Latest news with #WorldMentalHealthDay
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: 'GLHX The Musical' tackles emotional stress in society
ANOTHER theatrical production is set to debut in the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC), 1 Utama E, Petaling Jaya, which zooms in on the topic of mental health awareness. 'Guo Li Hao Xi (GLHX) The Musical' is a live musical production which combines theatrical storytelling and a touch of Malaysian comedy. To be staged at 8pm and 3pm from Sept 26 to 28, it was created to highlight the growing emotional stress faced by people today. PAUSE In a recent interview, executive producer K.K. Wong said: "It invites us to pause, reflect, and realise that it's okay to not be okay. The production will be held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day." He added that the 100-minute musical which will be in Mandarin, Cantonese and English was a "call for empathy, awareness and connection." "It raises awareness of depression and mental health issues, and is to support Life Line Association Malaysia, an organisation that helps people who are affected." The story is about Fu Fan and Mike who run a drama company, Gao Li Hao Xi, which offers immersive performances to help customers express their emotions. When their first customer Mark asks for help reaching his emotionally distant fiancee, the team stages a custom drama to uncover what has been buried inside her. What starts as a quirky show slowly unravels into a deeper reflection on authenticity, emotional pressure and the power of storytelling. LIFE The musical stars Terry Ong, Richard Tan, KK Wong, Loo Aye Keng, Cheryl Lee, Orange Tan, Kopi Lim, Rickman Chia and Reno Lee, and is directed by Ryon Lee. Wong said: "The musical is about life and how one can overcome stress, depression, anxiety and other challenges by reaching out for help. "While it does feature mental health issues, Ryon wants to focus on love, hope and how there is no shame in asking for help. "We all face challenges, but tomorrow offers a fresh start and a chance to begin again. "Ryon and I are already in our early 50s. I feel that as I grow older, I want to help more. "At one point in my life I went through a really tough time emotionally and nearly fell into depression." "Now that I've come out on the other side, I want to give back in a small way, and I hope to be able to reach out to others through this musical." Ryon said: "I feel that the person who smiles the brightest and laughs the loudest usually carries the heaviest of burdens and deepest pain in their heart. "So it's important to treat everyone with care and respect as we never know what is going on in their lives. "I want to showcase that life is worth living. All you need is some help along the way." Ryon added that the characters are not based on any real persons. "They're shaped by a mix of stories we've read, heard, or seen in people we know." Wong said: "Live performances allow the audience to feel raw emotions, without any filters. "Through this musical, we hope people will disconnect from the illusions of screen life and reconnect with something more human." TALENTS It has been a long time since Ryon worked on a production. He said: "It's been 15 years since my last stage production, but I believe that telling a story through a musical can open hearts and minds. "It's a powerful way to raise awareness about mental health and to encourage empathy — reminding audiences to be more kind, more patient, and more understanding toward those who may be struggling." Wong said that some of the cast members had worked with Ryon and himself over the years. "For example, Cheryl and I have worked together on radio. The actors are all excited and are raring to showcase the stories and their talents." He added that one of the biggest misconceptions about mental health is the belief that those who struggle with it are "crazy" or somehow broken. "There's still a stigma around seeking help — like if you go to a counsellor, it means you are weird or something is seriously wrong. "But often, it's simply about needing someone to talk to, a shoulder to lean on, or even just someone to share a meal with." MOVIE Ryon said that the play might be made into a movie if audience feedback was good. "The musical will feature a combination of some specially written songs by Jiahui Wu, our music director, and also a collection of some familiar tunes." Producer Terry Ong said: "My team is here to bring greater awareness, not just to the story we're telling, but to the incredible talent we have in our local creative scene."
The Star
12-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Health Ministry to launch bullying management guidelines
PETALING JAYA: Guidelines to manage bullying at Health Ministry facilities will be launched in October, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. The Health Minister said the launch will coincide with World Mental Health Day and the guidelines will later be distributed to all Health Ministry facilities. 'This will empower existing support systems, including MyHelp KKM. It reflects the ministry's commitment towards the psychosocial welfare of its workforce,' he said in a statement on Saturday (July 12). More To Come
Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Smiles of Diogo Jota, tears of Darwin Nunez, how do athletes cope with tragic losses of lives?
