Project Green Ribbon (PGR) is a Singapore-based non-profit organisation focused on youth mental wellbeing, early support, family crisis support, community mental health and practical pathways to help. PGR also operates Green Hearth, a short-stay, family-based crisis sanctuary for suitable youths aged 13 to 25.

Young people, parents, caregivers, schools, counsellors, social workers, community organisations and other professionals may contact PGR. You do not need to know the exact name of the service you need before asking for help.

No. Early support can be useful when anxiety, emotional distress, family conflict, school difficulties, isolation or other problems are beginning to interfere with daily life. You do not need to wait until the situation becomes an emergency.

No. PGR is not a 24-hour crisis hotline, hospital, psychiatric emergency service or police service. For 24/7 mental health support in Singapore, call national mindline 1771. For suicide crisis support, call Samaritans of Singapore at 1767. If someone is in immediate danger, call 995 or 999 or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Yes. Many people first notice that they are not coping well before they have a name for what they are experiencing. You can describe what has been happening in ordinary language. A GP, counsellor, mental health professional or community service can help work out the next appropriate step.

Anxiety is a normal response to stress or perceived threat. It becomes a concern when worry or fear is persistent, difficult to control, out of proportion to the situation, or begins to interfere with school, work, sleep, relationships or daily functioning.

An anxiety disorder is more than occasional worry. It involves persistent or recurring anxiety that causes significant distress or affects everyday life. Different anxiety disorders include generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety and specific phobias. A healthcare professional should make the diagnosis.

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or anxiety that can produce strong physical sensations such as a racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness, sweating, trembling, nausea, chest discomfort, tingling or a sense of unreality. Panic attacks can feel frightening even when no external danger is present.

Yes. Panic symptoms can resemble physical illness, which is one reason some people first seek medical help. Because similar symptoms can also occur with medical conditions, new, severe or concerning symptoms should not automatically be labelled anxiety without appropriate assessment.

It can. Some people notice physical arousal, tension, dizziness, stomach symptoms or a racing heart before they consciously recognise worry or fear. A professional assessment can help distinguish anxiety from other possible causes.

Anxiety activates the body's stress response. Changes in heart rate, breathing, muscle tension, sweating, digestion and attention can produce genuine physical sensations. The sensations are real even when anxiety is contributing to them.

Yes. Anxiety can affect children, teenagers and young adults. HealthHub provides anxiety information and self-assessment guidance for young people, and Singapore has youth-focused services including CREST-Youth and CHAT.

Consider seeking help when worry is persistent, difficult to control, causing avoidance, disturbing sleep, affecting school or work, straining relationships or making daily life noticeably smaller. You do not need to wait until symptoms are severe.

Anxiety and panic can be associated with chest tightness, chest discomfort and muscle tension. However, chest symptoms can also have other causes. New, severe or concerning chest symptoms should be medically assessed rather than automatically attributed to anxiety.

Yes. A pounding or racing heartbeat and palpitations are recognised physical symptoms of anxiety and panic. If palpitations are new, persistent, severe or accompanied by concerning symptoms, seek medical assessment.

Yes. Shortness of breath, fast breathing and a sense that breathing feels difficult can occur with anxiety or panic. Breathing problems can also have medical causes, so severe or unfamiliar breathlessness should be assessed appropriately.

Yes. Dizziness, giddiness, light-headedness, unsteadiness and faint feelings are recognised symptoms that can occur during anxiety and panic. If dizziness is new, persistent, severe or associated with other concerning symptoms, seek medical advice.

Yes. Tingling, pins and needles or numb sensations in the hands, feet or other areas can occur during anxiety and panic, particularly when breathing patterns change. Persistent, new or one-sided neurological symptoms should not be assumed to be anxiety without assessment.

Yes. Trembling, shaking and feeling physically keyed-up can occur during anxiety or panic. These sensations may accompany sweating, a racing heart or a feeling of being on edge.

Yes. Panic and anxiety can be associated with nausea, abdominal discomfort, a churning stomach and changes in appetite or digestion. Ongoing or significant digestive symptoms still deserve appropriate medical review.

Muscle tension is a recognised symptom of anxiety, and prolonged tension can contribute to aches, stiffness and fatigue. HealthHub also lists muscle weakness among possible physical symptoms. New or progressive weakness should be medically assessed rather than assumed to be anxiety.

Anxiety can be associated with muscle tension and headaches, and people with health anxiety may become especially focused on head sensations. A new, severe or unusual headache should be assessed appropriately.

Yes. A feeling of unreality or disconnection can occur during panic. These experiences can be very unsettling. If they are persistent, severe, linked to trauma, substance use or another condition, or significantly affecting daily life, speak with a healthcare or mental health professional.

Yes. Sweating, hot sensations, cold sensations and chills can occur as part of the body's stress response and during panic attacks.

Yes. Anxiety can make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep or feel rested. Generalised anxiety disorder is also associated with sleep disturbance. Persistent sleep problems can worsen emotional and physical wellbeing, so seek help if sleep is significantly affected.

