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DEPRESSION is a common but serious medical illness.

What are the common signs of depression?

For some, it can manifest in them going on a buying spree as a distraction or as a “self-esteem booster”.

Some 30 per cent of people with major depression hit the bottle.

They are stricken with anxiety and feel the need to drink to assuage their “frayed nerves”.

But drinking alcohol is a shortlived lift.

Alcohol is a depressant, so repeated drinks makes depression worse.

Studies have shown that protracted depression or stress can raise the body’s levels of steroidal hormones.

These levels weaken or shrink the part of the brain associated with memory and learning.

Therefore, depression may cause one to be forgetful. Depression-linked memory impairment is worse for the elderly.

Depression can also be the precursor of low back pain.

Research has shown that up to 42 per cent of people with chronic lower back pain experienced depression before their back pain started.

Also, having chronic pain puts you at risk of depression.

Spending overly large amounts of time on the Internet may also be a sign of depression.

Studies have shown a link between the two.

A 2010 study from the University of Alabama found that young depressed adults also had the inclination to gain weight around their waist — a forerunner for heart disease.

Other studies have linked depression with binge eating, especially in middle-age people.

Treating depression can reverse these setbacks.

It is found that 30 per cent of shoplifters suffer from depression.

Shoplifting provides them with a rush to counter depression.

Depression can lead to suicide. It is one of the top causes of death in youths after accidents.

By Dr A. Soorian

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters/2019/11/542990/know-signs-and-get-help

PENAMPANG: It is important to impose limits when drinking as consuming excessive amounts can damage physical health, ruin mental health including addiction besides socio-economic effects such as causing accidents, domestic violence and simply waste of money.“Our message is not to stop drinking but prevent alcohol misuse such as excessive consumption,” said Prof. Dr Helen Lasimbang after organising a 5km run along the hills of Kg Kipouvo here, as President of Apam (Association for Prevention of Alcohol Misuse).

Stroke is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It is also the second leading cause of death.

One in four will experience a stroke. However, studies show that up to 90 per cent of strokes could be prevented.

The first step is to understand risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, alcohol consumption and smoking, while engaging in exercise and eating healthily.

By doing so, we reduce cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. However, health-related behaviours are often the hardest to change.

Even though the government says it is committed to tackling non-communicable diseases (NCD), the delivery of this promise is slow and often reactionary.

Policymakers need to be more creative in incentivising healthy behaviour rather than just concentrating on promoting health.

Thus, we need to change the approach by building new advocacy approaches and partnerships.

As we do not know if we can ride out the NCD epidemic, let’s not forget the younger generation.

We need to instil the importance of a healthy lifestyle at home and school in people.

Then they will be equipped with knowledge and make the effort to take care of themselves from young.

Health is the most valuable asset one can possess, and since information is power, we should empower people with knowledge.

by Cheah C.F..

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters/2019/10/534457/one-4-will-get-stroke-so-lets-get-people-care-themselves-young

THE saying “two heads are better than one” encourages individuals to work together to be more productive, creative and motivated as a team.

In higher learning institutions, students need to work in groups, be it writing a comprehensive paper, completing a project or making an oral presentation.

The ability to work together and accomplish a shared, common goal is known as “collaboration”, which is one of the four Cs in 21st century learning. The other Cs are critical thinking, creativity and communication.

Being involved in a group project helps students to solve complex problems and achieve better results.

“Qualities like teamwork and synergy are best fostered at university,” said Taylor’s University Bachelor of Psychology stream coordinator and lecturer, Pang Chia Yee.

Group tasks are incorporated into most courses and subjects, and are a part of a student’s assessment.

“Group task does not necessarily apply to big projects and graded assignments but it can be carried out in a topic discussion of a subject. Group assignments usually carry 10 to 30 per cent of the overall marks.

“Failure to cooperate and being participative in group tasks can affect a student’s final grade,” she added.

PURPOSE

Instructors and lecturers use collaboration to enhance students’ learning potential, allowing them to take responsibility for group assignments with little supervision. Properly structured group projects encourage students to become active rather than passive learners.

Sunway College Foundation in Science and Technology lecturer Liew Jia Shi said most subjects in a semester require at least one group project.

