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mong crowds of people busy window shopping, a couple talked seriously with a psychologist in the middle of a bazaar at the free Mental Health Check Up event held by Indonesian Mentality Care at Gandaria City mall in South Jakarta recently.

Thirty-six-year-old Titi Wiyanti and 41-year-old Ivan Rumbayan talked for about 30 minutes before finally leaving the booth with relieved expressions.

'€œWe came here to the booth for a session because we have been quarreling over trivial matters often
lately,'€ Titi said.

Titi, who has been with Ivan for eight years, said the quarrels started escalating when they began preparing for their wedding. '€œWe have rarely fought in our eight-year relationship but now it seems that it is so easy to start an argument,'€ she said.

She gave an example of choosing wedding rings. '€œI prefer simple ones while my fiance wants the ones with diamonds,'€ she said, adding that they had argued over the matter for days.

'€œThe psychologist said we simply needed to intensify our communication,'€ she said, noting that the advice was useful for both her and Ivan.

The couple said they hoped for more free psychology consultation sessions in the capital city. '€œIt is necessary as many people suffer from stress in Jakarta. They do not only need to share about their problems but also to find a good listener who can give them the right advice,'€ she said.

Titi and many other Jakartans vented about their personal problems and consulted with psychologists during the event.

Irnaningtyas, a 28-year-old freelance associate assessor, said she wanted to find out about her psychological state. '€œI want to know whether I need to worry about the level of stress I feel in my daily life,'€ she said.

Irnaningtyas said she suffered from stress mainly because of her job. '€œI usually work more than eight hours a day and I have to endure another hour on the road because of traffic jams,'€ she said.

'€œThe psychologist previously said that my level of stress is still mild and I can resolve it with good habits,'€ she said, adding that hobbies like cooking and gardening helped her be more relaxed.

Psychologist Silvia Hanny Liestyani, who has been practicing for four years, said Jakartans were prone to stress and depression because of their daily routines.

'€œThe high demands of professional life, traffic jams and a lack of quality time with family and friends makes it so easy for working people to suffer from depression,'€ she said.

The Social Rehabilitation Directorate General at the Social Affairs Ministry recorded that in 2014, 11.2 percent of Jakartans have mental health issues.

Silvia said people who suffered from stress or depression should be aware of their psychological condition, so they could start resolving problems as early as possible.

'€œIn the worst cases, without proper treatment, stress can even lead to suicidal tendencies,'€ she said.

Silvia said that in the free session, all participants would be given 20-minute consultations. '€œThey can talk about their problems or we can help them to identify their psychological state through filling out some questionnaires,'€ she said.

She said that those who had more serious problems were allowed to come again the next day.

Ade Binarko, cofounder and leader of Indonesia Mentality Care, said the event was aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of early identification in mental illnesses.

'€œMany people actually suffer from mental illnesses but they are usually ashamed to admit it and eventually refuse to do anything about it,'€ said Ade.