CNA Special - Age of Anxiety: A hyper-connected but lonely generation (Part 2)
WHERE TO SEEK HELP
If you or someone you know is struggling and needs support, please consider reaching out to one of the helplines below.
Youthline: +65 6436 6612 (call), 8533 9460 (text) and over email at hello [at] youthline.sg. Youthline provides free mental health support to youth via phone, email or a live chat service. It runs from 9am to midnight daily. Calls outside of operating hours are redirected to Samaritans of Singapore or the Singapore Civil Defence Force for emergency medical services.
Samaritans of Singapore: 1767 (call), 9151 1767 (WhatsApp text) and over email at pat [at] sos.org.sg. Samaritans of Singapore provides round-the-clock confidential emotional support for individuals in crisis, thinking about or affected by suicide. The call and text-based services are operational 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
National Mindline: 1771 (call), 6669 1771 (WhatsApp) and through online webchat on the http://mindline.sg/fsmh website. This is a round-the-clock confidential national-level helpline. Beyond immediate counselling, those who require more support can be directed to the appropriate care and resources.
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Independent Singapore
11 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
PHV driver/rider guide for Singaporeans: How being behind the wheel is killing you, and what you can do to stay alive and beat fatigue without hitting the brakes
SINGAPORE: If you're a private-hire vehicle (PHV) driver, delivery rider, or taxi driver in Singapore, you already know: the 9-to-5 life is a distant dream. Your work clock spins on its own terms. One hour you're dropping off someone, and the next hour, you're grabbing food for someone else—all while seated for hours, dodging erratic cars, tolerating demanding passengers, and sitting through the occasional monsoon downpour. It's not just exhausting. It's dangerous. According to a 2022 study by the National University of Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies, platform workers work an average of 59 hours per week, as reported by CNA Lifestyle . That's more than a full-time job and then some. And with roughly 70,000 gig workers in Singapore's ride-hail and delivery sectors (about 3% of the national workforce), that's a lot of folks behind the wheel, pushing through long days with barely a break. These individuals are our unsung heroes, responsible for our food deliveries, midnight rides, and early-morning airport trips. But behind every steering wheel is a platform worker fighting traffic jams, fatigue, dehydration, body aches, and burnout. Sleepless in Singapore Fatigue isn't just about feeling tired. It's a slow fade of your mental reflexes, concentration, and alertness, turning your Grab ride into a potential hazard. 'Drivers experiencing fatigue may show signs such as frequent yawning and blinking, difficulty keeping their eyes open, and decreased concentration and vigilance,' CNA Lifestyle quoted Dr Licia Tan, an associate consultant at Sengkang General Hospital's Department of Occupational Medicine. 'Passengers might also notice the driver becoming fidgety, veering off the lane, or driving erratically,' she added. How long does it take before you hit the sleepy slope? Just one to two hours of non-stop driving, according to Dr. Tan. That's because driving—especially in Singapore's bustling streets—is mentally demanding. 'Driving is a cognitively demanding task that relies on sustained attention, quick reflexes, and decision-making – all of which would decline when a driver is tired,' she explained. And on scorching hot days, it gets worse. 'Intense weather conditions, such as a high environmental temperature, show a positive association with fatigue symptoms and have been linked to poorer decision-making and road traffic accidents,' said Dr. Tan. Translation: Singapore's weather isn't just bad for your hair—it's bad for your brain. Even more worrying: Staying awake for 18 hours is the cognitive equivalent of a 0.05% blood alcohol level. Push that to 24 hours, and it's 0.10%—above the legal limit of 0.08% in Singapore. You may be sober, but your brain thinks you're drunk. It's not just traffic that's draining you Fatigue comes in two nasty flavours, said Dr. Tan: active and passive. Active fatigue happens when you're constantly dodging other bad vehicle drivers, navigating heavy traffic, or trying not to hydroplane during a thunderstorm. You're mentally switched on, but that intensity burns you out fast. Passive fatigue, on the other hand, creeps in during long, boring driving journeys. Think: driving along the expressway on autopilot. It's so monotonous, your brain starts to doze off before your eyes do. And let's not forget the psychological stress, such as dealing with rude customers or being under pressure to meet incentive targets. Add in mobile phone distractions and the occasional sip of alcohol (which you shouldn't be doing at all while driving/riding), and you've got a cocktail of concentration killers. The health toll behind the wheel You'd think mental stress would be the worst of it—but nope, your body takes a massive hit, too. Driving is, at its core, a sedentary job. Hours spent sitting still, missing meals, or wolfing down fast food, and barely moving your limbs is a one-way street to chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. Also on the danger list are lower back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, and the condition known as whole-body vibration (WVB). If you've ever felt your bones rattle after a long day on rough roads, that's WVB in action—and it's linked to nerve damage, spinal degeneration, and vascular issues. So, what can a road warrior like you do about it? Doctor's orders: 4 easy habits to stay road-ready 1. Fuel your body right (not just your car) Stick to regular meals and stock up on healthy snacks. Think: fruits or unsalted nuts—basically anything that won't leave a grease trail on your steering wheel. 2. Hydrate like your life depends on it (because it does) Two litres of water a day is the bare minimum. Keep a reusable bottle in your car and top it up regularly. Dehydration can make you drowsy, dizzy, and cranky—not a great combo for safe driving. 