Letter of the week: Parents can do more to support young people’s mental health

Mental health issues among the young have been on the rise (

Depression, anxiety, stress: 1 in 3 youth in S’pore reported very poor mental health, says IMH survey

, Sept 19). 

As a young person, I feel the pressures of today’s world. We live in an era vastly different from the one our parents grew up in. Social media plays a massive role in shaping how we see ourselves and others. We often compare ourselves with the “perfect” lives we see online, and feel inadequate as a result.

Include the academic expectations and social norms that we try to fit into, and it is no surprise that many of us struggle to cope. 

What saddens me the most is that when those struggling with mental health problems finally reach out for help, their feelings are often dismissed or trivialised.

If we wouldn’t ignore someone suffering from a high fever, why would we turn a blind eye to someone battling depression or anxiety? Mental health is just as important as physical health.

A young person’s first point of contact is his or her family members. Hence, parents need to start normalising mental health conversations at home, take the initiative to understand their child’s struggles, and model healthy coping mechanisms.

It is time to move past comments like “your struggles are nothing compared with what I faced back in the day”, and recognise that every child’s experiences and feelings are valid.

Young people themselves also have a part to play. We can look out for one another by noticing signs of distress in our friends and being a companion to those in need. 

Even if we are not psychiatrists or therapists, we can all pause for a second and listen without judgment. That way, we can form a strong support network for those struggling with mental health issues. 

Michelle Chen Kaixuan