News.Life

AI Chatbots Offer Lifeline for Singapore's Youth Mental Health Crisis

DIWIDA.NEWS artificial intelligence, brain health, medicine and healthcare, mental health, psychology

Almost a third of youths in Singapore experience mental health issues. Many are seeking help through chatbots such as Wysa for emotional assistance.

 Jessica, who is 25 years old, finds herself waking up with both a throbbing head and an increasing feeling of dread. This isn’t merely due to the aftermath of a night filled with dance and alcohol; rather, it’s a deep-seated anxiety that grips her as daylight streams in.


 Her thoughts spiral: is she falling behind in life? Is she capable of love? As her mind races, she turns to the one confidant who's always available:
 ChatGPT

"She mentioned that it had become a place where she could ‘vent her trauma’ without concern for whether it could emotionally reciprocate or not. Other times, she simply needed to express frustration or discuss something briefly and then conclude the interaction, free from the obligation of maintaining a dialogue since it wasn’t with an actual person.”


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 , our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.


 OpenAI's chatbot has helped her through heartbreaks and job losses, and it's judgment free. "I know ChatGPT is an AI bot, but it makes me feel heard and validates my feelings more than any human does sometimes," she said.


 For Jessica, who is between jobs, the structured and rational responses of an AI chatbot feel grounding - almost more reassuring than a late-night call to a friend and far cheaper than therapy. She's not alone.

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 As therapy costs rise and mental health stigma persists, more people - especially the young - are turning to chatbots for quick emotional fixes. Whether coping with break-ups or career dilemmas, these AI companions are helping to reshape how some grapple with stress and vulnerability.


 In China,
 DeepSeek
 has become an alternative to traditional therapy for some young people, who turn to the AI app for advice and introspection. Meanwhile, in the United States, a 2021 study by therapeutic chatbot company Woebot Health found that 22 per cent of adults had used a mental health chatbot, while nearly half expressed interest in doing so.


 Singapore was an early adopter of
 artificial intelligence
 for mental health, launching Wysa in 2020 as a response to the pandemic. The chatbot offers access to meditation, breathing exercises and pep talks to help users manage their mental health challenges.


 More than 90 per cent of Wysa users have reported feeling emotional relief and being able to reframe their thoughts, according to Pranav Gupta, global head of commercial and partnerships at Wysa. Many had sought support for workplace and relationship issues exacerbated by the pandemic.

<div class="blockquote-quote">
 People are struggling to access care so they turn to what's easily available
</div>
<div class="blockquote-author">
 Only Adam, a trauma recovery counselor
</div>

 John Lim, who serves as the chief well-being officer at the Singapore Counselling Centre, mentioned that these chatbots offer a "judgment-free" environment where individuals can freely share their thoughts.


 He mentioned that he has come across people using AI chatbots for emotional backing, frequently as an initial move before consulting professionals or as an addition to their therapy sessions. For those new to counseling, these AI chatbots serve as a tender introduction to grasping what receiving support entails.


 AI chatbots have emerged as the initial point of support for a generation grappling with mental health issues.


 According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Institute of Mental Health, almost one-third of individuals between the ages of 15 and 35 in Singapore indicated experiencing signs of depression, anxiety, or stress. Among the 2,600 participants, about one-fourth reported having significant or very intense feelings of anxiety during the previous week.


 Adam, who specializes as a trauma recovery therapist and relationship coach at The Good Life Counselling, stated that the reliance on AI chatbots highlights a significant "emotional and mental health crisis."


 "Individuals find it difficult to obtain proper care, so they resort to whatever is readily accessible. In most instances, these platforms permit people to express their emotions and receive some form of response," she explained.


 Although these AI platforms provide such accessibility and even a sense of connection... they lack the depth, subtlety, and emotional resonance required for genuine healing in the end.

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 Not everybody resorts to chatbots seeking empathy, though. For instance, Vanessa*, aged 32, utilizes them as tools for organizing her thoughts. Considering a relocation overseas, Vanessa sought guidance from ChatGPT.


 “I believe I wasn’t particularly seeking emotional support; instead, I needed someone impartial to listen to me. I was engaged in significant personal exploration to clarify my preferences regarding my career and relationships,” she explained.


