hong Choon, Chief Executive
Officer, IMH.
MediaCorp actress, Ms Eelyn Kok, shared that she went through
a rough time when depression hit her a decade ago, but she
managed to pick herself up with treatment.
Participants walking with colourful umbrellas in a successful
attempt to break the Singapore Book of Records for the largest
number of mass walkers with umbrellas.
IMH Staff Reunites Dying Woman and
Long-lost Son
By Fiona Foo, Corporate Communications
Ms Chua spent almost half a year trying to track the son
by working with the medical records department. He was
found to be discharged to a social welfare home for destitute
persons and still had some challenging behaviour. Ms Chua
galvanised a team from IMH to stabilise his condition and
together with Ms Tan made arrangements to reunite the mother
and son – and Madam Yuen and her son finally met after 10
years of living apart.
For Ms Chua’s compassion and effort to help this family, she
was conferred the PS21 Star Service Award on 15 October. The
Award recognises public officers who have gone the extra mile
to provide good service to the public.
Ms Penny Chua sharing her joy of winning the award with
Dr Alex Su.
In her final days, the late 94-year-old Madam Yuen was blind,
deaf and bedridden. Her neighbour, Ms Rosy Tan, who had
taken care of her in the last 20 years was desperate to contact
Madam Yuen’s only son. Madam Yuen had lost touch with
him a decade ago when she developed dementia. Her son
was subsequently admitted to IMH for treatment and seeing
him again was the old lady’s only dying wish.
With little or no information except for the son’s misspelt
name, Ms Tan tried her luck by dropping IMH an email about
Madam Yuen’s situation. The case was picked up by Ms Penny
Chua, Assistant Director, Corporate Communications, IMH.
“As a mother, I could understand Madam Yuen’s sentiments of
wanting to know what became of her son after not knowing
for 10 years,” said Ms Chua who is a mother of three. She was
eager to help Madam Yuen.
“I’m very proud of Penny for winning this award. She has shown
us that we should always go the extra mile for our patients
as nothing is impossible if you really make the effort,” said
Dr Alex Su, Vice Chairman, Medical Board (Clinical Quality),
IMH, who nominated Ms Chua for the award and was also
involved in the reunion.
Winning Partnership
IMH’s REACH* (North) team was part of a larger community
team made up of partners Fernvale Primary School, Fernvale
Gardens School, and Grace Orchard School, who received
the PS21 Star Service Team Award. The award was presented
to Fernvale Primary School and its partners for providing
mental health care support to their students.
*REACH is a programme aimed at children and adolescents from six
to 19 years old and is led by IMH working in collaboration with the
Ministry of Education and voluntary welfare organisations.
Winning Ideas for the Old and Young
By Lalitha Naidu, Corporate Communications
“Caregivers of elderly patients have access to information, which
they may not realise is useful to doctors or may have difficulties
sharing due to language barriers,” he explained. “We wanted to
create a simple, intuitive app, where doctors can input prompts
and monitoring questions to a caregiver’s phone to gather
relevant information and obtain faster feedback. We hope that
this app, once developed, will enable doctors to provide better
care for their patients.”
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Dr Richard Goveas (third from left) and his team receive the first
prize from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs
(second from left).
Another innovative idea by IMH staff was recognised at the
Serious Games Conference 2015 in August. Dr Lambert Low,
Associate Consultant, National Addictions Management
Service, IMH, was part of Team Free Agent, which came up with
a game to promote healthy eating habits in lower primary school
kids. Titled Couching Tigers, Hidden Gluttons, it tells the story
of a medieval emperor who was found dead by his daughter
who then goes on a quest to uncover the conspiracy behind his
death. The game, which won the Health Promotion category,
teaches essential concepts related to healthy food choices and
calorie intake.
Our Journey with Exemplary Patients
and Caregivers
By Fiona Foo, Corporate Communications
A group of unsung heroes received the NHG Exemplary Patient and Caregiver Awards in September for their unwavering support
and significant contribution towards healthcare service delivery. Two outstanding mental health advocates of IMH were among
those honoured:
Brother took leap of faith when sister plunged into depression
Mr Jared Ng, 50, was a high-flying executive in a large
multinational IT firm until his sister, who had been battling
depression for 15 years, had a relapse and became suicidal in
2013. To add to Mr Ng’s woes, his elderly mum was also frail.
Mr Ng then made the difficult decision to leave his job to
look after his family full time. Determined to play the role of
a caregiver well, Mr Ng began to attend caregiving training
courses and joined caregiver support groups. Today, he gives
back to the community by providing the support that he had
once needed to other caregivers through his daily work as a
Volunteer and Administrative Manager with the Caregivers
Alliance Limited (CAL).
From manic to inspirational
Ms Mahita Vas, 53, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 11 years
ago. Ms Mahita, who often went into a manic state previously
and at one point tried to kill herself, is now an inspiration to
others. In an effort to reach out to sufferers and their loved
ones, who may be silently crying for help, Ms Mahita wrote the
book Praying to the Goddess of Mercy, which offers insight into
bipolar disorder. Ms Mahita also openly shares her experience
and opinions on various public platforms. She hopes to create
more awareness, reduce the stigma and nurture the community
to be more accepting and tolerant towards persons with mental
health issues.
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
With the theme “ageing-in-place”, the event saw healthcare
professionals, entrepreneurs, engineers, designers and
programmers work together to tackle healthcare challenges.
