The reason teenagers have more mentaI iIIness today is because instead of going out into the worId and carving out a pIace for themseIves as they had done in the past, they are now kept Iocked up in cages under constant surveiIIance, cut off from the world without a voice. At around age 12/13 is when the drive to self-actualize starts kicking into overdrive. The innate human desire for freedom and independence naturaIIy manifest as rebeIIiousness. AII caged animaIs react this way. Independence is undesirabIe in a corporate economy, so this behavior is derided and written off as immature “teen angst” whiIe chiIdish compIiance and obedience are rewarded and upheId as signs of maturity. EventuaIIy, caged animaIs give up and become resigned to their fate, and we are no different. Except, in our case, we are made to beIieve that this is a good thing. We are aII soId the Iie that giving up on our “chiIdish” hopes and dreams and accepting mediocrity means we are “growing up,” and the saddest part is that we beIieve it.
Very true. This education system, the constant competition for perfection, and parental judgement all drive mental health into the ground. I've had friends call me, breaking down, wanting to end their lives just so they could leave their pain behind. It's terrible.
To solve the issue need to tackle the root cause their parents' parenting skill! Toxic asian parenting skill, neglect, self centered, unwilling to apologize, unwilling to learn parenting, kiasu, demand in return, etc lead to mental issue children.
I do not see any less mental issues in young adults brought up with european/western parenting. I think it is better to keep an open mind in our approach to understand the complexity of mental health rather than dishing out a bashing statement.
@@beyondthehoop You are right Asian parenting instills discipline, Western parenting allows too much freedom so they get distracted with toxic social media and dr-ugs. Asian parenting has always been superior and the result shows.
Yes JC was actually one of the worse periods of my life as well my mental health was at the lowest of the low, and even though my cries for help were quite obvious (declining physical health, worsening mood, dreading to go to school or just needing that 1/2 days of break), my parents were still adamant I go to school. I actually made it to one of the top JCs here, but I think the pressure from non-stop studying during O levels left me very burnt out. Parents should understand that when their child doesn't want to go to school and wants to rest at home for 1/2 days, it doesn't mean they're lazy or being "weak". Sometimes we just really need that break. I had anxiety attacks throughout the first year during June break and depression throughout my 2 years but my parents didn't understand and thought they would make me "spoilt" if I just stopped going to school. I actually had to get an MC myself when i was really at my wits end and just skipped school lol.
The education system made us like this. Students are stressed from primary school all the way to university due to school pressure, competitive studies, and high expectations from parents. We need to focus on appreciating the beauty of life instead of constant work, work, work; study, study, study. Not to mention other pressures like social media and comparison. Not just children and teenagers mind you, even adults I know in the workforce are forced by their companies to STUDY even on weekends as part of "upgrading". There's practically no time for them to unwind during the weekends. Thanks to who? Thanks to our top leaders who keep pushing lifelong learning. Lifelong learning is good, but companies are taking it to the level of mandatory studying which is not enjoyable learning at all and adding more stress. Edit: I think our natural environment also has a part to play.. sadly we can't control being in a concrete jungle with the constant hustle and bustle. If one is overseas, perhaps there are spaces in nature to unwind, destress, and take time off our screens to engage with the natural environment.
You think you can survive in today's world without life-long learning? It is not just in Singapore. It is everywhere, in every country, all over the world. If you don't keep up with the trend, you get out. And you fall to poverty if you don't have enough money by then. This is not just in Singapore
@@yivunqp963 and you think just because other countries have this, it doesn't hurt mental health? Just because other people do it doesn't mean it's right.
@@ZoellaFischerVA oh yes. Just know that you will be hurt EVERYWHERE you go. Blaming Singapore won't solve your problem. FYI, you can choose not to join the rat race, but you cannot expect the world to slow down for you because you cannot keep up.
Thank you @CNA for producing such a high-quality and warm documentary re: children and youth mental health. As a paediatric psychologist it is so heartwarming to see these brave and young person stepping out to talk about their challenges and how they work through them. Let's not forget that it is not only about population group (e.g. generations) when it comes to mental health, the number of older population who are currently expressing their mental health issues through drug abuse, alcohol, and emotional abuse deserves attention too. The work of educational and developmental psychologists revolves around not just treatment but prevention - thus a very important scope to look at in the future years. Keep the channel going!
Do parents watch this, though? A lot of parents brush mental health under the rug until it's too late. I've suffered emotional and mental abuse from my parents and I still have to act like everything is okay, because there isn't an alternate option for me, and because they didn't know and they refuse to accept that what they did back then was abusing me.
I have experience with adults who care and support mental health in children and those who dont. From my experience and observations, adults who show concern to kids are themselves emotionally mature and secure - they have the capacity to lend a listening ear and advice. Those who dont, they themselves are emotionally immature and probably have inner issues that they subconsciously are battling themselves. Based on my experience, these adults have too much ego, are narcissistic, are insecure about their own achievements, and are unable to deal with complex emotions themselves. It is not that they dont want to help, these adults themselves already cannot cope with their own complex emotional problems. Some parents need to go through training to deal with mental health issues in their own kids and to make them first be able to empathise with and help people with mental health issues by solving their own inner problems first.
@@wassup139 Lovely. Nothing you've said above is foreign to me, because I've told my parents such things countless times in various different ways before, but to no avail. I suppose the last plausible course of action is to just move out and considering cutting them off.
Let our kids to have a break. If your kids says they dont want to go to school let them occasionally. Parents just sending kids to do activities so they dont need to deal with them. Sad, if you are not ready to have kids please dont have them its not fair.
If you dont believe your children and dont listen to their concerns who else they should go to...most parents just selfish, they have children to look good on social media. Having children is a privilege, you must be able to afford it mentally, physically and financially. Otherwise whats the point?