 Vanessa views ChatGPT as just one of several “resources” available to her, complemented by traditional face-to-face therapy sessions. She remarked, "Nothing beats talking directly to a therapist in person. An effective therapist possesses an array of techniques and strategies tailored to address various issues such as using EMDR therapy for managing anxiety."


 Vanessa noted that even with its constraints, the chatbot’s availability couldn’t be denied. It served as an affordable substitute for individual therapy sessions, which typically range from S$80 to S$300 (approximately US$60-US$225), often costing much more.


 Jessica voiced similar feelings about her AI “companion,” noting that it seemed quite authentic. She explained, "Though I haven’t been to therapy myself, talking to those who have suggests that the guidance provided feels akin to what one might receive from an actual therapist.” Jessica highlighted how useful she finds its impartiality and organization.


 Nonetheless, mental health experts caution that although AI chatbots provide quick, available, and unbiased assistance, they cannot substitute for professional therapy.

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 Just compared chatbots to brief pieces of mental wellness material found on social platforms, offering easily digestible guidance, comfort, and affirmation, thereby assisting individuals in feeling acknowledged, supported, and valued.


 Lim pointed out potential dangers including incorrect guidance, absence of responsibility, perpetuation of detrimental behaviors, and excessive dependency. He mentioned, "Instances have occurred where chatbots offered ineffective or potentially damaging recommendations, like proposing harmful ways to cope or not recognizing critical situations."


 Gupta from Wysa highlighted that AI is not meant to “replace therapy,” but rather to make support more readily available. "AI will never substitute for human therapists. Rather, it acts as a crucial supplement—filling voids, offering assistance between appointments, and connecting with individuals who may have otherwise never sought help," he stated.


 The future of mental health care won't be about choosing between AI and therapists. It will involve AI and therapists collaborating.


 Nur concurred, observing that chatbots enable patients to express themselves between appointments or manage tough feelings when cut off from their support network. However, she warned against confusing artificial intelligence with genuine human connections.


 "The primary risk associated with depending on AI for mental health assistance lies in the false sense of genuine interaction. You might think you’re receiving attention as responses come back at you rather than feeling ignored or disrespected... however, this falls short of providing the profound engagement necessary for authentic recovery,” she explained.


 
 *Names altered upon participants' request
 


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 China calls for the EU to address the electric vehicle subsidy dispute and convey a positive message amidst uncertainties.


 The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.


 Copyright © 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

AI Chatbots Offer Lifeline for Singapore's Youth Mental Health Crisis

Almost a third of youths in Singapore experience mental health issues. Many are seeking help through chatbots such as Wysa for emotional ass...

Parents whose kids become confident, successful adults avoid this 2-word phrase, says Ivy League-trained psychologist

DIWIDA.NEWS children and families, education, parenting, psychology, public education

<img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1xT7Oa" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1xT7Oa.jpg"/>

 Your child gets a good grade on a test. "Good job!" you respond. The scenario seems pretty straightforward — but those two words can backfire on you, says child psychologist
 <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/03/ivy-league-psychologist-how-successful-parents-tell-kids-no.html?&doc=108092228">
 Becky Kennedy
 </a>
 .


 If you don't add a more specific form of praise onto the end, "good job" can be a "conversation ender," Kennedy said on a
 <a href="https://tim.blog/2024/12/27/dr-becky-kennedy-good-inside/">
 podcast episode
 </a>
 of "The Tim Ferriss Show" that aired last month. Ask follow-up questions to show your kid that your praise is sincere, and highlight the positive behavior that you want them to build on, she recommended.


 The idea is to help
 <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/17/how-to-raise-highly-confident-girls.html?&doc=108092228">
 build their confidence
 </a>
 and prevent them from relying on external validation, helping them become more successful later in life, said Kennedy, who has a PhD in clinical psychology from Columbia University and hosts the "Good Inside" parenting podcast.


 "In those moments, we want as parents to double down on building our kid's confidence. That's usually the goal we're optimizing for," said Kennedy,


 To be clear, the phrase "good job" isn't itself harmful, Kennedy said. But if your school-aged child brings home a research paper they're proud of, asking specific questions and showing genuine interest is more likely to build their confidence, whether you say those two words or not, she noted.


