Ellen Mulvey ran up huge betting losses online and wrote ‘addiction is the worst disease’ before she died

A family is calling for wholesale reform of the gambling industry after an inquest heard details of the life and death of Ellen Mulvey, a “generous and caring” woman with a high-flying City job who also had a secret addiction.

Mulvey’s family believe she lost hundreds of thousands of pounds gambling without their knowledge, first via mainstream operators and then on unlicensed platforms.

Half of respondents to RCN poll said patients ‘frequently come to harm’ because caseloads are too high

Mental health patients in the UK are routinely coming to harm because of high caseloads, understaffing and overwhelming administrative work, according to a poll that found only a fifth of specialist nurses felt their workload was manageable.

Prof Nicola Ranger, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said mental health nurses were caught in a “perfect storm” and unable to keep up with rising demand, with patients paying the price by missing out on crucial care.

Exclusive: Samaritans call for mandatory training for firefighters amid rise in incidents

Suicide-related callouts to fire and rescue services in England have tripled in the last decade, with Samaritans now calling for mandatory training for firefighters, who they say are struggling to deal with the increase in traumatic incidents.

New figures show that fire services in England attended 3,250 suicide callouts in the year ending September 2025, the equivalent to 62 callouts a week. This was up from 997 callouts in 2009-10 when records began.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

SINGAPORE: Singapore is pushing mental health support earlier in the cycle, with employers now expected to play a more active role. Speaking at the WorkWell Leaders Awards on April 24, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung stressed that companies can no longer treat employee well-being as a side issue.

The minister said frontline supervisors can be trained with basic mental health skills. These include spotting early signs, offering initial support, and reducing stigma at work.

Mental health cases are rising globally, and most people fall into mild to moderate stages. Yet resources still lean heavily toward severe cases that require hospital care, Lianhe Zaobao reports (April 24, 2026).

Many employees needing early mental health support don’t get it in time

Singapore’s mental health framework has four levels: the first focuses on prevention and early support, while the fourth deals with acute cases, often requiring inpatient treatment.

Mr Ong pointed out that funding and attention remain concentrated on the final stage, resulting in a mismatch, as many who need early mental health support in the first two levels don’t get it in time.

The government now plans to rebalance support towards the earlier tiers. The aim is to intervene sooner, reduce escalation, and ease long-term strain on the system.

Employers sit right in the middle of this effort, as workplaces are usually where stress first shows up, making managers a key line of defence.

Companies should stop asking job applicants about their mental health history

Mr Ong also flagged a persistent issue that some companies still ask job applicants about their mental health history. Others keep records that may affect career prospects.

He cautioned against this approach because treating mental health differently from physical conditions can discourage people from seeking help. It also creates a culture of silence.

A better approach is to provide mental health support with care, not caution.

Companies that are already focusing on employee care, connection, and capability

Several firms recognised at the awards offer a glimpse of how this mindset change works in practice.

Accenture Singapore, which employs about 2,700 staff locally, rolled out a company-wide programme called “Truly You” in 2023. It focuses on care, connection, and capability.

The firm runs regular activities and offers a digital platform where employees can access health resources. Participation is encouraged through rewards and incentives.

Internal surveys show that close to 90 per cent of staff felt the programme improved their overall well-being, including mental, social, and financial health.

Its leadership also rejects the idea that well-being hurts productivity. Instead, the company sees it as part of long-term performance and retention.

Meanwhile, Boon Seng Recycling took a different route. It focused on reducing stress at the source.

The company streamlined workflows through digital tools and automation. It also built a culture where employees can suggest improvements during weekly meetings. More than 20 ideas have been reviewed, and most have been adopted.

In 2024, it set up a dedicated team to plan staff activities and support work-life balance. The approach treats well-being as part of daily operations, rather than just an add-on.

Prevention is better than a cure

The shift towards prevention is better than a cure signals a profound change. Mental health is no longer seen as a private issue. It is becoming a shared responsibility across workplaces and public systems.

Early support is also more practical as it reduces long-term costs, keeps people employed, and limits disruption to businesses.