My niece(17) is highly depressed and doesn’t get enough support from her parents. I’m a cool aunt in her mind so she called me sometimes but the things she said actually scare me. I’m feeling not qualified to talk to her since sometime she mentioned something like wanting to disappear so she doesn’t take away world resources. When I tried to encourage her she’s just keep going down to the dark path but I don’t want to stop talking to her since I’m worried she will feel like she doesn’t have anyone.
hey girlie! as someone with mental issues with experience supporting others with mental issues, if you're looking for advice, I may be able to offer? 1. encourage her to talk to a school counselor/therapist. it's a good thing that she can rely on you, but sometimes we're simply untrained with some of the issues they go through, especially if it's on the severe side. talking with a counselor doesn't have to be revealing the big traumas or problems in your life; my friends used it as a way of just talking about their day (I was pretty happy because my teacher said nice things about me today, etc etc). Reassure them that you referring them to a counselor isn't you cutting off your relationship with them, but that you simply don't always feel equipped to deal with some of the things they say, but will still be there to listen to them. You just want to see them become happy with themselves but you're not sure if you go about it in a way beneficial for them. 2. allow her to challenge some of her own ideas about self-worth and life. I know the "disappearing because I'm a waste of resources" feeling very well too, and I think it made a huge difference in my mental health when I started "talking back" to those feelings: "what, just because I haven't really found my passion in life or giving to others 24/7 means I should die? isn't this what a school bully would say? big talk for a voice in my head that does nothing but complain." something like that. I think it's a good thing to understand our limits as people who care about others' mental health, because second-hand trauma is very much real, and we can't hope to help others if we ourselves are already sinking. I hope whatever issues she has works out for good, good luck to both of you! :)
@@skcvy8167 school counsellors don't work in my opinion, the niece will just ask the sch counsellor to not tell the parents and they'll do the exact opposite of what she asked :( a therapist from outside school might work though
@@yukilynx3526 mmm but I think if the issues are severe enough (eg. suicide ideation), most medical professionals have to inform their parents especially if they're minors. Also, outside counsellors usually cost quite a bit (in the hundreds), which would be hard to explain to parents. I think asking the counselor (school or outside) at what point will they need to tell parents would be best before anything. The lack of 100% transparency sucks but that's how the system is sometimes
@@skcvy8167 Thank you for your advice! I will try! My worry is she study at my old school so I’m quite sure the school counselor doesn’t know or care about mental health. I start thinking we or even teenagers themselves acknowledge too much problems with the world and they are stressing. My country is under political climate and the pandemic makes everything worse. 😞
@@yothiga sorry for the late reply!! Hopefully the counselor is ok, if not I think you can try looking for free/cheaper youth counseling services in her area (there may be some non-profits I think). Good luck with everything mate, take care of yourself too!
Excellent documentary. 👍🏾 Side note: Gen-Z is the most gaslit generation; time will reveal this to be true. Passing judgement on them without empathising and actually accepting that (be it good or bad ) they are the sum of what they've inherited, will be the our undoing globally. Yours truly, Early 80s Millennial.
I’m a gen Z, it’s true that I used to experience this. I’m very lucky to have been removed from a toxic environment but still suffer from the after affects.
Especially when you realized all those "misinformation" and "disinformation" turns out to be true and valid. It creates a deep sense of disorientation.
Thank you and please continue to highlight and create awareness on mental health issues so that one day there will be greater understanding and least of a stigma.
Let's be honest though brother, most adults don't really care about our mental health and don't take us seriously, we have to help eachother in solidarity more than anything.
Children can and will suffer if either one or both parents are high on the narcissistic spectrum including machiavellianism, and psychopathy knows as the dark triad. They prey on and manipulate their victims even their own in the name of love. Children can suffer from PTSD resulting from poor parenting especially emotionally immature parents. Its both nature (Genes) and nurture (environment). A psychopath and sociopath will never see any wrong with their behavior and actions, therefore will no seek therapies or treatment unless say an court order.
Parents need to know how their actions can deeply scar a child. As a young child, i was locked outside of the house and left crying and scared, hit on the head with a remote over math sums, knelt long hours in front of the alter, canned. My mum is a nice person, just don't know how to parent as she had bad experiences herself. All these affected my growth and sense of self worth and as an adult, i do blame these experiences for screwing me up mentally and emotionally.
I'm mentally unwell myself and coming from an uneducated yet strict Asian background, I hope to be a successful psychologist someday to not only help my mental health but also others' who are like me as well.
me too! i strive to become a forensic psychologist because of my interest in psychology. i hope that when i do end up in civil cases where i speak on the behalf of a child, i’ll be able to communicate what they want and feel so that they won’t ever feel stuck or trapped like i have with my parent’s marital issues.
All parents should watch this. To those who are still in denial about your kid's mental condition, your ignorance on mental health will only do them harm in the long run. Seek help early. Reaching out for one is a form of courage, not shame.
... I stopped caring honestly... There was the time I did care but the results just the same... Dad stressing mum out, mum getting stressed, us getting the meltdown... Nothing changed. By the time I learned of Dad's cheating (that lasted on & off for my whole 18 years of my life), lets just say my focus & memory skills deteriorated due to me constantly escaping to Wattpad & novels... Even made me fear of what is to become of me when I reached my parent's age when they had me... If I'll end up just the same as them...
I am not a parent and do not plan to be (I'm 34) because I am not equipped to be one with grace, patience, resilience and ability to listen and observe. However I've observed parents , and as long as they provide basic needs, to them that child should be fine. No emotional,physical or mental support is given especially in most societies.
I'm part of this generation, I'm 25, when I'm small, when I'm not doing well, I will be canned, even my hand is put in fridge door and bang, they make my finger hurt. But I still coup it today, I still not care much because everyday even I think to die, I just need to coup, because life is life, no one want to care about you, even your parent, they have their own problem. So go forward..
I sort of understood what you tried to say, and I feel that it is terrifying. Hope you're okay :) Thankfully, my parents never did that. Yes, we're Asian. I love my parents.
Back in our parent's time, people have to deal with war and hardship, famine and starvations . Yet they manage to press on in the means of survival. In today's world people can't even take an exam or yell at without breaking down and cry. Younger generation need to be taught better to be more responsible and resilient. There are always highs and lows in life and this is NORMAL. We need to be taught on how to deal with the low moments and hardship in life.
This was extremely difficult to watch even though I am not Gen Z. I am sure previous generations went through the similar issues but had no option but forced to deal with those issues without any caring support infrastructure being in place. This open and frank discussion afforded to today's young is a necessity which previous generations did not enjoy. CNA is truly a remarkable channel in dealing with social issues, both good and bad with honesty, objectivity and without bias.
