By Olivia Miwil
KOTA KINABALU: Young people may be concealing emotional struggles behind the seemingly perfect lives portrayed on social media, says Sabah State Psychiatry head Dr Chua Sze Hung.
"In this digital era, social media timelines often portray seemingly perfect lives. However, behind these screens, many people, particularly young people, are silently struggling with loneliness, stress and anxiety.
"As healthcare professionals, families and the wider community, we must look beyond these screens, break the walls of isolation and offer support before problems worsen," he said at the World Mental Health Day celebration at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) here.
Chua said this year's theme, "Live Experiences, Heard, Real Voices, Real Change", highlighted the importance of listening to people living with mental health conditions and their families, rather than relying solely on clinical statistics and diagnoses.
He said their personal experiences could help healthcare providers develop more empathetic, personalised and dignified approaches to treatment and recovery.
"When their voices are heard without stigma, that is where real change begins," he said.
Chua said addressing mental health challenges required collective responsibility, rather than being left solely to psychiatric services.
He called on hospitals and communities to become safe spaces where people could speak openly about their struggles without fear of judgement.
"Let us make Queen Elizabeth Hospital a safe space where every cry for help is heard, every struggle is respected, and no one is left to fight alone in the darkness," he said.
Also present were HQE Psychiatry and Mental Health Department head Dr Lew Sheau Voon and organising chairperson Dr Sarah Marilyn Amin.
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