4 November 2005
Feeling blue? Reach out NOW
“Treat Depression Early” Mind Your Mind Campaign 2005
With the theme “Treat Depression Early” forming the focus of Health Promotion Board’s Mind Your Mind campaign 2005, Health Promotion Board will be rolling out a series of new initiatives to encourage the public to take action against depression from 7 November 2005 .
Share-a-Story
2 Starting from 7 November 2005 onwards, HPB is inviting members of the public who had recoverced or are recovering from depression to email and share their stories on HPB’s website http://www.hpb.gov.sg. This initiative is aimed at encouraging more people to share their own success stories, as a source of encouragement to those who are also feeling 'down' to seek help early. This initiative also aims to bring about destigmatisation of depression and sufferers of depression.
3 Members of the public can email their stories to hpb_mym@hpb.gov.sg and selected stories will be edited and placed online at HPB’s website. Members of the public can choose to remain anonymous.
‘Live’ Online Counselling
4 To encourage more people with depression to reach out and to lessen the stigma associated with the condition, HPB is piloting a new online counselling via Yahoo! Messenger with Voice, a free instant messaging service which allows people to communicate instantly and spontaneously with counsellors in a secure and private channel.
5 “We are very excited with HPB’s innovative use of Yahoo! Messenger with Voice to counsel people who want to share their problems at the comfort and privacy of their own space,” said Mr Dennis Susay, Head of Marketing, Yahoo! Southeast Asia.
6 The online counselling session will take place from 15 November 2005 until 7 December 2005 , every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm .Those interested can email to hpb_mym@hpb.gov.sg for a scheduled appointment.
7 “HPB’s online counselling offers an interactive and ‘live’ option for individuals who want to share their problems but may not feel comfortable with face-to-face counselling at this point in time. It also allows the individuals more anonymity, ” said Ms Chia Siok Hoon, Acting Manager of Mind Your Mind Programme, Health Promotion Board.
Dial HealthLine for help
8 From 27 October 2005 until 30 November 2005 , Health Promotion Board will be placing a series of advertisements at bus-stop shelters to reach out to the bus commuters, drivers and pedestrians all around Singapore about the message “Treat Depression Early”. The advertisements will be placed on the twin and side panels at the bus-stops.
9 The “Depression Poles” which consists of colourful stickers advertising the HealthLine 1800-223 1313, will also be put up on the bus pillars found at the bus-stops along Rochor Road opposite the Fu Lu Shou Complex and at Sungei Road . The public can call the HealthLine for more information about depression.
10 Clear Channel Singapore Pte Ltd , a media channel agency, sponsored the extension of the twin panel ads exposure from 17 November 2005 to 23 November 2005 in support of Mind Your Mind Programme. The media agency is also sponsoring the ad exposure of the Depression Poles from 7 November 2005 to 30 November 2005 .
11 “Clear Channel is glad to support the Mind Your Mind Campaign 2005. In addition to the visuals on the twin panels, the colourful post-it stickers on the Depression Poles are meant for commuters to take away to share with people whom they know are depressive. Who knows? A stitch in time saves nine. Clear Channel is happy to help HPB achieve this call-to-action,” said Mr Telly Tan, Managing Director, Clear Channel Singapore Pte Ltd.
12 “With all these initiatives, we hope to raise awareness that depression is a medical condition that is treatable. As depression is not a sign of personal weakness, we encourage people to seek help early.” said Ms Chia Siok Hoon, Acting Manager of Mind Your Mind Programme, Health Promotion Board.
13 Please refer to the Annex 1 for more information about the initiatives and Annex 2 for visuals of the ads at the bus-stop shelters.
Brief Background Information on Depression
14 According to a survey conducted by the Health Promotion Board in 2002, one in four Singaporeans thought that people with depression have only themselves to blame for their condition. The same survey also showed that two out of three felt that people with depression could use their personal willpower to pull themselves together if they wanted to.
15 Members of the public can log on to http://www.hpb.gov.sg or call HealthLine at 1800-223 1313 for more information on depression. They can also call 1800-283 7019 for counselling by the Singapore Association for Mental Health.
Health Promotion Board
4 November 2005