More people in Singapore seeking help for mental illness

As the Institute of Mental Health celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, social affairs correspondent Janice Tai looks at how it has moved away from the stereotype of a far-flung mental hospital to one which works with others, including its own patients, to spot and treat mental illnesses in the community

File photo showing a reception area at the Institute of Mental Health. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

More people are seeking help for mental conditions such as depression, alcohol abuse and obsessive compulsive disorder, and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) hopes to have more of them treated in the community.

Last year, 42,663 people went for outpatient treatment at IMH - Singapore's only tertiary psychiatric hospital. This was a 22 per cent rise from the 35,002 people seen in 2010. Inpatient admissions - about 9,000 last year - have been growing at a slower rate of less than 1 per cent each year.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on April 29, 2018, with the headline More people in Singapore seeking help for mental illness. Subscribe