3. Take micro-breaks Even a 5–10-minute pause every hour can work wonders. Stretch your legs after dropping off a passenger. Do quick lunges or shoulder rolls. Park and pace around the car. The more you move, the more your body will thank you. 4. Say no to marathon driving Driving more than 12 hours a day isn't heroic—it's hazardous. Long hours heighten fatigue-related errors and hurt your heart in the long run. If no time to stop, here's a hack If you really can't pull over for a proper break, then micro-stretch at the wheel. Dr. Tan recommends neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, and upper body stretches—simple seated exercises you can do while waiting at a red light or in a queue. And don't underestimate your seat. Adjust it for the most ergonomic posture—for comfort, and to prevent strain that creeps in after long shifts. Even the best engines need regular maintenance, and so do you You're not just a driver. You're the engine of the gig economy. But even the best engines need regular maintenance. Similarly, your body, mind, and health deserve pit stops, hydration, and decent fuel. Don't let fatigue take over the wheel. Take control of your health—one break, one stretch, one good habit at a time. Drive safe. Stay sharp. And don't forget to take care of the person behind the steering wheel first before anything else. In other news, a Grab rider's wife opened up about her growing concerns for her husband's safety on the road. She said, 'It's just the risk in riding that concerns me, especially during rain. Even when we're careful, others may be careless.' You can read their full story over here: 'Are you embarrassed or even humiliated to say your husband is a Grab rider?' — Singaporean 'abang Grab' asks his wife, and gets an honest, shocking answer
CNA
19 hours ago
- CNA
Can exercise really ease anxiety and depression? Science says it's more powerful than you think
When it comes to mental health, most treatments for conditions like depression or anxiety come with caveats. Medications work for some symptoms, but can exacerbate others. Cognitive behavioural therapy is effective for many patients, but not all. But there's one strategy that seems to work for most people and almost all experts endorse, and that's regular exercise. Decades of research have established that exercise has a positive effect on mental health. In studies of patients with mild to moderate depression, for example, a wide range of exercise regimens has been shown to be as effective as medications like SSRIs (though the best results generally involve a combination of the two). Moving regularly can improve slee p and reduce stress. While there's good evidence for the mental health benefits of exercising for about 45 minutes, three to five times per week, even just a few minutes of walking around the block can have positive effects. 'Is this walk going to do anything?' said Jennifer Heisz, an associate professor at McMaster University in Canada and the author of Move The Body, Heal The Mind. 'Yes! The answer is yes. It'll do way more than you think.' WHY IS EXERCISE GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH? It's hard to find a brain process that doesn't improve with regular movement. Exercise boosts blood flow, decreases inflammation and improves brain plasticity. It also triggers the release of many mood-boosting chemicals, including beta-endorphins and cannabinoids (which both play a role in the 'runner's high' feeling), norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. More recent science has found that, consistent exercise can change the underlying structure of some brain regions. 'You're increasing actually the birth of new neurons within the brain,' said Mazen Kheirbek, a psychiatry professor at the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. By creating new brain cells, exercise 'changes, over many days, how your brain functions.' Adults typically don't generate many new neurons, and it only happens in a few places, namely in the hippocampus, which is tied to mood and memory. People suffering for long periods from depression or stress tend to have smaller hippocampi than others, with fewer new neurons and less plasticity. According to research on both humans and lab animals, there's essentially a reverse effect – more neurons and a greater ability to adapt – after regular exercise, Dr Kheirbek said. This is especially clear in people with more severe anxiety or depression, who generally see larger improvements over time. ARE CERTAIN WORKOUTS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN OTHERS? Scientists haven't yet determined whether, say, running is better than weight lifting for improving mental health. For one thing, a lot of exercise studies are performed on animals, and it's much easier to get a mouse to run in a wheel than lift weights, said Brett R Gordon, a postdoctoral fellow at the Penn State Cancer Institute. It is also hard to compare different kinds of exercise because the effects can be different for different people, and participants bring their own biases about exercise to a study. Someone who already enjoys running may be more likely to experience a mood lift after other forms of cardio. However, there is some evidence suggesting that activities like yoga or tai chi are better for relieving symptoms of anxiety than, say, boxing or basketball. This may be because these fluid, low-intensity workouts often employ meditative or mindful techniques that have repeatedly proven beneficial for mental health. 'The mind-body connection, it can be present in all forms of exercise, but it's reinforced very much in yoga and tai chi,' Dr Heisz said. More intense exercise – almost by definition – increases stress levels. Some of Dr Heisz's research suggests that people who report more symptoms of anxiety tend to see fewer mental health benefits from intense workouts in the short term than those with little or no anxiety. But several experts, including Dr Heisz, pointed out that over time, regular intense exercise can still have significant benefits to people with anxiety, if they stick with it and listen to their bodies. In fact, a large 2023 review suggested that HIIT workouts can be more effective at alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms than lower intensity workouts. But none of this matters if a patient doesn't feel motivated to do it, said A'Naja Newsome, a physical activity researcher at the University of Central Florida. With depression in particular, she said, it can be difficult to get started, or to enjoy it. 'When you think about someone who is experiencing depressive symptoms, it's often lack of interest, lack of energy, lack of mood,' she said. She stressed the importance of beginning with easier, lower impact activities and having an exercise community or workout buddy to keep you going. And if you're just starting out, a daily walk might be more sustainable than an intense workout. 'While I'm a huge proponent of resistance training and aerobic exercise,' she said, 'if someone doesn't like it, they don't enjoy it, they're not going to do it.'