The smile of Diogo Jota will not leave the heart of Darwin Nunez. Both were strike partners, sometimes vying for the same spot, thick friends. Andy Robertson would miss the 'bloke he loved' and the one he confided in hours of self-doubts. 'We'd watch the darts together, enjoy the horse racing,' he penned a touching tribute. Luis Diaz remembers the evening Jota, after scoring a goal, held out Diaz's jersey and waved to the crowd. The Colombian's father was kidnapped. 'There are gestures that one never forgets, and Diogo had one with me that will accompany me all my life,' Diaz wrote on Instagram. The reality of his loss would sink in only when they assemble for the pre-season on Tuesday. They would miss not just the selfless and gifted player that he was, but the empathetic and friendly person he was. They could feel him watching from the corner of the room, bantering around, or listening patiently to the woes of a teammate, or chipping in with a piece of advice to a young colleague. Tears would be shed, bottles would be kicked and the walls would be banged. Losing a colleague, a sweet one at that, would haunt them not for a match, a month, or a season. But until they live. They could channel the inner pain and angst to something substantial. A trophy, a clutch of them perhaps. 'For the team and the club, we'll try to cope with this together…however long that takes,' Robertson would say. But the best therapy to overcome the grief is returning to the ground, to do what they love the most. To play football. Last year, Jota himself had spoken about the game as a refuge from the woes of life during a 30-minute documentary for World Mental Health Day. 'Obviously everyone has things going on in their lives, business or family or whatever. I still feel like when I enter the pitch everything clears,' he would say. In the past too players who have endured loss of colleagues have talked about returning to training as the best way to cope with loss. Eight Manchester United teammates of Harry Gregg died in the tragic plane crash on the Munich runway. For days, he locked himself in the room, cut off from even his family. But he realised that soon he would be killing himself. So one day, he just took his boots and goalkeeping gloves and drove to the training ground in White City Stadium in Manchester. 'If I had to sit in my home I would have gone mad. Sitting there with the thoughts of all that had happened, all those terrible things I had seen, I just knew that I had to get out. That was the best thing that happened to me and I think the other survivors; to get down to White City and kick the living shit out of each other on the training field once more,' he later told The Guardian.. 'To get into the White City actually saved me. To argue, to fight, to train on the pitch and to be involved once more in training. It stopped me from going insane over what had happened to us all out there on the Munich runway,' he added. One of the fellow survivors was the late Bobby Charlton, who battled post-traumatic stress disorder for the rest of his life. His family still funds research into PTSD under the Sir Bobby Charlton Centres for Support and Rehabilitation programme. He claims he kept seeing ghosts of his departed friends and would hear their sound. 'For a little while, you see, football, all of life, had seemed to lose meaning. You think to yourself 'why should it be me?' he said before on his 80th birthday. For months Andres Iniesta couldn't reconcile with the death of his friend and Espanyol footballer Daniel Jarque, who died of heart attack during a preseason trip to Italy. 'Not depression exactly, not illness either, not really, but an unease,' he wrote in his autobiography, The Artist. He flunked training sessions, skipped team talks and even though he never mulled retiring. He eventually sought medical help. 'When you need help, you have to look for it: at times it's necessary. People are specialists; that's what they're there for. You have to use them,' he said. Memories of Jarque rushed back the night before the World Cup final. He woke up at 4 am and slipped out for a sprint along the empty but dangerous streets of Johannesburg. The next evening, when he scored the goal that won his country the World Cup, he lifted his shirt to show a message on his under-shirt, written in blue marker by Hugo the kit man:'Dani Jarque siempre con nosotros' ('Dani Jarque, always with us') But intermittently, Jarque's memories would pop up. Perhaps, they never really get over the pain, because they are forever connected with the men with whom you play. It's a unique bond, because their experience has been collective, they spend more time together with teammates than families. Often the best coping mechanism is to return to the dressing room and training ground. To purge sorrow with sorrow. The former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke once said he dealt with the loss of Phil Hughes, his teammate and friend who fell to a bouncer, by clinging to the happy times they had together. 'I try to on a daily basis think about the times we celebrated, we partied, we sat on the couch, we went for coffee or had breakfast,' Clarke once said. Former West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle used to visit the grave of his friend Runako Morton, who died in a car crash in 2012, in Nevis and share a glass of whiskey, which was Runako's favourite drink. Different coping mechanisms, but Jota's teammates would carry his memories for as long as they live. The smile, the kind words, the goodwill gesture. Far more precious than the goals he scored or the assists he made.
