Sometimes, a simple question like “Are you okay?” is all that it takes to allow someone to share what they’re going through and release their emotional stress.
However, not everyone dares to ask such a question and those in need of help may not know where to go.
This is where the National Welfare Foundation’s local social support centre, or PSSS, has stepped in, introducing a mobile counselling initiative with trained counsellors going to the ground to help those struggling with emotional stress and depression.
The foundation’s CEO, Nordina Haron, said many people kept their emotions to themselves as they were ashamed or afraid of going to a government facility to seek counselling.
“Many are afraid of seeking help, especially female victims of domestic violence,” she told FMT.
“But when they see the PSSS trucks below their flats or in their housing areas, they voluntarily come forward to share what they’re going through,” she said when met at the PSSS truck at the national Family Day celebration here recently.
The foundation’s PSSS trucks operate in eight zones nationwide, including Sabah and Sarawak, targeting public areas like higher education institutes, schools, markets, mosques and housing areas.
Designed with a relaxed concept in mind, the trucks come equipped with a private counselling room managed by a counsellor certified and registered with the Malaysian Board of Counsellors. Full confidentiality is guaranteed.
Nordina said the initiative was aimed at helping those exposed to emotional stress caused by problems in their lives, particularly adults as well as school and university students.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 found that around a million Malaysians aged 15 and above, or 4.6% of that segment of the population, struggled with depression. This was more prevalent among those in the 16 to 29 age bracket.
This marked a two-fold increase from the figures in 2019, with nearly half of them admitting to having thought of self-harm or suicide.
Mental health issues among children also rose from 7.9% in 2019 to 16.5% in 2023, with one in six children said to be struggling with some form of mental health issue.
Serving as a bridge
Nordina said the National Welfare Foundation’s PSSS acted as a bridge between the people and various government agencies, based on the type of issues at hand.
“The counsellors will attend to them and guide them with the next course of action, whether it’s to file a police report or seek help at a hospital,” she said.
“For those in need of welfare assistance, such as those who have a special needs child but don’t know where to register for aid, the centre will act as a bridge to connect them to what they need.”
Nordina said it was crucial to remove the stigma of going for counselling in order to ensure people’s overall well-being.
“We want to change that perception. When we meet counsellors, we feel at peace, not having to keep our stress to ourselves. If we keep it all pent up for long, we could ‘explode’ one day,” she added.
She also said the goal of the foundation’s “Are you okay?” approach was to kickstart conversations in families, emboldening them to ask questions to check on one another as well as to share their problems openly.
It also aims to support the women, family and community development ministry’s “Awak OK Tak?” campaign to boost emotional well-being in society.
“Many issues start from home. So mothers can ask their children, husbands can ask their wives and vice versa: are you okay?” said Nordina.