 A parent of three children herself, Kennedy admitted that the advice "sounds annoying at first ... [But] anything that helps your kid share more about themself actually ends up feeling better to your kid."

<h4>
 How specific praise helps kids become more confident and successful
</h4>

 <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/28/i-spent-20-years-studying-how-to-raise-successful-kids-heres-the-skill-all-parents-should-teach.html?&doc=108092228">
 Specific praise helps kids develop inner efficacy
 </a>
 , which means they'll believe in their own abilities and be more likely to challenge themselves in pursuit of their goals, developmental psychologist and author Aliza Pressman wrote for Make It last year.


 Like Kennedy, Pressman agreed that parents don't need to eliminate the phrase "good job" from their vocabularies completely — but it should always be followed by specific praise.


 "When we say 'Good job!' it's got to be sincere and specific. Tell kids when you recognize their real effort, persistence, creativity, independence, and competence," Pressman wrote.


 As for self-validation — learning how to validate oneself without waiting on generic praise from someone else — Kennedy considers it one of the most important core skills children need to learn to eventually succeed as adults, she said.


 Kids who grow up relying on the outside world for validation can be "very empty and very fragile [and] very, very anxious," Kennedy said. "What's really helpful down the road is when you produce something — maybe it's art, maybe it's a [work] project — and being able to give yourself some estimation of that before others do is very helpful to your whole self-concept and protective of anxiety and depression."


 
 
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Parents whose kids become confident, successful adults avoid this 2-word phrase, says Ivy League-trained psychologist

Your child gets a good grade on a test. "Good job!" you respond. The scenario seems pretty straightforward — but those two word...

Ivy League Psychologist Reveals the Critical Step She Takes After Yelling at Her Kids

DIWIDA.NEWS children, children and families, family relationships and dynamics, parenting, psychology

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 Almost all parents will eventually lose their cool with their children at least once, making a certain amount of shouting seem unavoidable.


 This holds true even for parenting gurus such as Becky Kennedy, a child psychologist educated at Columbia University and the host of the parenting podcast "Good Inside." Despite having three children herself, Kennedy confesses that she too experiences moments of frustration severe enough to cause her to raise her voice at them—often triggered by delays in their morning routine, like dawdling during dressing time which makes her tardy for her job.


 "At times we reach a peak moment when, as parents, [and] I experience this myself. I end up yelling and screaming at my child: ‘Why can’t you understand what’s happening? You never follow through with what I request’...or perhaps, ‘You’re being very self-centered. You might cause me to be delayed. You transform me into something monstrous. Why couldn’t you pay attention from the start?’" Kennedy shared with entrepreneur Tim Ferriss during their conversation.
 episode of his podcast
 "The Tim Ferriss Show" episode that was released just last month.


 
 
 DON'T MISS:
 
 
 
 
 The definitive handbook for generating passive revenue on the internet
 
 


 Shouting occasionally might be forgivable, according to Kennedy, yet such eruptions can have
 long-lasting negative effects
 Young children might interpret an occasional angry eruption from their parents as being far more severe and lasting than it actually is. Additionally, the shame and guilt that parents experience following such episodes of raised voices may result in heightened anxiety, which could then trigger further outbursts down the line, notes psychologist Emily Edlynn.
 wrote
 In Psychology Today previously year.


 This is precisely why mothers and fathers should promptly offer an apology and identify the emotions that led them to lose control, according to Kennedy. She refers to this as “repair,” which aims to reassure children—making sure they understand that their parents' anger doesn’t diminish their affection for them—and set examples of constructive and accountable conduct.


 Kennedy stated, “I’m owning up to my actions.” He added, “I want to provide my child with an explanation of what transpired and share how I’d handle things differently should this happen again.”

<h4>
 Ways to Make Amends After Raising Your Voice
</h4>

 Kennedy provided an illustration of how "repair" might appear: "I want to mention something about our interaction earlier; I shouted at you, which was likely frightening for you. Additionally, please know that whenever I raise my voice, it’s not because of anything you did but rather due to me losing control momentarily. I am making efforts to remain more composed—so even when upset, I aim to speak with a gentler tone. For all these reasons, I apologize."


