Don't neglect mental disease

Mental illness can strike anyone. It knows no age limit, economic status, race or religion. Mental disorders vary from mild, temporary stress-related disorders to severe and prolonged disorders. About 16 % of the people in Singapore suffer from minor mental disorders.

Mental illness is not a single disease but consists of many different types of diseases. It includes many kinds of mental and emotional disorders that differ in causes, symptoms and treatment. The disease causes mild to severe disturbances in thinking, feeling and behaviour resulting in an inability to cope with life's ordinary demands and routine.

Mental illness can be divided into 2 main groups:
Psychotic illness (major mental illness)
e.g. schizophrenia, manic depressive psychosis and delusional disorder.
People with psychotic illness lose touch with reality and perceive the world differently from others. They may develop delusions i.e. false beliefs of grandeur and persecution and experience hallucinations. They may see, hear, smell, taste and feel things, which are not there. They may be depressed or elated out of proportion to their life circumstances

Non-psychotic illness (minor mental illness)
e.g. anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorder.

The symptoms of the non-psychotic illness are exaggerated forms of normal types of behaviour and feelings. People with non-psychotic illness may feel uncontrollable anxiety, tension, fear and depression. These feelings can cause


Some of the signs and symptoms of mental illness include:

1. confused and unrealistic thinking
2. talking to himself or herself, laughs or cries without good reason
3. talking rapidly and non-stop, jumping from one topic to another
4. prolonged sadness and irritability
5. feelings of extreme highs and lows
6. excessive fears, worries and anxieties
7. social withdrawal
8. dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
9. strong feelings of anger
10. delusions or hallucinations
11. inability to cope with daily activities
12. suicidal thoughts
13. numerous unexplained physical complaints
14. denial of obvious problems

Mental illness, like many physical illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, cannot be cured but can be treated. Proper care and treatment can reduce and relieve symptoms of mental illness resulting in resumption of normal activities.

The treatment for mental illness usually involved a combination of Medication such as antipsychotics and antidepressants and Counselling or psychotherapy


CGH's Division of Psychological Medicine offers comprehensive psychiatric services. If you wish to book an appointment for psychiatric consultation, please contact their Appointment Centre