The Star
16-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Ministry boosting mental health support in varsities
PETALING JAYA: Boosting the number of counsellors at all public universities and developing digital tools to access mental health support are among the measures that will be used to tackle stress and burnout among students. According to the Higher Education Ministry, it is also looking at developing a holistic guideline on mental health for both public and private institutions that will cover prevention, early intervention, treatment and recovery. 'We support the development of an integrated digital mental health system at the higher learning institution (IPT) level to enable students to access support more quickly, easily and without stigma. 'We also help with the training and professional development of all IPT counsellors so that they are always aware of current issues and modern intervention techniques,' the ministry told The Star. This comes as the ministry takes note of student mental health issues with burnout, anxiety and stress, especially from academic and financial pressures, as well as challenges of future career prospects. 'These problems can be caused by various factors such as environmental changes, academic pressures and the cost of living.' In conjunction with National Counselling Month and World Mental Health Day, more than 245 mental health-related programmes and activities were implemented by IPT psychology officers and counsellors in all 20 public universities throughout October last year. The ministry also collaborates with other departments and agencies to assess the level of mental health of youth and implement intellectual programmes that focus on mental health. Several initiatives have been established, including free counselling services through counselling units at all public universities, mental health intervention programmes as well as financial and welfare assistance. 'For example, we have introduced the Minda Sihat and Mental Health Literacy and Psychological First Aid programmes to strengthen mental and emotional resilience among students. 'In addition, we have also collaborated with researchers from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysian Public University Counselling Council and Malaysian Public University Health Council to develop the Higher Education Institution Student Mental Health Module – Deal with Stress, Depression and Anxiety.' The module is used as a reference for psychological officers and counsellors in managing the mental health issues of university students in a more practical, effective and holistic way.
Press and Journal
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Dons-mad runner celebrates Scottish Cup win with fitness app sheep design
A north-east man has commemorated Aberdeen's Scottish Cup triumph over Celtic by creating a Dons-themed work of art with his fitness app. Stuart Marr, 41, from Westhill, has been drawing pictures across the parks and pitches of Aberdeen for the past five years with the help of Strava. And the keen Dons fan wanted to celebrate as the club ended their 35-year Scottish Cup trophy drought. He did so by 'drawing' a sheep posing with the cup and the letters 'AFC' while on his 5km run at the city's Hazlehead Park today. In the past, Stuart's Strava designs have included an elf, a guitar-playing Christmas tree and Santa getting stuck in the chimney. The bus driver's work prevented him from getting to the game on Saturday. But he used his latest run to celebrate the momentous moment. 'I still can't believe it,' the lifelong Dons fan said of his side's 4-2 penalty shootout win over Scottish Cup holders Celtic. Stuart was inspired not only by the win, but by Sunday's open top bus trophy parade in the city centre. Between 80,000 and 100,000 people took to the streets to celebrate with the players. Stuart told The Press and Journal: 'There was a great buzz to the city yesterday.' The dad-of-one has been a dedicated runner for the past 25 years. His fitness app has become an increasingly important part of his outings. He created a kilted man to mark Scotland's participation in Euro 2020. And he drew a head with a brain for World Mental Health Day through Strava. One of the most eye-catching designs depicted the Covid virus being jabbed by a vaccination needle. He drew that one back in 2021 while on a 44 minute, 7.57km run around the pitches at Sheddocksley. Stuart hopes the next Scottish Cup celebration for the Dons is not 35 years in the making. Or even 11 years, which was the club's trophy drought prior to winning on Saturday. 'It'd like to say a big thank you to the players and the Aberdeen team,' Stuart said. 'But I hope we don't wait too long for another one.'