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Can botox really improve your self-esteem? Depends on how you already feel about yourself, say experts
These days, for every flaw we perceive about our bodies, there seems to be a treatment, procedure or regimen designed to "fix" each one. Social media is rife with content promising aesthetic perfection. We fixate on beauty standards led by influencers, going down the rabbit hole of tutorials and tell-alls on how to achieve sculpted jawlines or glass-like skin. Counsellor Bethany Chuah from psychological consultancy firm Mind What Matters said that studies have shown a clear link between social media materials such as these and an increase in cosmetic procedures. Filtered images create the illusion that constant self-enhancement is normal or even necessary, and this can be psychologically risky. The sea change is clear: Cosmetic procedures used to be something we kept hush-hush, but they are appearing more in public discourse and conversations. Recently, American personality Kylie Jenner made a comment on a fan's TikTok video that quickly went viral, sharing the details of her breast augmentation surgery, down to the name of the surgeon and implant size. Men are not exempt from similar pursuits. One of the newer trends to surface on online communities is "looksmaxxing", where young men seek to enhance their "sexual market value" through facial massages and cosmetic surgeries. It has spawned a peculiar vocabulary used by those who subscribe to these ideas when discussing about their features. For instance, "mewing" refers to a tongue exercise that purportedly sharpens jaw shapes, "IPDs" refers to interpupillary distance or the gap between the eyes, and "canthal tilt" is used to describe the angle of the eyes. In Singapore, the Ministry of Health said that the number of licensed providers offering aesthetic services rose by an average of about 40 a year between 2020 and 2023. More young Singaporeans are opting for "injectables" such as botox and collagen shots. Mental health experts told CNA TODAY that body dissatisfaction is normal to a certain extent. For instance, adolescents aim to look "cool" or be consistent with a certain image of themselves. Mr Benjamin Low, senior clinical psychologist at specialist clinic Psych Connect, said that women, in particular, experience "normative discontent". This means they are often encouraged to be discontented with their looks and seek to appear better. However, "better" is defined according to prevailing ideals in society. The insecurity we may feel about our faces or bodies is nothing new, but we now have the means to do something about it. We can smooth out every wrinkle, regrow every hairline. With all these new avenues for "improvement", imperfection now seems intolerable. Fake is no longer taboo; unreal is the new norm. Yet, given how easy it is to step into a clinic and book a consultation – or even an appointment for a procedure right away – how can we tell if we are doing it for the right reasons? Are we acting out of an unhealthy insecurity about our faces or bodies? Can a desire to undertake such procedures ever come from a neutral, grounded place? BODY POSITIVITY OR INSECURITY? Firstly, it is important to note that there are differences in facial and body enhancements. Invasive surgeries involve using an instrument to make skin incisions, often leaving scars. Some examples are nose reshaping, body contouring or facial surgery. On the other hand, non-invasive procedures leave the skin intact and are usually performed via syringes or lasers. These cheaper, more convenient options usually don't require general anaesthesia and require less time for the patient to recover. Facial injections such as botox and dermal fillers fall under this category. Both invasive and non-invasive procedures are getting increasingly popular. However, when is a person's desire for such an intervention borne out of a simple want for self-enhancement, and when does it reflect darker psychological causes? Counsellor and psychotherapist Ana Jeremiah, who runs private practice The Journey Within, said that it is important to hold space for both sides of the spectrum. "When it is about self-enhancement, the decision usually stems from a place of clarity and self-agency," she said. In this case, these people likely already feel generally fine with themselves but want to align their outer appearance with how they feel inside. They are not driven by fear, pressure to conform or a need to be accepted and they can reflect honestly about their intent behind seeking a procedure. Ms Jeremiah added: "They might be happy with who they are and where they are in life, and choose to undergo a procedure as a form of self-expression or even a personal reward, rather than out of shame or the hope that changing their appearance will solve deeper emotional pain." One of her clients made the decision to undergo such a procedure from a self-aware position, and it ended up supporting her self-confidence. Ms Jeremiah attributes this to her client not making the mistake of letting her