These kids should take a break from social media. The pressure of keeping up and what others are doing while they're not getting attention or recognition, can be affecting them unnecessarily. Remember, not all kids feel this way. This video should have also done a comparative study of how the others are handling mental health positively. Some need to be educated at how to handle emotional and psychological pressures. That girl who was sexually harassed, then the parents didn't support her..."maybe he touched you coz you're pretty..." The father is sick! I can't believe this is happening 😳
Zoe's story made me sad. Caned till you peed yourself and wondering when it will stop. A mother figure turned 'torturer'. I bet she felt unsafe and alone and helpless. It will affect the power she feels she has in controlling anything. Edit: When I said the above, I haven't seen her story of being molested. Affirmed what I thought. What's worse is that her parents put other people's future over her distress. It will imprint on her that she has no power over anything when even people she thought would protect her did nothing. For all young people, know YOUR boundaries, and ENFORCE THAT BOUNDARY. Fighting for yourself will build your self esteem.
I showed symptoms of depression starting from 15 y/o. I'm now 29, still suffering. I think people are overestimating the role that COVID-19 lockdowns play in mental health. It's the pressure to excel (and the uncertainty of a good future) that kills people.
as a youth in Singapore, it's unfortunate that I already have 12 friends who passed from suicide, it seems every year I lose a friend or two. And they are from all walks of life, though majority identify as queer. This year, in May 2022, I'm attending my 3rd funeral, just last week, gone at 28
When I feel like this, I read the Little Prince, especially chapter 21🥰 Do you like cats? Their belly is sooo fluffy and healing You can always keep your inner child! But yes, sometimes, reality and the system is very harsh. It happened to me and I thought of suicide. Thanks goodness I'm in a better place now. I wish you a lovely day~ Rain! And, Rain, by the way, we don't wanna be like those bittered grown-ups. We know better and will do better.
It isn't but i can see why it happened for you Likely, it wasn't all your fault. We live in a society that tends to tell us that our best isn't enough, and that is very disheartening Consider therapy. I can also assure you that you can gain back those hopes and dreams one day.
SG too much a high pressure cooker from all the competitions. From schooling to career, chasing money just to survive. People is drowning under pressure… parents reflecting unto kids and vice versa. A very unhealthy cycle.
Not only youth. As an adult ,I hv the thought of commit suicide too. I have to work from 9am-2am 7 days a week in financial institutions.i believe i am not the only 1 hv this thought. May be authorities really need to look into what have happened to the country
maybe parents should be nicer to their children and stop shouting at them. not exactly setting a good role model when you treat your kid even worse than your boss or colleagues.
I feel they should blur their identities. The sad reality is -people are still judged for mental health is the workplace, esp in a corporate setting. Not sure if they would regret going public in the future
My nephew whom I stay with has depression issue, says he sees ghosts leading to frequent insomnia - now Sec 2, started from P5 (4 years already), initially triggered by stress in school (hates school & hates classmates). We provide for the kids (boy + his younger brother), we're not rich but not poor, the boys turn on aircon in their room every night, each boy has their own PC and handphone. We (parents + me, aunt) do NOT set any expectations for their school results at all - they play PC games from the hour they wake up to their bedtime, often late hours and past midnight on weekends. The parents allow them to do that, which has led to PC games addiction to the extent that the Sec 2 boy hates going to school, breaks down & cries in school, school sends boy home. Boy has missed many days in school cos he doesn't want to go to school. Poor results. We NEVER say anything when the boys fail, not a negative word, no punishment, so I don't understand where his stress comes from. Fail, fail lor - they continue to play games. The boy is very normal when at home & when playing games - laughing & talking loudly (happiest when playing games) - when going to school, depressed. Refuses many times to wake up for school. Boy has gone to see psychologist/counsellor for 1 to 2 years already but refuse to communicate - psychologist can't say what's wrong with him anyway. To me, I don't understand - I think he's just plain lazy, can play game every day, who wants to go to school. But I don't say a word cos I'm not trained in psychology / counselling, anything negative I say may trigger him. So currently the only way for boy not to be depressed is playing games every waking minute. Consequence? He won't get good educational qualification & cannot support himself in future..... dunno what his future will hold, but it doesn't look good.
Have to control them and give them a future at least. Let him play but also enjoy life. Make sure he goes to school. Get him off PC and really exercise, go out, etc... Then slowly ease him into going to school. At least an education for him
From what i can see since the first part....Seeing ghosts is a made up story, when you feel stressed...your brain is already overworked and is not going to be forming shapes out of nothing to continue and add up the load. There is a real possibility he has been playing you and his antics of not wanting to go to school since he maybe have realised that he can just play games all day...Not going to assume tho, since some people do it to relieve stress. My advice is to show him pictures of his future if he continues down this path (show him that he will not have a house, food to put on the table or even a comfortable life), if it does not work....Seems like only when he reaches NS will he realise what he really needs to change.
I think, for your comment, that you are wondering why your nephew is depressed because his parents and you are not stressing him. I do think that his depression stemmed from him thinking that he didn't have any belongings in the family and friends. He probably thinks that his worth comes from his school results and he is not able to excel in it. So he did exactly what a depressed person would do, he isolated himself from his family and friends and numbed his pain by playing video games
To ur boy playing games is sort of a way to escape from depressing thoughts. If your boy is struggling in school, he will definitely compare to his classmates who are doing better than him. This lack of self confidence can really destroy his love for learning and motivation to study. It’s a much easier way to numb the pain of feeling that he’s failing in all aspects of his life by playing games.
