25 August 2004

The dawn of the 21st century brings with it a plethora of new problems, making the mental experience of anxiety our constant companion.

We worry about the threats of terrorism and man-made disasters; contagious and unknown diseases; recession, redundancy, remaining single; remaining childless... all resulting in poorer quality of life.

A Singapore Mental Health Survey conducted in 1998 concluded that 1 out of 6 Singaporeans suffer from some form of minor psychiatric morbidity, with the majority of patients suffering from anxiety.

Currently, 9.3 per cent of Singaporeans suffer from anxiety disorders, the most common being phobia and panic disorders.

Psychiatrists believe this number is set to increase as work becomes more stressful, the workplace more competitive and relationships more complex.

Dr Ko Soo Meng, Consultant Psychiatrist at Raffles Hospital, has seen anxious wives and children visiting psychiatrists because their husbands / fathers need to travel overseas.

Explained Dr Ko: "As we go global, more and more people are seeking opportunities abroad. More people are seeking psychiatric help because they do not get to see their spouses for weeks on end. It’s the fear of the unknown, the fear of losing control of a situation that causes anxiety."

Another emerging trend amongst Singaporeans is the difficulty to form healthy relationships. Adult Singaporeans, especially women, want to get married but end up alone.

Said Dr Clarice Hong, Consultant Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist: "Many people struggle with relationships because of deep anxiety. When we counsel patients, we try to determine what triggers the anxiety in order to help them develop healthy relationships."

Excess anxiety, if not contained, can wreak havoc to the human mind and body, robbing us of our peace of mind, while at the same time evoking physical symptoms such as palpitation, headaches, breathlessness, chest pains and gastric discomfort.

There are also a sizeable number of people who are "worried well" - people who are otherwise healthy and functional but cannot seem to snap out of feeling blue or worried. These people do not qualify as a case, but are worried enough to feel unwell. They are highly tense, nervous, restless or irritable, and often have difficulties with sleep and focusing on their work.

To treat this condition, the Raffles Counselling Centre has started an Anxiety Management Programme. The programme aims to bring to light this anguish present in people who are otherwise healthy and well physically.

Professionals at the Centre use psychological instruments such as questionnaires comprising a set of queries and tests tailored to draw out the concerns and inner thoughts of each participant.

Appropriate interventions such as psychotherapy and cognitive therapy, art, music and relaxation training will be customized to complement medications to alleviate patients’ distress.

Anxiety could lead to more crippling mental disability such as Phobias, Panic Attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Depression, Psychosomatic illnesses etc. Hence early treatment could avert more serious debilitating illness.

Said Dr Lim Yun Chin, Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of the Raffles Counseling Centre: "More people are becoming aware of counselling to prevent mental debilitation. They are normal people with emotional and psychological problems who need clarity and support."

For more information, please contact:

Ms Angeline Tan
Senior Executive, Raffles Medical Group
DID: 6311 1318