“Working in groups provides an opportunity for students to engage in different modes of learning, shifting from individual learning to learning in a group via effective discussions.

Pang added: “Group tasks hone higher order thinking skills, so that students can apply the skills and knowledge learnt to come up with ideas,”.

By working in a group, students tackle more complex problems than they can on their own.

“For some projects or assignments, one individual will not be able to complete the task in the given time. Hence, group assignments work better in such scenarios.

“Students who are a bit reserved may hesitate to voice their opinions in a lecture but given the opportunity to work in smaller groups, they are more comfortable in participating,” she said.

ADVANTAGES

Sunway Foundation in Science and Technology student Emily Jean Legada, 18, said that she prefers to work in a group rather than handle individual tasks.

“From simple discussions to graded assignments, working in collaboration promotes healthy peer pressure.

“A group project requires everyone to finish their tasks by a certain time and up to a particular standard. This motivates group members to complete tasks on time as well as put in more effort, increasing the overall quality of work.

“Besides, it gives classmates the opportunity to interact with each other outside class,” she said.

Taylor’s Business School final year student, Poh Song Yang, 22, believes that working in a group setting provides a chance to build greater rapport with peers.

“Often, there is a tendency for university students to group with friends that they are comfortable with. I find working with different groups of people empowers me to learn more.

Students engage in different modes of learning, shifting from individual learning at lectures to learning in a group via effective discussions.

“I benefit from diverse perspectives and knowledge while building new friendships,” he said.

Taylor’s University third year Psychology student Nabilah Hilsya Hashim, 21, said: “When done correctly, group assignments help ease the burden as the tasks are usually delegated among the group members.”

Liew added that working collectively with others fosters effective communication.

“Communication is an important skill which students can develop while working closely with others. We live in close proximity with one another because we are social beings dependent on each other.

“Failure in communication means losing the ability to work with each other. In a group assignment, how can you effectively share ideas with everyone? If there is an argument or conflict, how will you address and solve it effectively? These are just some examples which require good communication skills.

“Good communication skills help ensure that your collaboration experience is a positive and productive one.”

SOCIAL LOAFING

While collaborative learning through group projects has the potential to produce better results, some students find working effectively with others an extremely challenging endeavour when social loafing occurs.

Social loafing happens where students do not pull the same weight in contributing to the group yet receive the same grade as others, said Pang.

“The experience can be dreadful when there are social loafers in a group. However, it challenges students to take charge and work out a solution,” she added.

Being in his final year of studies, Poh has had his share of dealing with social loafers which he calls “free-riders”.

“Often times, unequal participation among team members occurs. When this happens, you have to contribute more and spend more time to cover for the free-riders.

“This behaviour can make group work an unpleasant experience for some. Other team members will be left feeling frustrated receiving the same mark as their fellow non-contributing group members despite producing much of the group work.

“In extreme cases where a member is neither responding nor completing the work, I submit a peer evaluation form to the tutor indicating that he/she has not contributed to the group work.

“This results in either lower marks or complete omission of the individual from the group, depending on the tutor’s review.

“When group work does not work out well, it can lead to resentment between group members, thus potentially jeopardise friendship between members. Also, group performance is usually assessed collectively in which case, my marks can be affected as well,” he said.

Nabilah Hilsya said she can be dominant in a group arrangement due to her outgoing nature when she faces an issue of having to deal with passive group mates.

“Some members are of no help when it comes to brainstorming and problem-solving.

“They tend to rely on the dominant members to do the decision-making which can be frustrating as it creates an unbalanced dynamic in the group’s productivity. When this happens, I will help by being active when it comes to encouraging discussions.

“This will avoid negative outcomes such as low productivity, feeling of dissatisfaction with other group members and lost friendships,” she added.

To avoid social loafing, Pang prepares at least two parts of group assignments — individual and group review.

“At the end of a project, I prepare a peer evaluation form for the students to grade their own group members. There are marks allocated for categories like teamwork and commitment.

“If they feel like one group member has been slacking off, they can collectively give a lower mark for that particular person.”

VITAL AT THE WORKPLACE

Group projects can help students develop a host of skills that are increasingly important in the professional world.

In the future, there will be a time when working in a group will not only be helpful but also vital. Therefore, collaboration skills should be honed while in college, said Liew.

