The Usual Place Podcast
Suicide deaths for Singapore’s 30-somethings are up 50%, what’s happening?
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Millennials are the generation that changed the conversation around mental health. They normalised mental health talk, encouraged self-care and made going to therapy less taboo.
Millennials are the generation that changed the conversation around mental health. They normalised mental health talk, encouraged self-care and made going to therapy less taboo.
So what caused the 50 per cent jump in suicide deaths among adults in their 30s in 2024?
Recently released data from the annual report on registration of births and deaths by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority showed there were 441 suicide deaths in Singapore in 2024.
Suicide among adults aged between 30 and 39 increased from 66 cases in 2023 to 99 in 2024.
Helplines
Mental well-being
National Mindline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp)
Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)
The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm)
Tinkle Friend (for primary school-age children): 1800-2744-788
Mindfull Community HQ (for caregivers, families and persons in recovery): 6460-4400 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm)
Counselling
Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366
We Care Community Services: 3165-8017
Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293
Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990
Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180
Online resources
carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)
In this episode, I speak with Dr Jared Ng, a psychiatrist and medical director at Connections MindHealth, and Anthea Ong, co-lead for a white paper for national suicide prevention strategy Project Hayat, about what’s affecting this group.
We also talk about why men are still reluctant to seek help, and whether AI chatbots are valid sources of mental health support.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:28 Why did millennial suicide deaths spike by 50 per cent in a year?
6:14 “I failed at something.” vs “I’m a failure.”
11:08 The challenges of living in a pressure-cooker society
13:23 The “treatment gap” problem
16:48 Do you feel safe in your workplace?
20:38 Why staff don’t trust Employee Assistance Programmes
25:13 The gender paradox about suicide
29:53 Why do men stay suicidal
34:32 Where AI chatbots can help, and where they don’t
39:57 Struggling isn’t the same as being suicidal
41:30 Not all helpline callers are in distress
Watch the Norwich City FC video Jared talked about here: https://str.sg/hWK4
Watch the previous TUP episode on how to help someone having suicidal thoughts: https://str.sg/3KHRV
Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Eden Soh and Natasha Liew
Executive producer: Danson Cheong
Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law and Zachary Lim
Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX
Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P
YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast
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