Really appreciate this series! Couldn’t emphasise how much mental health is understood amongst Asian parents :”) sometimes it may be hard dealing with it alone but it’s way better than letting your parents know and getting into even bigger problems and issues. Really hope that things do get better, am still feeling very uncertain and insecure about my journey but I hope that I can recover from this 7 year long struggles too :/ 🥹
Very helpful documentary, just a question (to maybe the producers?) for my own learning... so what happened to the older Gens (maybe Gen X and older?) , as they went through hard environments as well during their youth (maybe worse? as there were not much awareness) and their prefrontal lobes at that time aren't developed as well... how did those Gens turn out(any stats?), as it seems that the older generations did turn out tougher and could suck it up more and supposedly more "resilient"?... if this "worked" for the older Gens...why not so for the current youth gens? what are we missing here? just a learning enquiry hope you don't mind :) btw i am Gen X here haa.
my dad: mental health is very important, especially in the youth also my dad: *criticises my sister's artwork, says she wont make it and causes her to cry* omg strawberry generation 🙄🙄
Anybody with medical knowledge/ depression history can help me? ive recently been diagnosed with mild depression. Quite shocking when i first heard that. However, after reading up I don't think i actually have mild depression. Low mood, but not that that extend. How do I go about de-diagnosing it. Will it affect my insurance etc. Do I have to declare it?
Sadly in the adult world when you grow up later … there are so much more to deal with eg office politics, nasty bosses, rude customers, cheating relationships, failed investments just to name a few….
It_is-Because_of_explosion_in_muslim_population Apprx May 21, 2017 - News Papers in Pakistan reported 80 million Pakistanis were suffering from physiological, neurotic disorder which results in spiritual, physical, mental and emotional illnesses this is common problem among muslims due to marrying own sisters/ cousins.
hi! i found you by searching mental health. may is national mental health awareness month. would you be interested in doing a collab with me on that topic?
10:39 She didn't explain why this gen is so different from us, the millennials. It seems they are much mellow and in constant need of help. They also claimed that everywhere they go is a toxic and stressful environment. 😅
What makes you so sure “your generation” don’t have any mental health issues? Just because gen z dares to seek help doesn’t mean they are weak. I’ve seen so many boomers and millennials who have signs of mental health problems but are unwilling to find a professional due to stigma.
Sucking it up doesn’t work, I’ve been trying to suck it up since I was 9 and it only got worse down the line. Same for a lot of people who struggle with mental health issues
every generation has its challenges. can gen z say their challenges and life is harder than previous 2-3 generations? maybe life is too good thats why every failure they cannot take. as the saying goes good times create weak men
it’s not that life is too good now, only that now mental health awareness is being more talked about these days, and more brave people coming on media to share it publicly. previous generations just have to be medicated to cope with their issues
Boomers and Gen X will really call the post-war economic boom they lived in "harder", then proceed to call us weak for not being able to fully cope in the socioeconomic mess that *they* created 🙄
Why wouldnt you want to create a life that's easier for the next generation ? It baffles me that people still like to use the "trauma olympics " as a means to invalidate genuine concerns .
those involved in football are more mentallty tough cause we go through the full emotions of losing, winning, etc... and physically too we get tackled, knocked down, no point in bitching, we get up and move on. football teaches those involved to be mentally strong.
@@Andywritzlol it’s not true, all other generations are as sensitive. Only gen z is willing to take the next step and seek help for their mental health. The rest of the generation who rarely take care of their mental health have several unresolved trauma and issues that either lead to difficult personalities for others to deal with or may even have undiagnosed mental illness themselves. All these “toxic bosses” and “crazy mother-in-law” personalities are mostly triggered from their childhood memories and pain, it really destroys relationships around them. Just because it doesn’t affect you means it is not happening to someone else.
The reason teenagers have more mentaI iIIness today is because instead of going out into the worId and carving out a pIace for themseIves as they had done in the past, they are now kept Iocked up in cages under constant surveiIIance, cut off from the world without a voice. At around age 12/13 is when the drive to self-actualize starts kicking into overdrive. The innate human desire for freedom and independence naturaIIy manifest as rebeIIiousness.
AII caged animaIs react this way. Independence is undesirabIe in a corporate economy, so this behavior is derided and written off as immature “teen angst” whiIe chiIdish compIiance and obedience are rewarded and upheId as signs of maturity. EventuaIIy, caged animaIs give up and become resigned to their fate, and we are no different. Except, in our case, we are made to beIieve that this is a good thing. We are aII soId the Iie that giving up on our “chiIdish” hopes and dreams and accepting mediocrity means we are “growing up,” and the saddest part is that we beIieve it.
Very true. This education system, the constant competition for perfection, and parental judgement all drive mental health into the ground. I've had friends call me, breaking down, wanting to end their lives just so they could leave their pain behind. It's terrible.
Lies again? Like Crazy
To solve the issue need to tackle the root cause their parents' parenting skill! Toxic asian parenting skill, neglect, self centered, unwilling to apologize, unwilling to learn parenting, kiasu, demand in return, etc lead to mental issue children.
100%
I do not see any less mental issues in young adults brought up with european/western parenting.
I think it is better to keep an open mind in our approach to understand the complexity of mental health rather than dishing out a bashing statement.
@@beyondthehoop butifyou google it it's shown that Most Scandinavian countries are among the happiest countries in the world. While japan..
@@beyondthehoop You are right Asian parenting instills discipline, Western parenting allows too much freedom so they get distracted with toxic social media and dr-ugs. Asian parenting has always been superior and the result shows.
@@zerohero5753 that's not even what I meant. Lol.
Yes JC was actually one of the worse periods of my life as well my mental health was at the lowest of the low, and even though my cries for help were quite obvious (declining physical health, worsening mood, dreading to go to school or just needing that 1/2 days of break), my parents were still adamant I go to school. I actually made it to one of the top JCs here, but I think the pressure from non-stop studying during O levels left me very burnt out.
Parents should understand that when their child doesn't want to go to school and wants to rest at home for 1/2 days, it doesn't mean they're lazy or being "weak". Sometimes we just really need that break. I had anxiety attacks throughout the first year during June break and depression throughout my 2 years but my parents didn't understand and thought they would make me "spoilt" if I just stopped going to school. I actually had to get an MC myself when i was really at my wits end and just skipped school lol.
The education system made us like this. Students are stressed from primary school all the way to university due to school pressure, competitive studies, and high expectations from parents. We need to focus on appreciating the beauty of life instead of constant work, work, work; study, study, study. Not to mention other pressures like social media and comparison.