 She stated that informing children that your outbursts are never their responsibility should not excuse them from facing consequences of inappropriate or rude conduct. Rather, this approach aims to convey that they do not bear accountability for another person’s behaviors, whether positive or negative.


 "I get frustrated when my child isn’t listening and the morning gets pushed back,” explained Kennedy, further stating: “Saying something like ‘You force me to raise my voice; you transform me into a beast’ essentially holds your child accountable for your ability to handle your emotions.”


 Parents who tend to have sudden emotional eruptions should try identifying what causes their irritation, allowing them to pause and control themselves before raising their voice, as suggested by Kennedy. They could also inform their children: "I’m feeling upset right now. I’ll take a moment to breathe and will return shortly," she advised.


 Controlling your emotions around your kids might be challenging, yet exerting greater command over them during tough moments proves to be highly beneficial in the end.
 Barnard College child psychologist
 Tovah Klein
 told Make It
 last year.


 "Even when it was incredibly difficult, I feel most accomplished during instances where I managed to remind myself, 'I have to be the mature one in this situation,'" Klein stated.


 
 
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 Register for 's online course
 
 
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 To discover popular methods for generating passive income, advice on beginning your journey, and true accounts of achievement.
 


 
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Ivy League Psychologist Reveals the Critical Step She Takes After Yelling at Her Kids

Almost all parents will eventually lose their cool with their children at least once, making a certain amount of shouting seem unavoidabl...

Experts reveal the seven odd behaviors linked to a high IQ

DIWIDA.NEWS brain health, culture, personality types, psychology, psychology of everyday life

<ul class="mol-bullets-with-font">
 <li class="">
 
 READ MORE:
 <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13659215/IQ-test-Yale-math-questions.html">
 Only 20% of Harvard students aced this three-question IQ test
 </a>
 
 </li>
</ul>

 Some of the greatest minds, such as Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin, exhibited strange behaviors like solitude and burning the midnight oil.


 And while the world may have found those habits as odd, numerous studies have linked them to having high IQs.


 That is because
 
 our daily practices have a big impact on our intelligence - and can even change the way we think.
 


 
 And
 <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3519065/What-does-music-taste-say-online-quiz-caring-sociable-obsessive-stickler-rules.html">
 psychologists have pinpointed
 </a>
 at least seven strange behaviors that they believe are signs of a genius.
 

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<h2 class="mol-para-with-font mol-style-subhead">
 
 
 1. Talking to yourself
 
 
</h2>

 
 If you talk to yourself, you're not crazy. It may actually be a sign that you're smarter than the average person.
 


 
 Even though this behavior is somewhat irrational, a growing body of evidence has suggested that it has big cognitive benefits - including better memory recall, confidence, focus and more.
 


 In a 2012 study, a team of American researchers showed participants 20 pictures of various objects and asked them to find a a specific one.


 Scientists found that people who talked to themselves while looking at the images were able to identify the object faster.


 Another study, conducted in 2017 by UK researchers, discovered that our brains act much like those of monkeys when we stop talking to ourselves - activating separate visual and sound areas of the brain for each task.


 In the experiment, researchers asked participants to repeat meaningless sounds out loud, such as 'blah-blah-blah,' while performing visual and sound tasks.


 'Because we cannot say two things at the same time, muttering these sounds made participants unable to tell themselves what to do in each task,' Paloma Mari-Beffa, senior lecturer at Bangor University, wrote in
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-talking-to-yourself-a-sign-of-mental-illness-an-expert-delivers-her-verdict-77058">
 The Conversation
 </a>
 .


 'Under these circumstances, humans behaved like monkeys do, activating separate visual and sound areas of the brain for each task.'


 So the next time you're caught muttering to yourself, don't be embarrassed. That strange habit is helping you process information and stay sharp.

<h2 class="mol-para-with-font mol-style-subhead">
 
 
 2. Staying up late
 
 
</h2>

 
 The early bird may get the worm, but evidence has suggested that night owls actually have higher IQs.
 


 
 <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13620635/Night-owls-sharper-brain-function-morning-people.html">
 A study, published in January, analyzed
 </a>
 data from 26,000 adults, finding those who stay up late scored significantly higher on cognitive tests than early risers.
 

