The stigma of mental health needs to be eliminated - Lee Kim Shin

MIRI, Oct 3: The stigma against individuals receiving mental health care should be eliminated to ensure that the community is not afraid of seeking treatment or support when needed.

Sarawak Transport Minister, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said that there is still a perception that someone who visits a mental health doctor is considered to have mental problems.

He says that stress, sleep problems and anxiety can also affect a person's well-being and do not necessarily mean that the individual has mental illness.

"Stigma is what we have to teach the community. It's not a mental illness sometimes. Sometimes it's not a mental problem, but stress, stress or lack of sleep, lots of things to worry about and so on", he said during the 2026 Health Camp Inauguration Meeting at Permy Shopping Centre, here today.

He said misunderstandings were among the factors that prevented individuals with symptoms of stress from seeking treatment or seeing a doctor.

Obviously, the community needs to understand that getting help when needed is not a disadvantage, but rather part of self-health efforts.

"There's a stigma when someone goes to the psychiatrist, he says he has a mental illness. We need to tell the community, this is a problem in society. They don't understand when they hear someone go to a psychiatrist", she said.

He added that understanding of mental health also needs to be strengthened in work environments including in the public and private sectors to avoid misconceptions and negative feedback on individuals receiving assistance.

He explained that mental health is also related to physical health because health problems, including sleep deprivation and certain diseases, can affect a person's mental well-being.

"Health as a whole includes interrelated physical, mental and social aspects that need to be balanced", he said. - TVS