Not just children and teenagers mind you, even adults I know in the workforce are forced by their companies to STUDY even on weekends as part of "upgrading". There's practically no time for them to unwind during the weekends. Thanks to who? Thanks to our top leaders who keep pushing lifelong learning. Lifelong learning is good, but companies are taking it to the level of mandatory studying which is not enjoyable learning at all and adding more stress.
Edit: I think our natural environment also has a part to play.. sadly we can't control being in a concrete jungle with the constant hustle and bustle. If one is overseas, perhaps there are spaces in nature to unwind, destress, and take time off our screens to engage with the natural environment.
Want a higher role? study lor...
nothing come ez de
Companies will have problems sourcing for talents in the future cause talents like them will be self entrepreneurs n avoid the corporate rat race
You think you can survive in today's world without life-long learning? It is not just in Singapore. It is everywhere, in every country, all over the world. If you don't keep up with the trend, you get out. And you fall to poverty if you don't have enough money by then. This is not just in Singapore
@@yivunqp963 and you think just because other countries have this, it doesn't hurt mental health? Just because other people do it doesn't mean it's right.
@@ZoellaFischerVA oh yes. Just know that you will be hurt EVERYWHERE you go. Blaming Singapore won't solve your problem. FYI, you can choose not to join the rat race, but you cannot expect the world to slow down for you because you cannot keep up.
Thank you @CNA for producing such a high-quality and warm documentary re: children and youth mental health. As a paediatric psychologist it is so heartwarming to see these brave and young person stepping out to talk about their challenges and how they work through them. Let's not forget that it is not only about population group (e.g. generations) when it comes to mental health, the number of older population who are currently expressing their mental health issues through drug abuse, alcohol, and emotional abuse deserves attention too. The work of educational and developmental psychologists revolves around not just treatment but prevention - thus a very important scope to look at in the future years.
Keep the channel going!
Do parents watch this, though? A lot of parents brush mental health under the rug until it's too late. I've suffered emotional and mental abuse from my parents and I still have to act like everything is okay, because there isn't an alternate option for me, and because they didn't know and they refuse to accept that what they did back then was abusing me.
I have experience with adults who care and support mental health in children and those who dont. From my experience and observations, adults who show concern to kids are themselves emotionally mature and secure - they have the capacity to lend a listening ear and advice. Those who dont, they themselves are emotionally immature and probably have inner issues that they subconsciously are battling themselves. Based on my experience, these adults have too much ego, are narcissistic, are insecure about their own achievements, and are unable to deal with complex emotions themselves. It is not that they dont want to help, these adults themselves already cannot cope with their own complex emotional problems.
Some parents need to go through training to deal with mental health issues in their own kids and to make them first be able to empathise with and help people with mental health issues by solving their own inner problems first.
@@wassup139 Lovely. Nothing you've said above is foreign to me, because I've told my parents such things countless times in various different ways before, but to no avail. I suppose the last plausible course of action is to just move out and considering cutting them off.
Oh... i'm srry hope things get better
@@tomeofslyev I hope things will get better and everything will turn out well for you
@@wassup139 Thank you 🤍I appreciate it
Let our kids to have a break. If your kids says they dont want to go to school let them occasionally. Parents just sending kids to do activities so they dont need to deal with them. Sad, if you are not ready to have kids please dont have them its not fair.
If you dont believe your children and dont listen to their concerns who else they should go to...most parents just selfish, they have children to look good on social media. Having children is a privilege, you must be able to afford it mentally, physically and financially. Otherwise whats the point?
yes... it's strange how minor physical illness are taken more seriously than noticable mental disstress, pain and anxiety.
pov: you’re a kid watching this, not a parent
My niece(17) is highly depressed and doesn’t get enough support from her parents. I’m a cool aunt in her mind so she called me sometimes but the things she said actually scare me. I’m feeling not qualified to talk to her since sometime she mentioned something like wanting to disappear so she doesn’t take away world resources. When I tried to encourage her she’s just keep going down to the dark path but I don’t want to stop talking to her since I’m worried she will feel like she doesn’t have anyone.
hey girlie! as someone with mental issues with experience supporting others with mental issues, if you're looking for advice, I may be able to offer?
1. encourage her to talk to a school counselor/therapist. it's a good thing that she can rely on you, but sometimes we're simply untrained with some of the issues they go through, especially if it's on the severe side. talking with a counselor doesn't have to be revealing the big traumas or problems in your life; my friends used it as a way of just talking about their day (I was pretty happy because my teacher said nice things about me today, etc etc). Reassure them that you referring them to a counselor isn't you cutting off your relationship with them, but that you simply don't always feel equipped to deal with some of the things they say, but will still be there to listen to them. You just want to see them become happy with themselves but you're not sure if you go about it in a way beneficial for them.
2. allow her to challenge some of her own ideas about self-worth and life. I know the "disappearing because I'm a waste of resources" feeling very well too, and I think it made a huge difference in my mental health when I started "talking back" to those feelings: "what, just because I haven't really found my passion in life or giving to others 24/7 means I should die? isn't this what a school bully would say? big talk for a voice in my head that does nothing but complain." something like that.
I think it's a good thing to understand our limits as people who care about others' mental health, because second-hand trauma is very much real, and we can't hope to help others if we ourselves are already sinking. I hope whatever issues she has works out for good, good luck to both of you! :)
@@skcvy8167 school counsellors don't work in my opinion, the niece will just ask the sch counsellor to not tell the parents and they'll do the exact opposite of what she asked :( a therapist from outside school might work though
@@yukilynx3526 mmm but I think if the issues are severe enough (eg. suicide ideation), most medical professionals have to inform their parents especially if they're minors. Also, outside counsellors usually cost quite a bit (in the hundreds), which would be hard to explain to parents. I think asking the counselor (school or outside) at what point will they need to tell parents would be best before anything. The lack of 100% transparency sucks but that's how the system is sometimes
@@skcvy8167 Thank you for your advice! I will try! My worry is she study at my old school so I’m quite sure the school counselor doesn’t know or care about mental health. I start thinking we or even teenagers themselves acknowledge too much problems with the world and they are stressing. My country is under political climate and the pandemic makes everything worse. 😞
@@yothiga sorry for the late reply!! Hopefully the counselor is ok, if not I think you can try looking for free/cheaper youth counseling services in her area (there may be some non-profits I think). Good luck with everything mate, take care of yourself too!