decision-making be driven by insecurity. On the flip side, choices that stem from unhealthy reasons may not achieve the desired outcome. "(Those) rooted in insecurity often carry urgency, shame or the belief that changing their appearance will finally make them feel 'enough', loved or accepted," Ms Jeremiah said. Mr Low highlighted this factor for those who feel that most or all of their self-worth is based on their appearance. Such individuals may feel great discomfort in situations where their appearance may be noticed, for instance, in mirrors or among people. "Grounds for suspecting an unhealthy cause are increased if the perceived flaw is not commonly seen as a flaw in the person's culture or if the flaw is barely noticeable objectively," he added. OBSESSIVE CHECKING Mr Low also stressed that if a person keeps looking at and negatively evaluating the state of the perceived flaw, their motivation for "fixing" it is likely to be psychologically unhealthy. Such individuals may also often try to conceal the flaw, he said. For example, avoiding physical interaction with people, or wearing jackets to conceal perceived fat despite hot weather. This masking or avoidance behaviour can occur despite their desire to socialise with friends, for instance, or to dress lighter in humid climates. Another red flag indicating unhealthy mindsets or attitudes is when people go for repeated procedures. Mr Low pointed out that in such cases, the risk is that procedures borne out of unhealthy psychological causes will never be enough. To self-identify a facial feature or body part as unsatisfactory or unseemly and then addressing it with external procedures might offer temporary relief, but "dissatisfaction with the same (feature or) part may resurface", he warned. "They may also feel that the procedure did not fix it to their full satisfaction despite a technical success." Alternatively, these people might simply shift their fixation to a different feature or part. "A physical fix does not fix a psychological cause," he added. Another sign of trouble is if people seeking cosmetic enhancements believe that the procedures will magically fix unrelated areas of their life – suddenly finding love, for instance, or gaining social acceptance, Ms Chuah of Mind What Matters said. Mr Jasper Loy, clinical director of Youthline, a youth service that provides free counselling, said that such individuals might not acknowledge the risks, pain, recovery time or potential for less-than-perfect results. Strong resistance to any psychological evaluation or counselling before surgery is a potential indication that they are unwilling to address the underlying issues driving their desire for surgery and other procedures, he added. "Cosmetic procedures can become a slippery slope. Each change briefly soothes insecurity, but doesn't address the root cause (of this need)," Ms Chuah emphasised. "Long-term body confidence often requires deeper work." If someone is considering a procedure, Ms Jeremiah offered some important questions that they should ask themselves: "Am I doing this to honour and express who I already am, or to finally feel 'enough' in the eyes of others?" This question helps clarify their motivation "If no one ever noticed or complimented the change, would I still want to do this?" This question gently invites one to reflect on whether the desire is truly for themselves or if it is rooted in external validation CONFIDENCE COMES FROM WITHIN Overall, Ms Chuah said genuine body confidence cannot come from a scalpel or syringe, but rather "from within". Building self-worth takes reflection, compassion and support from people who see your value beyond your appearance, she explained. "It is not a quick fix, but the results are longer-lasting than any procedure." Mr Loy from Youthline agreed that journeying towards self-acceptance requires patience. The ideal body is a myth, he said, and chasing it can lead to dissatisfaction and insecurity. Instead, we are better off learning to love ourselves as we are, recognising our inherent worth and celebrating our unique qualities, he advised. Worried that your friend, family member or loved one is considering an aesthetic procedure for the "wrong" reasons? The key is to lead with empathy, not judgment, the counsellors said. Instead of telling them what to do or what not to do, try to focus instead on helping them make an informed, self-aware decision, Ms Chuah proposed. Mr Low said that concern can start with care but then escalate into worry, persuasion and coercion. Avoid criticising them, he advised. Such criticisms may result in the distressed person feeling that they are a "problem" or are seen by others as one. Instead, Ms Chuah suggested asking open-ended questions to understand their perspectives and help them feel safe to honestly explore their motivations. Ms Jeremiah listed some prompts aimed at creating space for reflection without shame. For example, "What is leading you to consider this?' or "What do you hope it might change for you emotionally?" "Remind them that you care about them as a whole person," she added.