“One of the key characteristics that employers seek in hires is the ability to work as a team.

“Day-to-day operations to the development of new projects cannot be accomplished without strong collaborations between employees, be it within a department or a joint effort across various departments in an organisation.

“It is important for the students to learn that everyone has their own way of doing something. They have different personalities and personal preferences that we need to respect.

“Through the process of group tasks, students discover their strengths and weaknesses as well as their peers. Learning to address one’s weaknesses, acknowledging others’ strengths while accepting others’ imperfections are the skills that students can gain from collaborating with others,” he said.

Pang prefers to randomly assign students into groups because it challenges them to work with others whom they are not close to.

“Although some students prefer to be in a group of their cliques, working with other students will push them to adapt to a new working dynamic. When students enter the industry, they do not get to choose their colleagues,” she said.

For Nabilah Hilsya, working in groups helps her to hone communication skills in various aspects especially in negotiation, persuasion and compromise which are essential skills in the workplace.

“In the workplace, we are most likely to work with individuals of diverse backgrounds with their own sets of experiences, ideologies, work ethics and personalities.

“Collaboration in such an environment can help enrich the working experience much more as I am able to learn new things along the way. Being a team player is relevant to mould not only an individual but also a high-performing employee,” she said.

TOOLS

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”, therefore a proper planning process determines the success of a group project, said Liew.

In planning a group project and keeping it on track, there a few collaboration tools that students opt for.

“Google online collaboration tools are especially useful to monitor an assignment,” Emily said.

“Google Docs allow team members to view, edit and work simultaneously on a document without emailing attachments to each other. It permits those with access to update and make changes to documents.

“On a less formal note, WhatsApp group chats and calls are where most of the discussions happen. It is also the platform used by team leaders to check on team members without being physically present at a group discussion.”

Poh also utilises Google Calendar to set group meetings and deadlines.

“I also prefer Telegram as the main communication tool for a group task as we can pin important messages for everyone’s reference and create quick polls in the group chat.

“I also use Trello which is a to-do list app to organise a task and keep team members’ progress in check.”

By Murniati Abu Karim.

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/education/2019/10/534345/collaboration-skills-key-successful-teams-projects

TOMORROW, Oct 10, is the annual World Mental Health Day, as declared by the World Health Organisation.

The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015 by the Health Ministry reported that mental health problems among adults aged 16 and above have increased from 10.7 per cent in 1996 to 29.2 per cent in 2015 and this includes university students.

International Islamic University Malaysia Psychology Department senior lecturer and clinical psychologist Dr Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom said that research has not found a single cause for this occurrence.

Clinical Psychologist and Psychology Department Senior Lecturer International Islamic University Malaysia, Dr, Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom . NSTP/ASWADI ALIAS

“However, studies have identified several risk factors which include having problems adjusting to the transition from school to university.

“The transition can impact a student’s well-being. They may not be fully prepared to lead an independent life at undergraduate level.”

Sunway University Psychology Department head and clinical psychologist Associate Professor Dr Alvin Ng Lai Oon said that from his experience, students have trouble adapting.

“There is lack of resilience among students in coping with the demands of tertiary education.

“At the undergraduate level, there is a lot more focus on independent study, innovative problem-solving and personal organisation. They may not have the adequate groundwork prior to entering university,” said Ng.

Sunway University Psychology Department head and clinical psychologist Associate Professor Dr Alvin Ng Lai Oon.

Jamilah added: “Dysfunctional families and traumatic life events also contribute to this issue. For example, coming from an abusive family, or being a victim of physical, mental and sexual abuse can have a long-term effect on mental health.

“Disorders can also develop in university due to physical inactivity. Being highly studious and exempting oneself from physical activities can lead to stress and worsen mental health,” she said.

To strengthen the mental well-being of university students, it is important for the campus community to be educated, dispel the stigma and support each other.

STIGMA

Due to the stigmatisation of mentally-ill persons, many often stay in the shadows and are afraid to seek help.

Jamilah said: “We can see patterns of disorders increasing among students. The stigma is one of the reasons why people do not come forward and choose to ignore the symptoms or go to alternative healers first to be treated. They view psychologists and psychiatrists as a last resort.”