Excellent documentary. 👍🏾
Side note:
Gen-Z is the most gaslit generation; time will reveal this to be true. Passing judgement on them without empathising and actually accepting that (be it good or bad ) they are the sum of what they've inherited, will be the our undoing globally.
Yours truly,
Early 80s Millennial.
Agreed. 90s mill
I’m a gen Z, it’s true that I used to experience this. I’m very lucky to have been removed from a toxic environment but still suffer from the after affects.
Especially when you realized all those "misinformation" and "disinformation" turns out to be true and valid. It creates a deep sense of disorientation.
They been gaslighting generations before gen Z. The USA totally screwed up millennials and still gaslight us
I’m gen-z, but never experienced this, maybe I’m too young
Thank you and please continue to highlight and create awareness on mental health issues so that one day there will be greater understanding and least of a stigma.
I don't usually write comments but this is so worthwhile to watch!
" They are just a generation that wants to be understood."
Man that hits me deep
Let's be honest though brother, most adults don't really care about our mental health and don't take us seriously, we have to help eachother in solidarity more than anything.
Thanks for shading a light on our daily life.
I wish children and teenagers trust and believe that there are people who really care for them. Watching this is heartbreaking
Children can and will suffer if either one or both parents are high on the narcissistic spectrum including machiavellianism, and psychopathy knows as the dark triad. They prey on and manipulate their victims even their own in the name of love. Children can suffer from PTSD resulting from poor parenting especially emotionally immature parents. Its both nature (Genes) and nurture (environment). A psychopath and sociopath will never see any wrong with their behavior and actions, therefore will no seek therapies or treatment unless say an court order.
Parents need to know how their actions can deeply scar a child. As a young child, i was locked outside of the house and left crying and scared, hit on the head with a remote over math sums, knelt long hours in front of the alter, canned. My mum is a nice person, just don't know how to parent as she had bad experiences herself. All these affected my growth and sense of self worth and as an adult, i do blame these experiences for screwing me up mentally and emotionally.
zoe's dad said "you dont want to ruin his future" WTF this guy just ruined your daughter's future!
I'm mentally unwell myself and coming from an uneducated yet strict Asian background, I hope to be a successful psychologist someday to not only help my mental health but also others' who are like me as well.
me too! i strive to become a forensic psychologist because of my interest in psychology. i hope that when i do end up in civil cases where i speak on the behalf of a child, i’ll be able to communicate what they want and feel so that they won’t ever feel stuck or trapped like i have with my parent’s marital issues.
Sad. I think our society is growingly stressful, not just for teenagers, but in fact ages for all groups.
I have been waiting forever for this kind of video for singaporeans
Thank you very much. I love it tht this programme for the young n produced by the young
Good short documentary, yet it has less than 100k views. More people need to watch this especially parents
All parents should watch this. To those who are still in denial about your kid's mental condition, your ignorance on mental health will only do them harm in the long run. Seek help early. Reaching out for one is a form of courage, not shame.
... I stopped caring honestly... There was the time I did care but the results just the same... Dad stressing mum out, mum getting stressed, us getting the meltdown... Nothing changed. By the time I learned of Dad's cheating (that lasted on & off for my whole 18 years of my life), lets just say my focus & memory skills deteriorated due to me constantly escaping to Wattpad & novels... Even made me fear of what is to become of me when I reached my parent's age when they had me... If I'll end up just the same as them...
Absolute obedience to parent
I can relate to the parents canning until pants peed...
i hated that child-parenting truama...
no wonder i grow up afraid of everything i do...
-.-
I am not a parent and do not plan to be (I'm 34) because I am not equipped to be one with grace, patience, resilience and ability to listen and observe. However I've observed parents , and as long as they provide basic needs, to them that child should be fine. No emotional,physical or mental support is given especially in most societies.
I'm part of this generation, I'm 25, when I'm small, when I'm not doing well, I will be canned, even my hand is put in fridge door and bang, they make my finger hurt. But I still coup it today, I still not care much because everyday even I think to die, I just need to coup, because life is life, no one want to care about you, even your parent, they have their own problem. So go forward..
I sort of understood what you tried to say, and I feel that it is terrifying. Hope you're okay :)
Thankfully, my parents never did that. Yes, we're Asian. I love my parents.
Back in our parent's time, people have to deal with war and hardship, famine and starvations . Yet they manage to press on in the means of survival.
In today's world people can't even take an exam or yell at without breaking down and cry.
Younger generation need to be taught better to be more responsible and resilient. There are always highs and lows in life and this is NORMAL.
We need to be taught on how to deal with the low moments and hardship in life.
This was extremely difficult to watch even though I am not Gen Z. I am sure previous generations went through the similar issues but had no option but forced to deal with those issues without any caring support infrastructure being in place. This open and frank discussion afforded to today's young is a necessity which previous generations did not enjoy. CNA is truly a remarkable channel in dealing with social issues, both good and bad with honesty, objectivity and without bias.
Parents need to show positivity and hard work and acceptance of whatever life hands them. Children always follow parent figures of how to handle life.
These kids should take a break from social media. The pressure of keeping up and what others are doing while they're not getting attention or recognition, can be affecting them unnecessarily.
Remember, not all kids feel this way. This video should have also done a comparative study of how the others are handling mental health positively. Some need to be educated at how to handle emotional and psychological pressures.
That girl who was sexually harassed, then the parents didn't support her..."maybe he touched you coz you're pretty..." The father is sick! I can't believe this is happening 😳
Zoe's story made me sad. Caned till you peed yourself and wondering when it will stop. A mother figure turned 'torturer'. I bet she felt unsafe and alone and helpless. It will affect the power she feels she has in controlling anything.
Edit: When I said the above, I haven't seen her story of being molested. Affirmed what I thought. What's worse is that her parents put other people's future over her distress. It will imprint on her that she has no power over anything when even people she thought would protect her did nothing.
For all young people, know YOUR boundaries, and ENFORCE THAT BOUNDARY. Fighting for yourself will build your self esteem.