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 Night owls scored about 13.5 percent  higher than morning types in one group and 7.5 percent higher than morning types in another group.
 


 
 Many brilliant minds have been known to have nocturnal habits, including Darwin and Marcel Proust.
 


 
 If your mind is most active while the rest of the world sleeps, you may have a high IQ.
 

<h2 class="mol-para-with-font mol-style-subhead">
 
 
 
 3.  Daydreaming
 
 
 
</h2>

 
 
 Getting lost in daydreams is often perceived as absent-mindedness. But scientists have said that this is actually a sign that you're smart and creative.
 
 


 
 
 'People with efficient brains may have too much brain capacity to stop their minds from wandering,' said Eric Schumacher, a Georgia Tech associate psychology professor, said in a statement.
 
 


 
 
 His research found that people who report more frequent daydreaming score higher on intellectual and creative ability tests.
 
 


 
 
 MRI scans also showed that these people had more efficient brain systems.
 
 


 
 
 This evidence suggests that daydreaming is actually a great workout for your brain. So if you find your mind wandering, that's a good sign.
 
 

<h2 class="mol-para-with-font mol-style-subhead">
 
 
 
 
 4. Thriving in clutter
 
 
 
 
</h2>

 
 
 
 Some people can't stand a messy room or desk. But the highly intelligent don't seem to mind it - or perhaps even prefer it.
 
 
 


 
 
 
 A team of researchers set out to determine why that is. They put study participants in either a messy or tidy office space and asked them to come up with new uses for ping pong balls.
 
 
 


 
 
 
 Though both groups came up with a similar number of ideas, the researchers found that the participants in the messy room came up with more creative and interesting ideas.
 
 
 


 
 
 
 'Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights,' said Kathleen Vohs, lead scientist behind the experiment, in a press release.
 
 
 

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 'Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.'
 
 
 


 
 
 
 So, leaving your space untidy may help you think outside the box.
 
 
 

<h2 class="mol-para-with-font mol-style-subhead">
 
 
 
 
 
 5. Asking lots of questions
 
 
 
 
 
</h2>

 
 
 
 
 If you're constantly asking how things work, where they come from, and dozens of other questions that pop into your head, you're probably highly intelligent.
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 Curiosity is one of the most common signs of brightness. It's a sign that your mind is always seeking to understand the world around you.
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 It also means that you're always learning and storing new information. The more questions you ask, the more your understanding expands.
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 To some, it may seem annoying. But for people with high IQs, this insatiable curiosity is natural.
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 As Einstein once said, 'I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.'
 
 
 
 

<h2 class="mol-para-with-font mol-style-subhead">
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6. Being introverted
 
 
 
 
 
 
</h2>

 
 
 
 
 
 Many geniuses have been known to hide themselves away to work or think in peace and quiet.
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 It makes sense - it can be difficult to focus while surrounded by the constant chatter and stimulation of a social environment.
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 Plus, studies have shown that introverts tend to engage in deeper cognitive processing than extroverts. They tend to think more thoroughly and critically, which can be associated with a higher IQ.
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 Introverts also tend to prefer activities that require concentration and sustained mental effort, such as reading and research, which can foster intellectual development.
 
 
 
 
 

<h2 class="mol-para-with-font mol-style-subhead">
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7. Devouring books
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
</h2>

 
 
 
 
 
 
 Avid readers are constantly learning new information, vocabulary words, complex ideas and different perspectives. It's like a workout for the mind.
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 Additionally, reading helps strengthen mental focus, imagination and our ability to empathize with others.
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 People who read a lot are constantly developing their intelligence, which means they're more likely to have a high IQ.
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 Take business mogul and investor Warren Buffet for example. He spends almost eight hours a day reading.
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 So if you constantly have your nose in a book, you're actually getting smarter by the page.
 
 
 
 
 
 

<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13736895/Experts-reveal-seven-odd-behaviors-linked-high-IQ.html">
 Read more
</a>

Experts reveal the seven odd behaviors linked to a high IQ

READ MORE: Only 20% of Harvard students aced this three-question IQ test Some of the greatest minds, such as Al...