Health Check Podcast: Texting someone about your daily stressors

(Clockwise from left) Chatline client Ashley Poo, Chatline youth volunteer Sheryl Yue, ST podcast producer Eden Soh, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo and Chatline programme lead Lee Yi Ping in the studio. ST PHOTO: TEO TONG KAI

Senior Health Correspondent

Updated

Published

Jan 04, 2023, 06:00 PM

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought greater awareness to mental health. Young people, in particular, are more open to talking about their mental health, but if they need to find a listening ear for their stress after office hours or late on Saturday night, where can they find the support?

In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo finds out more about a new after-hours support service from Chat, called Chatline. She hosts three guests in the studio. They are Ms Lee Yi Ping, a Principal Case Manager at the Institute of Mental Health and the Programme Lead for Chat, Sheryl Yue, a youth volunteer at Chatline and Ashley Poo, a student who’s a Chatline client.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:06 Ms Lee on Chatline, an after-office hours peer support service aimed at youth aged 13-25; how to enrol

4:56 Ashley on getting help for mental health issues

7:32 Experiences with Chatline: How is it helpful?

11:48 Sheryl on volunteering for Chatline: Lending a helping hand

15:04 Training for Chatline volunteers; on what peer support is

Enrol for Chatline:

Self-referral form: https://form.gov.sg/63043aa508b16f0013bf7b7e

Email: chatline@mentalhealth.sg

MORE HELPLINES

Samaritans of Singapore (Hotline: 1-767; CareText: WhatsApp 9151 1767) (24-hour)

Singapore Association for Mental Health (1800 283 7019)