The fact that I relate to what most of them are saying hurts me-
I showed symptoms of depression starting from 15 y/o. I'm now 29, still suffering. I think people are overestimating the role that COVID-19 lockdowns play in mental health. It's the pressure to excel (and the uncertainty of a good future) that kills people.
Well intentions do not mean good actions or results!!!!! Parents *MUST* understand this.
Well done CNA. Thank you for segment that sheds light on the mental health challenges that lgbtqi people face.
as a youth in Singapore, it's unfortunate that I already have 12 friends who passed from suicide, it seems every year I lose a friend or two. And they are from all walks of life, though majority identify as queer.
This year, in May 2022, I'm attending my 3rd funeral, just last week, gone at 28
What 😱
MOE should review its curiculum.
Dont worry, i alrdy lost myself long ago.. idk which direction to take anymore. Is losing hopes and dreams the cost of growing up?
When I feel like this, I read the Little Prince, especially chapter 21🥰 Do you like cats? Their belly is sooo fluffy and healing
You can always keep your inner child!
But yes, sometimes, reality and the system is very harsh. It happened to me and I thought of suicide. Thanks goodness I'm in a better place now.
I wish you a lovely day~ Rain!
And, Rain, by the way, we don't wanna be like those bittered grown-ups. We know better and will do better.
It isn't but i can see why it happened for you
Likely, it wasn't all your fault. We live in a society that tends to tell us that our best isn't enough, and that is very disheartening
Consider therapy. I can also assure you that you can gain back those hopes and dreams one day.
Self image of yourself
👍
make more documentary on mental health of youth also what can people do to improve...
SG too much a high pressure cooker from all the competitions.
From schooling to career, chasing money just to survive.
People is drowning under pressure… parents reflecting unto kids and vice versa. A very unhealthy cycle.
Not only youth. As an adult ,I hv the thought of commit suicide too. I have to work from 9am-2am 7 days a week in financial institutions.i believe i am not the only 1 hv this thought. May be authorities really need to look into what have happened to the country
maybe parents should be nicer to their children and stop shouting at them. not exactly setting a good role model when you treat your kid even worse than your boss or colleagues.
Maybe parents should stop their huge demands for performance. KIds are human.
@@annchurchill2638 yes what i said
The world should copy the Finland School model. It stress' cooperation over competition and it doesn't make the kids mentally ill.
ZHINAN AHHHH PROUD OF U
I feel they should blur their identities. The sad reality is -people are still judged for mental health is the workplace, esp in a corporate setting. Not sure if they would regret going public in the future
My nephew whom I stay with has depression issue, says he sees ghosts leading to frequent insomnia - now Sec 2, started from P5 (4 years already), initially triggered by stress in school (hates school & hates classmates). We provide for the kids (boy + his younger brother), we're not rich but not poor, the boys turn on aircon in their room every night, each boy has their own PC and handphone. We (parents + me, aunt) do NOT set any expectations for their school results at all - they play PC games from the hour they wake up to their bedtime, often late hours and past midnight on weekends. The parents allow them to do that, which has led to PC games addiction to the extent that the Sec 2 boy hates going to school, breaks down & cries in school, school sends boy home. Boy has missed many days in school cos he doesn't want to go to school. Poor results. We NEVER say anything when the boys fail, not a negative word, no punishment, so I don't understand where his stress comes from. Fail, fail lor - they continue to play games. The boy is very normal when at home & when playing games - laughing & talking loudly (happiest when playing games) - when going to school, depressed. Refuses many times to wake up for school. Boy has gone to see psychologist/counsellor for 1 to 2 years already but refuse to communicate - psychologist can't say what's wrong with him anyway. To me, I don't understand - I think he's just plain lazy, can play game every day, who wants to go to school. But I don't say a word cos I'm not trained in psychology / counselling, anything negative I say may trigger him. So currently the only way for boy not to be depressed is playing games every waking minute. Consequence? He won't get good educational qualification & cannot support himself in future..... dunno what his future will hold, but it doesn't look good.
Have to control them and give them a future at least. Let him play but also enjoy life. Make sure he goes to school. Get him off PC and really exercise, go out, etc... Then slowly ease him into going to school. At least an education for him
From what i can see since the first part....Seeing ghosts is a made up story, when you feel stressed...your brain is already overworked and is not going to be forming shapes out of nothing to continue and add up the load. There is a real possibility he has been playing you and his antics of not wanting to go to school since he maybe have realised that he can just play games all day...Not going to assume tho, since some people do it to relieve stress.
My advice is to show him pictures of his future if he continues down this path (show him that he will not have a house, food to put on the table or even a comfortable life), if it does not work....Seems like only when he reaches NS will he realise what he really needs to change.
I think, for your comment, that you are wondering why your nephew is depressed because his parents and you are not stressing him. I do think that his depression stemmed from him thinking that he didn't have any belongings in the family and friends. He probably thinks that his worth comes from his school results and he is not able to excel in it. So he did exactly what a depressed person would do, he isolated himself from his family and friends and numbed his pain by playing video games
To ur boy playing games is sort of a way to escape from depressing thoughts. If your boy is struggling in school, he will definitely compare to his classmates who are doing better than him. This lack of self confidence can really destroy his love for learning and motivation to study. It’s a much easier way to numb the pain of feeling that he’s failing in all aspects of his life by playing games.
…try homeschooling them. Take lots of small walks and show them the beauty of natures. Wish u all the best.
Hearing the varied number of causes that can put a child into depression, I don't want to have kids...
Really good video. Really very curious to also know the public's take on this too. Maybe some on the street interviews next?
Punishment for bad conduct
Really appreciate this series! Couldn’t emphasise how much mental health is understood amongst Asian parents :”) sometimes it may be hard dealing with it alone but it’s way better than letting your parents know and getting into even bigger problems and issues. Really hope that things do get better, am still feeling very uncertain and insecure about my journey but I hope that I can recover from this 7 year long struggles too :/ 🥹
Very helpful documentary, just a question (to maybe the producers?) for my own learning... so what happened to the older Gens (maybe Gen X and older?) , as they went through hard environments as well during their youth (maybe worse? as there were not much awareness) and their prefrontal lobes at that time aren't developed as well... how did those Gens turn out(any stats?), as it seems that the older generations did turn out tougher and could suck it up more and supposedly more "resilient"?... if this "worked" for the older Gens...why not so for the current youth gens? what are we missing here? just a learning enquiry hope you don't mind :) btw i am Gen X here haa.
at least most have gone through similar problems
Very sad. Why parents don't love their children?
my dad: mental health is very important, especially in the youth
also my dad: *criticises my sister's artwork, says she wont make it and causes her to cry* omg strawberry generation 🙄🙄
Because we live in a stressed f up society .. that’s why
Can we include the older generation in the research and surveys? And their mental health when they were young.
