Article Summary
Navigating daily life presents many challenges, and there are times when situations can exert significant pressure, resulting in discomfort for individuals.

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By: Nurul Ezzaty Mohd Azhari

Navigating daily life presents many challenges, and there are times when situations can exert significant pressure, resulting in discomfort for individuals.

These feelings can arise due to events experienced by individuals, including family issues, careers, education, finances, household matters, friendships, and more.

Indeed, everyone desires tranquillity, a heart constantly filled with joy, a happy life without tears, and a mind with positive thinking.

When we cannot manage emotional pressure healthily, we may feel trapped and emotionally empty, lose control over our feelings, and experience hopelessness.

What is even more perilous is that individuals grappling with emotional pressure are prone to commit suicide as an escape route.

Previously, the media reported an 81 per cent increase in suicide cases in Malaysia, with 1,142 cases reported in 2021 compared to 631 cases in 2020.

However, information from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) indicated a slight decrease in reported deaths by suicide in 2022, with 981 cases compared to 1,142 in 2021.

Despite this decrease, we should continue paying attention and not underestimate this issue, in line with Malaysia MADANI principles to ensure the well-being of individuals.

Early signs that someone is experiencing emotional pressure include sadness, difficulty in maintaining a positive self-image, a lack of enthusiasm for activities, withdrawal from social interaction, a preference for solitude, a sense of worthlessness, and a feeling that life is meaningless.

Extend Support

As caring individuals and society, we must provide support and understanding to those facing emotional pressure, including keeping an eye on friends who might be experiencing emotional pressure.

Even if we may not fully comprehend the experiences of those undergoing emotional pressure, our caring actions can at least deter them from undesirable courses of action.

Displaying empathy, listening attentively, and offering appropriate support are among the vital steps to help friends experiencing emotional pressure.

According to Rafidah Sadarudin, Senior Psychologist from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Hospital (HSAAS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), support is critical in expediting the healing process for unwell individuals.

This is because when individuals feel loved and supported, this can provide them with motivation and encouragement to recover swiftly.

Thus, emotional, moral, and practical support from family, peers, or healthcare professionals can help individuals feel better and instil confidence in their healing process.

Furthermore, encouraging them to seek professional help, such as counsellors or mental health experts, is commendable.

The fact is that emotional pressure is a natural part of life and cannot be entirely avoided. However, we can learn to manage it wisely.

Doing the screening test available online, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), is the first step to gauge the level of emotional pressure or depression experienced, whether within the normal range, mild, moderate, severe, or extremely severe.

Nonetheless, this test is only for monitoring one's mental health because a thorough examination by a psychiatric specialist is required to confirm an individual's mental health.

The healing process takes time, so if you have close friends or family members who need our support as attentive listeners, spare them some time.

Offer assistance to the best of your ability. A simple gesture is to check on them regularly to show that someone still values and cares for them. - UPM

Date of Input: 18/10/2023 | Updated: 20/10/2023 | hairul_nizam