For Singapore, an ageing workforce, rising stress levels, and digital overload all point to the same need: intervene earlier, not later.

Removing outdated policies that penalise people for seeking help

While this is not about turning managers into employee therapists, giving them enough awareness to act early and respond with care prevents staff issues from escalating into more serious conditions.

For companies, the starting point is to train supervisors, review hiring practices, and remove outdated policies that penalise people for seeking help.

For employees, the signal is just as important. Speaking up or sharing their concerns shouldn’t feel like it could harm their career growth and/or personal reputation.

Moreover, a workplace that catches worker problems early is not softer; it is smarter. And over time, it is likely to be stronger too.

This article (MOH: Supervisors should be trained to support employee mental health) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A local Reddit user said in a recent post that three years after taking their O-level exams, they’re continuing to experience nightmares. They wanted to know if anyone else still gets O-level nightmares too.

In their April 20 post, u/eeeb_deee explained that they graduated from secondary school six years ago. Because they went to a polytechnic school, they did not take A-level exams, which meant that the last national exams they sat for were the O-levels.

“Now I’m in uni, and it’s currently exam week,” they wrote, adding that it’s been a pattern over the years as exams approach or are ongoing, they begin to have nightmares about their O-level.

“For example, I’ll dream that I completely flunked them, or that I forgot to bring my circle template (which actually happened during my chem exam),” wrote u/eeeb_deee.

When this happened while they were still in poly, it wasn’t so surprising, as they had taken O-levels recently at that point. They seemed taken aback that this is still going on even now that they’re in university, and asked, “Is this a common thing, or is it just me?”

A common nightmare

The post author is likely to be comforted to know that exam nightmares are very common, and people may experience them for years or even decades after they take the actual exam that they dream about.

The primary reasons why people get nightmares are anxiety and stress, according to Psychology Today, and exams often cause both.

For exam-related nightmares, what’s behind exams needs to be looked into, such as being judged, evaluated, unprepared, or fear of failure.

“Examinations can be among the most stressful experiences in life, so it is hardly surprising that they make frequent appearances in our dreams,” wrote psychologist David Fontana in The Secret Language of Dreams. He added that there are common themes to these dreams, such as arriving at an exam without being adequately prepared, or arriving late and panicking while looking for the examination room.

What Reddit users are saying

Commenters on the post told the post author that they are not alone.

“I’m 46 and still dreams of getting to statistics exams in NTU, and realising I haven’t studied for it. It often happens in particularly stressful periods in my life, like when there are project deadlines at work,” one wrote.

“I’m gonna be 30 soon, but once in a long while I still get nightmares about not finishing my exam papers in time and I panic in my dream as I look at the clock in the exam hall,” added another.

“I am over 40 and I still have recurring dreams where I am sitting in my college exam hall and totally stressed about being unable to recollect why and how I am there with absolutely zero preparation for that exam,” wrote a third.

Another shared: “I’m also over 40 and also have these exam nightmares every time I’m stressed about something, typically work related. Either I forgot to study maths the whole year or I late and lost my way to the exam hall. My husband also, but for him it’s Chinese exams haha. The kind of relief I get when waking up from such dreams is really… so grateful I’m no longer in school!” /TISG

Read also: Woman who failed O-Levels shared how she bounced back through grit, determination, & a lot of hard work

This article (‘I’m still having O-Level nightmares’: Singaporean shares exam stress years later) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

Executive order to speed access to psychedelic treatments likely to have limited legal impact despite high-profile push

The Trump administration issued an executive order earlier this month to accelerate access to psychedelic medication for people with “serious mental illnesses”, but experts say the order is more likely to make a difference symbolically than legally.

“Policymakers and the medical field have long struggled to address the burden of suicide and serious mental illness rates in America,” the order reads, noting that some people do not respond to available treatments.

SINGAPORE: A troubling account shared online about a lower secondary school girl has sparked widespread discussion, with netizens expressing concern over her risky behaviour and the deeper issues it may reflect.