Sunway Peer Counselling Volunteers president and Psychology student Jayashan Chinatamy, 21, noted the severity of mental health disorders and suicidal ideation in recent times.

Sunway Peer Counselling Volunteers president and Psychology student Jayashan Chinatamy.

“There is a causal relationship between stigma and suicide in addition to the prevalence of mental health disorders.

“While the youth are more aware about mental health in comparison to the past, many still do not seek help or utilise available resources due to this stigma that has developed into a cultural taboo,” said Jayashan.

IIUM Secretariat of Psychology president Eusoff Fitri Sarnin, 24, said that from a young age, Malaysians are taught that mental illness is unacceptable.

“As the negative perception increases, those with mental disorder symptoms are left feeling ashamed for fear of being judged.”

IIUM Secretariat of Psychology president Eusoff Fitri Sarnin.NSTP/ASWADI ALIAS

SIGNS

A good support system is important in battling mental illness. For most university students, the ones closest to them are their friends.

Ng, who is also a WHO Malaysia Office mental health consultant, said that there are several warning signs that students can look for to help their friends.

He said: “Signs of mental health issues include social isolation, change in eating or sleep patterns, difficulties with concentration, generally low mood and having difficulty enjoying activities that they typically enjoy.

Sunway Peer Counselling Volunteers trying out the virtual reality activity to visualise what it is like to have schizophrenia during the Return To Light campaign.

“Students can help by checking in on their friends and asking if they are all right. It has been found that normalising the distress — by letting them know that it’s okay to be that way — can help.”

Acceptance is key, according to Ng.

“We help first by not downplaying their distress. It’s important to let them know that we accept them the way they are. Just be a friend — you don’t necessarily have to entertain or talk. Just be with them.

“Often they will feel that they are a burden to others so you need to assure them that you’re there to help willingly and that it’s okay to be helped. You can also suggest that they seek the help of a specialist.

“For those who are struggling, remember that when you need help, allow others to help you,” said Ng.

Shutting people out is another warning sign, Jamilah added.

“Those will mental illnesses usually push people away. These include acquaintances, friends and family.

“Students should be observant if their friends utter statements such as ‘there’s no point in life’ or ‘I don’t want to live anymore’.

“Listen when people talk about their problems and suicide. Don’t invalidate their feelings or give unsolicited advice. Just hear them out.

“Do not be judgemental. Being a human being, it’s normal to be vulnerable,” she added.

PEER SUPPORT

An IIUM fourth-year student, who wishes to only be known as Kamilah, said she was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder.

“To cope, I take medicine at night. During the day, I do deep breathing and mindfulness exercises.”

Kamilah said that peer support is important especially for students who live far from home.

“I usually share my thoughts with family and a few friends. However, most of my friends do not really understand mental illness. Some think that depression is just normal sadness.

“I choose my friends carefully because if I share my problems with a person who is judgemental and has low understanding on mental health, it will only worsen my condition.”

Eusoff Fitri said peer support can be effective but it requires proper training and awareness.

Having recently completed his internship with the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Medical Centre psychiatric ward, he recounted his experience: “During my stint there, I met a university student with social anxiety and suicidal tendencies. As an intern and psychology student, I participated in giving support and motivation. But I cannot give professional advice.

”Having someone to talk to when you have a problem helps.”

At Sunway University, Peer Counselling Volunteers (PCV) is a student body under the guidance of the Sunway Counselling and Wellness department.

Jayashan said: “We act as a peer support network on campus. Our members are trained by professional Sunway counsellors.

We organise events centred on different aspects of mental health, such as positivity, self-care and suicide prevention.”

The purpose of peer counselling is to establish a support network that is approachable.

“We remain impartial to all our peers and focus on empathising, validating and supporting these students in the place of problem-solving.

“We try our best to help and guide them in overcoming their mental health challenges. Through our efforts, we hope to reduce the stigma associated with mental health.”

In terms of peer counselling, Jayashan said the PCV members act as listeners.

“Any Sunway University students can become PCV members. They undergo Personal Development sessions to better understand themselves and the importance of perspective in peer counselling.”

PCV offers both an online platform and a face-to-face counselling session to students.

