Safe space and community resilience for mental health
YOU may have heard of conversations or phrases like ‘Don’t do life alone’ or ‘Life is meant to be lived in community’, and ‘Life is designed for connection’. While all of these phrases may hold true, the next question would be, ‘who do we reach out to’? In this write up, we will unpack several […]
‘Seni Kita Weekend’ hopes to highlight mental health awareness
KUCHING: HAUS KCH, in collaboration with various artists, organisations and associations, is organising the ‘Seni Kita Weekend’ at the Old Court House here to raise awareness about the importance of mental health. The two-day event — on Saturday (May 20) and Sunday (May 21) from 10am to 10pm — will feature panel discussions with professionals […]
Stigma — biggest challenge for mental patients
KUCHING: One of the biggest challenges faced by persons with mental health issues is stigma, said Dr Syarifah Hafizah Wan Kassim. The consultant psychiatrist at Sentosa Hospital said that this could be in the form of self-stigma or stigma from the public. “Persons with mental health issues or who have been diagnosed with mental health […]
Crucial to address mental health
KUCHING: Addressing mental health throughout the different stages of life is crucial to preventing mental illness from setting in. According to Dr Syarifah Hafizah Wan Kassim, consultant psychiatrist at Sentosa Hospital, during the early years of childhood and youth, education and the inculcation of values were crucial, instead of focusing solely on academic performance. “We […]
Address mental health issues among minority groups
KUCHING: The government should provide support to address the mental health challenges among minor groups living in the interior areas of Sarawak. Hope Place founder Kelvin Wan, who sometimes visited small villages in the deep rural regions in order to deliver aid, said these minor groups such as the Penans and Kayans often had a […]
Seek help, mental health patients urged
KUCHING: Many options for mental health services are available throughout Sarawak and those who may need such services should not be afraid to come forward and seek help. Dr Syarifah Hafizah Wan Kassim, consultant psychiatrist at Sentosa Hospital, said that apart from Sentosa Hospital, there were nine other major hospitals in the state which offered […]
Step-by-step process in dealing with difficult feelings
KUCHING: Difficult feelings can be dealt with in a healthy manner by undertaking a step-by-step process which starts with first noticing the feeling being experienced. Sentosa Hospital director Dr Rosliwati Md Yusoff said the next step was to name and acknowledge the feeling, followed by sitting with the feeling for a while. During this process, […]
Decriminalising suicide: Govt’s move gets the thumbs-up
KUCHING: The Mental Health Association of Sarawak (MHAS) has welcomed the move by the government to decriminalise suicide and the support to fine tune amendments to the Penal Code in this regard. “We feel that Malaysians are well aware of the tragic act and the effects of suicide toward the sufferers, families, and society. “This […]
Dialogue on mental health via Facebook Live on Oct 16
KUCHING: The Mental Health Association of Sarawak (MHAS) will hold a ‘Dialogue on Mental Health: Meeting the Needs of Greater Sarawak’ via Facebook Live on Saturday (Oct 16) at 11am. “We will also attempt to show the unique challenges of meeting mental health needs in Sarawak from a public sector perspective and an non-government organisation […]
Virtual talk on mental health tomorrow
KUCHING: Mental Health Association of Sarawak (MHAS) Kuching Branch chairman Dr Gan Chee Kuan will talk live online on ‘Mental Health Care During the Covid-19 Pandemic’ this Saturday (Aug 21). Dr Gan was invited by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng to deliver the talk during the 74th ‘ShallWEETalk’ live session […]
