Video: White paper "Project Hayat" presented on Suicide Prevention Day (including GBTQ men at risk)

[groyn88]

A 2021 study on the link between experienced homophobia and suicide among young gay, bisexual, transgender and queer men in Singapore found that out of 570 eighteen to twenty-five-year old individuals from the surveyed population, about 59% had ever contemplated suicide, and 14% had ever attempted suicide. Experienced homophobia was positively associated with a history of suicidal ideation.
Project Hayat ("life" in Malay), by SG Mental Health Matters, was a community-led collective effort founded by Anthea Ong and others with lived experience like Dr Rayner Tan, a public health academic, to develop a white paper for a national suicide prevention strategy to be presented on World Suicide Prevention Day, Tuesday, 10 September 2023. This was aligned with recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO).
On that day, Channel NewsAsia interviewed Dr Rayner Tan and suicide survivor Reshii Varma about Project Hayat.
Links:
https://the-singapore-lgbt-encyclopaedia.fandom.com/wiki/Discrimination_against_homosexuals_in_Singapore

[Guest That's not it]

Not so simple.   Suicidal thoughts were mostly triggered by events rather than being innate.  But being different, could easily become you the target of someone else's provocations.  Therefore, before attempting to address an individual's internal issues, external causes must be addressed as a high priority.

 

There is only one self-perception that you have.  Not because you ought to love yourself more; rather, the fact that you are the sole gay sperm among billions of heterosexual sperm that reach their destination speaks volumes about your individuality.  Don't allow the people you love control your emotions (friends, family...etc). . A relationship is like an impulsive materialistic acquisition; having it or not shouldn't kill you. Relationships are merely temporary journeys.

 

Lastly, make it your mission to increase your income, gain independence, and never look back on your painful past because the people who mistreated you and made your life difficult won't be around....and YOU....please...continue to enjoy the gifted life of being gay.

 

 

 

 

 

[BubbaBear]

 

I guess i belong to 1 of the 59% who had ever contemplated suicide. I felt so much pressure as straight friends around me are getting hitched and some on the way of getting married. Plus the fact that it was a time when kepoh relatives like to pressure you on when you getting a gf, getting married etc, also i was so afraid of ppl finding out Im gay and being laughed at, ostracized etc. So i was living a double life. Anyways i was in a bad place and that was when i felt like i was in a black hole being swallowed up. I felt difficult to breathe and felt so depressed day after day... luckily i had 2 close friends, 1 who is gay and they brought me out from ...the closet. And that was when i realised i dont have to live according to how ppl look or think about me. I'm..me. And i was finally free.

 

So if anyone out there is a that dark place i was in, come out into the light. Get to know new friends. Life can be good .

[Guest Aiya]

1 hour ago, BubbaBear said:

So if anyone out there is a that dark place i was in, come out into the light. Get to know new friends. Life can be good .

Most importantly, like-minded friends.  Not just anything new.   Ideally, formed a weekly discussion group, to pour out your thoughts.   While this forum provided the non-physical discussion group,  the physically presence group is even more helpful.   I didn't see that coming from Singapore gay "group" to start the initiative, though 20 years ago, we have a little bit here and here at different locations.