The story, posted on the /askSingapore subreddit, described a series of incidents involving the teenager. From smoking and drinking at a young age to being involved in a police case, online oversharing, and more recently, meeting strangers and getting a tattoo without her parents’ knowledge, the post showed their genuine worry.

The conversation quickly shifted beyond judgment, with users focusing on mental health, vulnerability, and the complexities of growing up in today’s digital environment.

A pattern of risky behaviour

According to the post, the teen’s behaviour appeared to escalate after entering secondary school, where she began mixing with what was described as “bad company”.

Incidents mentioned included underage drinking and smoking, a case involving explicit content, and subsequent bullying in school after private images were leaked. While she reportedly became more compliant with her parents during investigations, the situation did not remain stable.

More recent episodes, including sharing a relative’s phone number publicly online, misleading strangers for money, lying about her whereabouts, and visiting a home-based tattoo studio, raised alarm bells for her family.

The situation escalated when her mother reportedly had a panic attack while trying to locate her after she went missing for several hours. These led the original poster to pose the question: “What is an appropriate punishment for her?”

“Punishment won’t solve this”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, many netizens pushed back against the idea of punishment as a solution. One commenter noted bluntly, “Punishment? She needs therapy. Get her some professional help for what she’s been through,” reflecting a wider sentiment that the issue goes deeper than discipline.

Another added, “If punishment works, she would have behaved long ago. She’s acting out either because of neglect, trauma or personality disorders. Only psychologists can diagnose, and that’s also if she’s willing to cooperate.”

Others echoed similar views, pointing out that behaviour like this is often a sign of underlying distress rather than simple rebellion. “She needs a child psychologist’s diagnosis, treatment and coaching. She’s a minor, so her parents and guardians are still able to bring her to treatment,” one user wrote.

The challenge of helping someone who resists help

At the same time, some commenters highlighted a difficult reality: change cannot be forced. “Can’t help someone who doesn’t think they need it,” one user said, though another quickly responded with a nuanced take, noting that minors are still highly vulnerable and may require persistent guidance and support.

Another comment reflected this tension: “She can only change if she herself wants to change. There is nothing you can do or say that will make her listen to you. The best you can do is watch out for her and help her when she gets into trouble, which she will.”

These perspectives show the emotional strain faced by families; on the one hand, they want to intervene, but on the other hand, they end up feeling powerless when their relative resists help.

Family dynamics and misplaced blame

The discussion also touched on a sensitive but important point: not all problematic behaviour stems directly from poor parenting. “A lot of people will like to put the blame on parents. But the truth is, you can have good parents, but the kid just wants to deviate from it,” one Redditor responded.

This comment describes how adolescence is a complex phase shaped by peer influence, identity struggles, and emotional development, and not just upbringing.

Beyond the specifics of this case, the situation also highlights an issue about youth mental health and the pressures young people face today. From exposure to social media to navigating relationships and identity at an early age, teenagers today often face challenges that can quickly spiral if left unaddressed.

Risk-taking behaviour, attention-seeking online actions, and secrecy may sometimes be coping mechanisms signalling that something deeper is wrong rather than signs of defiance alone. In short, these rebellious acts may actually be their cries for help.

A call for compassion and early intervention

What stands out most from the discussion is not outrage, but concern. Many netizens emphasised the importance of early intervention, professional help, and consistent support from trusted adults. While boundaries and consequences still matter, they are unlikely to be effective without understanding the root causes of behaviour.

For families facing similar situations, the takeaway is clear: it is not just about stopping the behaviour, but understanding why it is happening. Building trust, keeping communication open, and seeking professional guidance where needed may not offer instant results, but they provide a path forward.

In cases like this, the question may not simply be “how do we discipline?”, but rather, “how do we help someone who may already be hurting?”

This article (‘Going down a bad path’: Teen’s risky choices and online drama alarm family, spark netizen concern) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

President signed executive order directing FDA to expedite review of psychedelic drugs including ibogaine

Donald Trump on Saturday announced reforms intended to speed up access to medical research and treatment based on psychedelic drugs.

The president signed an executive order directing the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite review of drugs such as ibogaine, which US military veteran groups have said can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder.