A recent survey by Gardenia Bakeries KL (Gardenia KL) revealed that 15.8% of Malaysians experienced an unhappy childhood. It further revealed a correlation between respondents who suffered unhappy childhoods and the likelihood of divorce in adulthood (12.8%), compared to a divorce rate of 3.3% among respondents who had a relatively happy childhood. The survey kicked off Gardenia KL’s Wellness Begins at Home 2023 campaign, aimed at encouraging people to move from feeling challenged to that of a challenger mentality instead. The survey also examined root challenges and their correlation to mental health issues faced by Malaysians.
“Gardenia KL introduced the Wellness Begins at Home Campaign with the aim of creating a safe space to normalise discussions around mental wellness. The community is definitely more aware of the importance of mental health now compared to the past. We believe there’s still room to grow in terms of awareness, education, and removing the stigma around seeking help for mental health issues. Gardenia KL’s role in this area is to provide a platform for powerful messages to inspire positive change in this space,” explained Gardenia Bakeries KL’s Corporate Affairs and Public Relations General Manager, Hazlinah Harun.
Respondents were asked multiple-choice questions and given the option to select more than one answer. When asked about reactions to unhappy childhoods, the top three responses shared were strong feelings of respondents not wanting to become like their parents (39.4%) and that they could not wait to move out of the family home when they had the chance (25.3%). Meanwhile, 16.3% of respondents indicated their inability to change their childhood situations due to a lack of options at the time.
In terms of gender categorization, females were found to be more likely to leave home sooner (15.2%) compared to male respondents (7.7%).
The survey findings affirmed the critical role of the family unit as the foundation of an individual’s sense of identity and a benchmark for choices and tendencies in adulthood. It also revealed that respondents who experienced alienation or estrangement from the family were more likely to experience challenges. Some of the top observations that respondents shared were that 83% felt they became hot-tempered, 80% felt they experienced mental health issues, and 83% experienced a loss of direction in life.
“It’s a journey when we’re dealing with mental health issues—a difficult journey,” explained Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association (MIASA) President, Anita Abu Bakar. “The most important thing is to know that you’re not alone and that no matter what is happening, it will pass. Reach out if you are indeed struggling, and don’t give up,” she advised.
The ‘Kalis Koyak’ survey by Gardenia KL was carried out in collaboration with SOSCILI. The survey drew responses from 1,020 Malaysians ranging in age from 17 to 56 years and above, mainly residing in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Penang. The respondents comprised a mix of single individuals and married couples, both with and without children.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to MIASA via www.miasa.org.my which offers mental health assessment and consultation, counselling services, spiritual therapy, therapeutic assessment, psychological services, and peer support. Alternatively, contact the MIASA 24-hour helpline at 1-800-820-066.
To catch the Gardenia ‘Wellness Begins at Home’ discussion, visit @GardeniaKL’s.
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