KUALA LUMPUR: As a trusted household brand, a Gardenia KL survey shows that only 10.7 per cent (pct) of respondents surveyed seek professional help when faced with emotional challenges, according to the findings of the ‘Wellness Begins at Home’ campaign organised by Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd (Gardenia KL).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the findings were obtained through the Second Edition (2023) of the campaign, which found that the majority of respondents, who were Malaysian singles or married (with children or none) aged 17 to 56, were more inclined to take a passive approach when faced with problems as in ‘let it blow over’.
Gardenia KL said in a statement that among the popular reactions in the survey (the 2023 respondents were from Selangor, KL, Putrajaya and Penang) was hoping that the emotional challenge would pass by itself (49.4 pct), leaving everything to God (43.5 pct) and avoiding thinking about the dilemma (40.5 pct).
According to more details gleaned from a Gardenia KL website on the
2023 ‘Wellness Begins at Home’ survey, married respondents with family were more likely to turn to God (leave it to fate) or use the family support system and, more interestingly, less likely to use coping mechanisms like smoking, vaping, alcohol, or self-harming unlike younger adults.
Younger respondents (aged 21-25) like Millennials, however, were more likely to turn to overeating (and become obese), sharing their plight with good listeners, or developing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or swing to the extreme of self-harm.
By gender, men were more likely to turn to addictions like drinking, while women chose ways to relax or go on vacation.
On the impact of social media affecting the mental health of young people, 32 pct felt happy when reading about their friends’ bragging rights (successes), while 23 pct were demotivated by their own situation (of failure) in comparison.
When facing emotional challenges, 57 pct cited loss of confidence, 56 pct felt like a ‘failure’, 51 pct felt ‘lonely’, and 50
pct felt a ‘loss of direction and purpose in life’. Other worrying traits included being hot-tempered (38 pct), self-harm and suicidal tendencies (27 pct), and financial desperation (25 pct).
But generally, only 19 pct of respondents were ‘happy’, 40 pct were working towards ‘happiness’, 35 pct were satisfied but not happy, while 6 pct were ‘unhappy’.
‘The answers received show a general preference to use a ‘wait-and-see’ approach among respondents. This survey also found that only 10.7 pct of all respondents sought professional help,’ it said.
In the same statement, Gardenia KL Corporate Affairs and Public Relations General Manager Hazlinah Harun said that this campaign was introduced to create a safe space and atmosphere to normalise discussions about mental health.
‘Society is now aware of the importance of mental health more than before. We believe it is time to empower people to adopt practices that can improve mental well-being, including seeking counselling help, just as they would see a doctor whe
n they feel unwell,’ she said.
The ‘Wellness Begins at Home’ campaign, which began in 2021, involves collaboration with various parties, including social media and the support of public figures (experts, influencers). The first edition in 2021 focused on the impact of the Movement Control Order (MCO) on the mental well-being of the community.
Among the questions posed that attracted attention was that 70 pct of the respondents stated that they still felt the impact on their mental health (unresolved distress) even after the MCO conditions were relaxed.
In the same survey, the results also found that respondents learned several skills such as cooking (35.5 pct), house cleaning (23.7 pct), time management (16.1 pct), and business acumen (7.2 pct).
In summary, the surveys show Malaysians are increasingly aware of their mental health and over 50 pct understood that finding happiness is a long process.
The 2024 edition saw a more inclusive approach to young people through a street interview with actress Mia S
ara Nasuha.
The video produced from this interview shares the experience of different individuals in facing life’s stress, accompanied by practical guidance by TELOS (a private enterprise) Mental Wellness counsellors.
The video can be viewed on Gardenia KL’s Instagram and Facebook platforms.