KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) marked World Mental Health Day with a unique initiative, aiming to raise awareness about mental health while attempting to break a Guinness World Record with the "Longest Trust Fall Challenge".
The attempt was part of an initiative by Asia Innovative Healthcare Network Bhd and Digital A Plus with Faculty of Medicine UKM during the World Mental Health Day programme organised at Tun Abdullah Mohd Salleh Hall, UKM Bangi campus, on Saturday (Oct 12).
It involved 500 students and volunteers attempting to beat the previous record of 339 individuals held in the United States.
UKM Faculty of Medicine Deputy Dean (Industry and Community Partnerships) Associate Professor Dr Ruslinda Mustafar said the programme was designed to address growing concerns over mental health.
"We want our students to be open to the fact that mental illness exists, that there's no need to be ashamed.
"This is about raising awareness and promoting mental health as something just as important as physical health," she told the New Straits Times.
The highlight of the event, she said, was the trust fall challenge, where students demonstrated their support for one another, symbolising trust and collective efforts in mental health awareness.
Unfortunately, the participants' strong will to succeed in the attempt was not enough to meet the required condition, even with three chances given.
Beyond the trust fall challenge, the day also featured a forum session focusing on mental health awareness, where social media influencer Nisha Ezzati, one of the speakers, shared her mental health journey.
Nisha, who is a Person with Disabilities cardholder, revealed that she endured bipolar type two disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and mild anxiety.
Her heartfelt account of struggles and triumphs provided a powerful perspective on the importance of seeking help and supporting one another.
"We're trying to break the stigma. So, when you attend this event, we also have Nisha, who spoke openly about her experiences and everything she's been through.
"Why do we bring in an influencer? Because we want people to think. 'If Nisha, with her huge number of followers can open up willingly, why can't I?'. That's why we're holding this event," Ruslinda said.
Also present to share their take and knowledge on mental health issues were consultant psychiatrist Professor Dr Suzaily Wahab from UKM's Faculty of Medicine and Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital and UKM Health Science Faculty's Clinical Psychology and Behavioural Health Programme's Professor Dr Shazli Ezzat Ghazali.
Guinness World Record adjudicator Austin Johnson said the record attempt displayed a beautiful message of teamwork and trust from the students.
"The message for today is about mental health. You might not know the person behind you, but you can trust them. You can talk to them, ask for advice, and rely on them.
"Mental health is a very under-acknowledged subject, and so bringing awareness about it with a trust fall relay Guinness World Records title challenge is phenomenal."
Johnson revealed the specific guidelines to qualify for the record.
"Most notably, the participants must stand at least 50cm apart from one another.
"If the catcher, the person behind, must step forward to catch the faller, that would be invaluable.
"However, after catching the faller, they are permitted to step forward to help put the faller back up.
"No longer than five seconds can pass between when a participant is caught, stood up and then falls backwards.
"This guideline is in place to maintain the relay aspect and ensure it resembles a domino effect."
Faculty of Medicine Psychiatry Department representative Dr Farah Deena Abdul Samad, who spearheaded the programme, said fostering mental health awareness early among students could help them prepare for future careers.
"This year, our theme focuses on prioritising mental health at the workplace, but we also target our students because, eventually, they will enter the workforce.
"We want to equip them with coping mechanisms and resilience for whatever stress they face in university and later in life," she said.
The event featured various booths offering resources on handling mental health issues, such as stress and ADHD, along with screening opportunities.
Dr Farah said many students were unaware of their struggles with ADHD and related conditions, and the event aimed to provide crucial support.
"Many students struggle with mental health issues, and this is an important step to help them.
"We're working to break the stigma so that they can speak openly about their challenges and seek help without fear of being judged."