“Through the online anonymous platform known as Peer-to-Peer, students can write in to us regarding the challenges that they are facing and how they are affected.

“We will provide a detailed reply within three to five working days after consulting the P2P team, led by counsellors from Student LIFE, the student service centre.”

If the online platform is not helpful enough, students can also schedule an appointment with the peer counsellors.

“Each session is conducted by two peer counsellors. Feedback has been positive, with many saying that they felt better after the sessions.”

However, Jayashan pointed out that peer counselling is not a substitute for professional help.

“Some students may require more professional counselling or may need to be referred to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist for diagnosis. Sunway Counselling and Wellness has affiliations with external mental health platforms and it is more than willing to give referrals.”

Ng said that it is also significant to note that supporting a friend with mental health can be draining.

“If the helper is distressed, seeing a counsellor can help. It’s important to understand that one can get affected by other people’s distress. It’s a human condition.”

RAISING AWARENESS

It takes a community to address mental illness. Hence, it is crucial to raise collective consciousness on mental health.

Supported by Subang Jaya assemblywoman Michelle Ng, Sunway University, Taylor’s University and Monash University organised the Return to Light: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Campaign last month.

PCV was the co-organiser with Sunway Counselling and Wellness and Student LIFE.

Jayashan said: “PCV’s responsibilities include facilitating the Youth Mental Health Forum. At the exhibition, we had a virtual reality activity where students learn what it’s like to suffer from schizophrenia.

“The main goal of the campaign was to increase awareness about mental health within the campus as well as with the public.

“Awareness is the first step for many youths to seek help. The campaign achieved this through workshops on active listening and peer support,” said Jayashan.

Jamilah agreed that that it is important to better educate helpers.

“For example, students need to know the difference between self-harm and suicide attempts. There are people who inflict harm on themselves because they want to feel pain or release pent-up emotions, not to stop living.

“Studies have shown that by talking openly about suicide, people will not desire to end their life. In fact, it has the opposite effect.”

Last April, Jamilah and postgraduate Psychology students also conducted a mental health screening campaign to raise awareness.

“The screening was a one-to-one process. A clinical psychology trainee first conducted a brief interview and administered psychological tests with a student.

“Then, we discussed the results with them and provided recommendations to follow up with the IIUM Counselling and Career Unit or the Psychological Service Unit.”

Another effort in spreading awareness was the #HereForYou campaign by the Secretariat of Psychology in collaboration with Befrienders, a not-for-profit organisation providing emotional support, last year.

For the campaign, they filmed a video of IIUM students who were struggling with mental illness.

Students who were diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and depression shared their personal experiences on camera.

Eusoff Fitri said: “It was difficult to get students to talk about their personal struggles. But this video helped to shed light on how anyone can be affected by mental illness.”

The IIUM Secretariat of Psychology has conducted a lot of trainings and programmes to spread awareness on mental health issues for their students.

This year, in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, the secretariat has planned a series of activities for Mental Health Week on Oct 6 to 11.

The programmes include a talk titled Fighting Against Mental Health Stigma, a mental health screening, mental health awareness training and a sharing session for those with mental illness.

Eusoff Fitri said: “The Secretariat of Psychology’s role is to provide the correct information to the university community. We aim to educate students so that they become more aware about the signs, symptoms and types of mental disorders.”

Sunway University counsellor Cassandra Lee conducting personal development workshop for Peer Counselling Volunteers.

COLLECTIVE EFFORT

A concerted effort is required to address this issue of mental health among university students.

Jamilah said: “Lecturers can play a role. Before I start my class, I conduct some simple mental health-related activities.

“For example, I carry out mindful breathing and explain to students how ithese activities can help them to be more present and aware about mental health.”

“I personally hope that the university can have more clinical psychologists and counselors.”

Ng also said that more counsellors and psychologists are needed on campus.

He added that the university counselling unit should have referral platforms to external professionals.

“If it is not possible, the alternative is to empower students and staff through the PCV programme to handle the milder cases.

“There are evidence-based methods devised by WHO to train laypersons the skills to manage large-scale distress in communities. The same approach can be used within a university.

“The training can give social support to help people improve their functioning towards stronger resilience.

By Rayyan Rafidi.

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/education/2019/10/528298/benefits-peer-support-mental-health