Kota Kinabalu: Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) director Datuk Dr Abd Kahar Abd Asis has stressed the importance of listening to people with mental health challenges to better understand their needs and improve support services.
“Mental health must be discussed openly and responsibly without stigma.
“By listening with empathy and without prejudice, we can better understand the needs of individuals facing mental health challenges, improve our services and create a more supportive environment for their recovery,” he said in his opening speech for the 2026 World Mental Health Day celebration at the HQE Auditorium here on Friday.
His speech was delivered by Head of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Dr Lew Sheau Voon.
The celebration, themed “Lived Experience Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”, also highlighted the impact of social media on mental well-being, particularly among young people who may face social pressure, self-comparison and cyberbullying.
Abd Kahar said social media offered opportunities to learn, connect and share experiences, but its potential effects on emotional well-being made it important to encourage more balanced and responsible use.
He also stressed that mental health support should extend to hospital staff, as the demands and responsibilities of caring for patients could cause stress among healthcare workers.
“We must strengthen a supportive workplace culture in which we are willing to listen to one another and encourage colleagues to seek help when necessary,” he said.
He added that while healthcare workers were responsible for looking after their patients, their own mental well-being and that of their colleagues should not be overlooked.
Meanwhile, State Psychiatry Specialty head Dr Chua Tze Hong said mental health care should go beyond statistics, clinical assessments and diagnoses by listening to the lived experiences of patients and their families. This could help identify gaps in empathy and improve services.
He said these experiences could guide more personalised recovery approaches and help ensure mental health services were delivered with greater dignity and respect.
“Genuine change begins when people are heard without stigma or prejudice,” he emphasised.
Chua also highlighted the hidden struggles behind social media, noting that while online platforms often portrayed seemingly perfect lives, many people, particularly young people, silently grappled with loneliness, pressure and anxiety.
He urged healthcare professionals, families and the wider community to look beyond what was displayed on screens, recognise signs of distress and offer support before circumstances worsened.
The main programme, a forum titled “Behind the Screen: Social Media, Mental Health and the Reality of Life”, combined clinical perspectives with personal experiences of social media use.
It featured psychiatrist Dr NityaPriya Palanivail and local social media influencers Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas and Bonyventure Hee, with Geoallen George as moderator.
About 180 participants, comprising hospital staff, teachers, secondary school students and students from higher education institutions around Kota Kinabalu, attended the programme.
HQE hopes the initiative will raise public awareness of the early signs of mental health problems and encourage people to seek appropriate treatment and support.