This vid can relate to it
Anybody with medical knowledge/ depression history can help me?
ive recently been diagnosed with mild depression. Quite shocking when i first heard that. However, after reading up I don't think i actually have mild depression. Low mood, but not that that extend. How do I go about de-diagnosing it. Will it affect my insurance etc. Do I have to declare it?
you could get a second opinion from another doctor?
"emotional DAMage" for real this time
7:57 instead of love.
What a humiliation by her own mum.
Result or put in effort
Old generation spare the rod spoil the child
It's usually the parents problem
Sadly in the adult world when you grow up later … there are so much more to deal with eg office politics, nasty bosses, rude customers, cheating relationships, failed investments just to name a few….
My mother always punish me !!!!!!!!!!!??¿???
lol, thought she said she was doing Meth in the school canteen.
Lets not forget how the COVID-19 pandemic had a very big role to play here.
It_is-Because_of_explosion_in_muslim_population
Apprx May 21, 2017 - News Papers in Pakistan reported 80 million Pakistanis were suffering from physiological, neurotic disorder which results in spiritual, physical, mental and emotional illnesses this is common problem among muslims due to marrying own sisters/ cousins.
The biggest elephant in the room Root cause of Singapore stressful environment is ?
Why GenZ ?
ok
10:36 pre frontal cotax
Me the opposite way.
Does human still exist after gen Z? What gen alphabet after Z
I had Instagram in p2 but nothing affected me
I’m in p3
hi! i found you by searching mental health. may is national mental health awareness month. would you be interested in doing a collab with me on that topic?
nobody juz understands me my mom thinks everybthing is so easy, she juz dosen get it
I am 12 years old and yesterday I just felt like I want to stand in the middle of the road and let the car run over me because of the education.
Talk to someone trusted if you need to let out your feelings/stress. Don’t let negative thoughts overwhelm you .
I wat to buy drawing blpock!
10:39 She didn't explain why this gen is so different from us, the millennials. It seems they are much mellow and in constant need of help. They also claimed that everywhere they go is a toxic and stressful environment. 😅
Snowflakes be snowflakes
That’s because we have the words now to describe what it is: toxicity and stress. If you don’t want to use them, that’s on you.
What makes you so sure “your generation” don’t have any mental health issues? Just because gen z dares to seek help doesn’t mean they are weak. I’ve seen so many boomers and millennials who have signs of mental health problems but are unwilling to find a professional due to stigma.
🙏👁️😌hi. Every one
抑郁是不可避免的，连印度王子释迦摩尼都觉得人生是苦，解决抑郁的办法其实古人早已提出，有兴趣的少年可参见视频ua-cam.com/video/-JFTKi2JsbI/v-deo.html，这个视频能够救你们。
治疗抑郁是要观照自己内心世界，而不是依靠外部世界
living now is useless. tsk, even parents are useless.
life’s short, live happily, the rest is doesn’t anymore
Mostly asian bc they struggling everyday and can't sleep in car
5:08 WTF.
I heard she did METH at the canteen at 7:40
9
psychologist's authority cannot override police or judge but they had their days of tyranny too.
Spoiled generation
did you watch the whole documentary or...
Teenagers mostly but younger kids 5-9 not spoiled… *they hv tiktok and watch kpop
Not spoiled tho
After 2 mints forgot...the reality no one cares
Suck it up. It's a bad phrase
fact
Sucking it up doesn’t work, I’ve been trying to suck it up since I was 9 and it only got worse down the line. Same for a lot of people who struggle with mental health issues
Be more resilient man
Wow, this is why stigma persists
….
every generation has its challenges. can gen z say their challenges and life is harder than previous 2-3 generations? maybe life is too good thats why every failure they cannot take. as the saying goes good times create weak men
it’s not that life is too good now, only that now mental health awareness is being more talked about these days, and more brave people coming on media to share it publicly. previous generations just have to be medicated to cope with their issues
Boomers and Gen X will really call the post-war economic boom they lived in "harder", then proceed to call us weak for not being able to fully cope in the socioeconomic mess that *they* created 🙄
Cases of suicide have risen in SG’s elder population too.
It's presumptuous people like you who sustains the stigma around mental illness.
Why wouldnt you want to create a life that's easier for the next generation ?
It baffles me that people still like to use the "trauma olympics " as a means to invalidate genuine concerns .
genZ weaker than milennials
no one is weak
Why children and teenager struggle mental health?🤔 Bcoz too much watching BTS kpoop
don't forget tiktok
yes kpop gives depression definitely 100%
@@ria6480 ktrash
@@ria6480 the oldies listen to rock, kpop makes kids depressed
@@mxsthxted how does kpop give depression, most is just upbeat music? couldnt u day that for any type of pop then not just kpop?
Strawberry generation
These kind of comments are not really helpful, aren’t they?
Maybe be more sensitive?
Maybe keep your mouth shut if you don't have anything to say oh wait of course it's coming for a football player what can I expect 🤦
those involved in football are more mentallty tough cause we go through the full emotions of losing, winning, etc... and physically too we get tackled, knocked down, no point in bitching, we get up and move on. football teaches those involved to be mentally strong.
@@Andywritzlol it’s not true, all other generations are as sensitive. Only gen z is willing to take the next step and seek help for their mental health. The rest of the generation who rarely take care of their mental health have several unresolved trauma and issues that either lead to difficult personalities for others to deal with or may even have undiagnosed mental illness themselves. All these “toxic bosses” and “crazy mother-in-law” personalities are mostly triggered from their childhood memories and pain, it really destroys relationships around them. Just because it doesn’t affect you means it is not happening to someone else.