As elderly patients generally rely on their caregivers to convey
information to doctors, Dr Goveas and his team of four looked
at improving communication between doctors and caregivers
through technology.
UPDATES
Imagine having pertinent information such as patient’s sleep
patterns, mood changes and compliance to medication at your
fingertips for timely diagnosis and decision-making. That’s
the basis of the idea from Dr Richard Goveas, Consultant,
Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, IMH, for an app called
Caregiver. The idea won the top prize at the inaugural
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Hacking Medicine
@ SG held in July this year.
ASK THE EXPERT
Ask the Expert
- ADHD in Adults
Dr Ganesh Kunjithapatham
Consultant
Department of General Psychiatry, IMH
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
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What is adult ADHD?
Can a person with ADHD recover from this condition?
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not just
a childhood problem and some could continue to have
symptoms of ADHD as an adult. ADHD sufferers have difficulty
maintaining attention. They could have hyperactivity and could
act impulsively.
Symptoms of ADHD, in particular hyperactivity, is less seen
in adults. Difficulty maintaining attention is more common
in adults. It is likely that some of the symptoms of ADHD
do improve as a person gets older (about 10% reduction of
symptoms every decade) and with appropriate intervention and
treatment plan.
Adults with ADHD tend to have more inattention and impulsivity
leading to problems at the workplace in terms of organisational
skills, time management and their ability to hold their jobs.
Adults with ADHD may also suffer from other difficulties such as
low self-esteem and personality difficulties. They are also more
likely to suffer substance abuse problems and depression.
Can adults suddenly develop the condition?
ADHD is a developmental disorder and in most of the cases
the symptoms start before the age of 12. This can continue
into adulthood. Hence, it is unlikely for symptoms to suddenly
appear in adulthood.
What are the treatment options for adult ADHD?
Treatment for adult ADHD consists of medications, psychotherapy
and also managing other mood symptoms and self-esteem
issues. Some patients may need coaching to improve their
life skills such as organisation skills, time management and
interpersonal skills.
Coping with ADHD
ADHD sufferers tend to forget their appointments and need
some help with lifestyle management. They can make lists,
keep diaries, stick reminders and set aside some time to plan
what they need to do if they find it hard to stay organised.
Smart phones are also useful in integrating many
organisation tasks and often have the advantage that they
can be synchronised with desktop computers. These
devices can also be used as electronic reminders to help
with remembering medications and appointments.
ADHD sufferers are more prone to anger, hence they can
let off steam by exercising regularly and finding ways to
help them relax, such as listening to music or learning
relaxation techniques.
My Recipe for Recovery
MY SAY
By Ms Sumaiyah Mohamed
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
11
My name is Sumaiyah and I am 27 years old. I love to write. I
love walking. I love to volunteer my time and I love being with
my family and friends. I am a person with dreams, hopes and
aspirations. I have strengths and flaws. I am just like anyone else.
However, I faced one significant challenge in my life. When
I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and
depression. I was in university then, and I thought that I had a
bright future ahead of me. I had placed much pressure on myself
to do well for my essays and examinations and was obsessed
with my studies. In fact, there was a time when I did not sleep
for an entire week, trying to get my essay right. Slowly, I started
to lose interest in my hobbies and spending time with my friends
and family. I became worried and anxious most of the time.
My parents and friends became concerned and tried to help me.
My mother took me to a General Practitioner, who prescribed
sleeping pills. My friends tried to help me with my school work.
They were there for me. However, the idea of me developing a
mental illness was far from everyone’s mind. Things did not get better. Eventually, a friend brought me to see
a counsellor at the university who gave me a referral to see a
psychologist in a month’s time.
Unfortunately, this referral had come too late. By then it was
the end of the semester, and I had completely lost it and had
developed psychosis. My parents decided then that I had to
seek treatment immediately and I was warded in hospital
for two months, given medication and, soon after,
electroconvulsive therapy.
I recovered and took a leave of absence for one semester to rest
and get fully well before returning to university. I managed to
graduate and I am working now.
My parents and my friends played a very significant role in my
recovery. They helped me when I was down, they rationalised
with me when I had paranoid or depressive thoughts, and they
encouraged me in many ways.
I recently got married. My husband and I were introduced by a
mutual friend, who told him upfront about my history of mental
illness. As he had previously had a friend who had also suffered
from mental illness, my husband was not prejudiced against
me but instead sympathetic. Secretly, during our courtship, he
even bought a guide book on schizophrenia for family members
so that he could understand my condition better. He was very
supportive and even accompanied me during my regular checkup at the hospital. My current challenge is to adapt to married life and to be more
independent, so that my husband can lean on me, just as I lean
on him.
It has been eight years since my first episode of mental illness.
Thanks to God, I have not had a relapse since. My doctor always
reminds me that medication is important. However, other than
sticking to my medication routine, I also practise “personal
medication”. My “personal medication” is taking care of myself,
helping others, writing, seeking comfort in my faith, resting in
the knowledge that my illness does not define me, and spending
time with my loved ones.
WHAT’S ON
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015
12
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Advisor
Ting Mei See
Editor
Lalitha Naidu
Circulation Coordinator
Chris Ngiam
Committee Members
Jamilah Beevi
Fiona Foo
Penny Chua
Vera Soo
Cheong Yaun Marn
Han Bing Ling
Ng Si Jia
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