TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Help me: Young people with mental health issues struggle to find support system
A study by global public opinion and data company YouGov published in June shows that 27 percent of Indonesians have experienced suicidal thoughts.
Change Size
The research revealed that 36 percent of Indonesians have engaged in self- harm. (Shutterstock/Lizardflms)
A
mid growing awareness of mental health among the public, getting a reliable support system for those who suffer from anxiety or depression can also be another form of struggle.
For college student Bayu, 23, he was glad that he had his parents when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2014 and social anxiety four years later.
He went to professionals for help after having persistent suicidal thoughts that haunted him after being rejected by his peers at school.
During what he dubbed as his “dark times”, he said that his parents were his best supporters for him to get through the day. Not only did they help him find the best psychologists, but they also helped him cope with the dark feelings by being present.
“They paid for the medication and consultation. I had so many sessions back then,” said Bayu, who now lives in Brisbane, Australia.
But 21-year-old Zahra was not as lucky. Zahra saw a psychologist during her early years of university. And though her parents knew about her struggles with mental health, they didn’t seem to care, she said.
“When I was seeking professional help, my parents didn’t care. Once they caught me attempting suicide but they thought I was doing that to seek their attention,” she said.
