They are more than a decade younger, but three times more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and five times more likely to spend their company benefits on therapy.
Dr Eric Andrew Finkelstein, who led the study, said evidence shows that youth suffering from depression are more likely to continue to do so in adulthood. Among those aged 10 to 29, suicides took away a third of the lives lost in 2022, making it the biggest killer. Similar to the October 2023 study, responses among those aged 40 to 49 surveyed were more mixed and hence were not used for the comparison.
Ms Anthea Ong, founder of WorkWell Leaders , a charity encouraging leaders to champion mental well-being, said: “For the first time, we have a whole generation entering the workforce with a bleaker outlook on virtually all metrics for happiness.” To make support more accessible, the Government aims to have 32 polyclinics and 1,350 Healthier SG general practitioner clinics offer mental health services by 2030.But cultural beliefs, reinforced by narratives of success and hustle, deter many from reaching out, said Mr Lim.
Does it miss the point that if bosses provide reasonable working hours and demands, and a positive culture, there would be no need for therapy benefits in the first place? “But if we acknowledge that mental and physical health are on an equal footing, then we should be covered for mental health treatment whatever the circumstances, the same way we can be covered for seeking treatment for a flu.”
While six to over seven in 10 chief executives say they have done well in implementing mental health help at the workplace, only three to four in 10 employees say so, she added, citing research.Who is counting the cost to businesses? It does not mean tolerating low performance, she said. “Instead, it enables open communication to perhaps unveil underlying concerns and pave the way for reasonable accommodations.”
But any HR team can identify and mitigate stressors such as workloads and deadlines, interpersonal conflicts and lack of work-life harmony as part of its basic tool kit. Mr Raymond Ng, chief executive of Cigna Healthcare for Singapore and Australia, said: “AI has been shown to be able to analyse extensive data sets, including medical data, claims data, and data from wearable devices to identify subtle cues for proactive intervention.”Mental health a national priority, says DPM Wong; 28,000 more to be trained to help in community
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