Yes. Fatigue and difficulty concentrating are recognised features of generalised anxiety disorder. Poor sleep, persistent worry and ongoing physical arousal can also leave someone feeling mentally and physically drained.

Anxiety can affect several body systems at once, including breathing, heart rate, muscles, digestion, sleep and attention. Which sensations stand out can vary with stress, sleep, activity and what you are focusing on. A changing symptom pattern should still be discussed with a clinician if anything is new, severe or concerning.

It can. When someone is worried about their body, attention may become focused on sensations that would normally pass unnoticed. Anxiety can also create genuine physical sensations of its own. This does not mean symptoms are imaginary; it means stress and attention can change how strongly they are noticed.

Yes. Normal medical tests do not mean that you imagined what you felt. Anxiety and panic can create genuine physical sensations. A clinician can help you decide whether further medical assessment is needed and, if not, whether anxiety-focused support would be useful.

Health anxiety is when worry about being ill or becoming ill begins to take over a person's time, attention or daily life. It may involve repeated body checking, reassurance seeking, fear that tests missed something, repeated online searching or avoidance of activities because of health fears.

Repeated checking can become a way of trying to feel certain or safe. It may provide brief relief, but for some people it keeps attention locked onto the body and makes the next sensation feel more important. Health-anxiety treatment often works on reducing repeated checking and reassurance-seeking behaviours.

Online searching can become another form of reassurance seeking. It may briefly feel helpful, but repeated searching can expose you to alarming possibilities, increase uncertainty and keep the health worry active. If searching has become difficult to stop, discuss it with a GP, counsellor or therapist.

Reassurance can feel calming for a short time, but repeated reassurance seeking may strengthen the belief that certainty is needed before you can feel safe. Health-anxiety support often helps people tolerate uncertainty while reducing repeated checking and reassurance.

No. People with health anxiety can experience genuine bodily sensations and genuine fear. The difficulty is the amount of attention, worry, checking and interpretation attached to those sensations. Physical symptoms should still be assessed when appropriate.

A symptom does not have to disappear immediately for anxiety to be part of the explanation. If an appropriate medical assessment has been completed, ask the clinician what follow-up is needed and what changes would warrant review. If no further medical investigation is advised, mental health support can help with the anxiety and checking cycle.

There is no universal number of medical checks. A useful approach is to have an appropriate assessment, understand the clinician's follow-up advice and then notice whether repeated checking, appointments or online searching are being driven mainly by fear rather than new medical information. A GP or therapist can help you make that distinction.

Yes. Having anxiety does not make someone immune to physical illness, and having a physical condition does not rule out anxiety. Good care avoids both extremes: dismissing every symptom as anxiety or assuming every sensation signals serious disease.

Seek medical assessment when symptoms are new, severe, persistent, significantly worsening, different from your usual pattern or worrying you enough that you are unsure what to do. If you have already been assessed, follow the clinician's advice about what changes should prompt review.

Yes. Cognitive behavioural therapy is an evidence-based treatment for health anxiety. Therapy can help a person understand the worry-checking-reassurance cycle, reduce compulsive checking and searching, and return to activities that fear has disrupted.

Possible starting points include a GP or polyclinic, national mindline 1771, community mental health teams, school or campus support, Family Service Centres and specialist services. MOH lists CREST-Youth for ages 12 to 25 and CHAT for young people aged 16 to 30.

National mindline 1771 is Singapore's 24/7 mental health helpline and textline. It provides counselling, guidance on common mental health concerns, wayfinding and referrals. You can call 1771, WhatsApp 6669 1771 or use the online chat on mindline.sg.

CREST-Youth refers to community outreach teams serving youths aged 12 to 25. These teams provide mental health screening, psychosocial support and help people connect with suitable services in the community.

CHAT, or Community Health Assessment Team, provides mental health assessments and consultations for young people aged 16 to 30 in Singapore. It can be a useful first stop for a young person who is unsure whether professional mental health care is needed.

It depends on the service. A GP or polyclinic can assess and refer into public specialist services. Some private psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors accept direct appointments. Certain community services also allow direct enquiries. Check the current intake requirements of the service you are considering.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. Psychologists provide psychological assessment and therapy within their qualifications. Counsellors provide structured emotional and therapeutic support within their training and scope. Social workers work with social, family, practical and safeguarding needs and often coordinate care across services.

Yes. A GP or polyclinic is a practical first stop if you are unsure whether symptoms need medical assessment, mental health support or a specialist referral.

Do not assume private care is your only option. Start with a polyclinic, national mindline 1771, community mental health services, school or campus support, a Family Service Centre or another appropriate community provider. Eligibility, subsidies and fees vary, so confirm current arrangements directly with the service.

Community mental health brings support closer to where people live, study and work instead of relying only on hospitals. It can include outreach, screening, brief support, counselling, psychosocial intervention, caregiver support, referrals and follow-up.

Early intervention means responding when difficulties first begin to affect a person's life rather than waiting for a major crisis. Support may include listening, counselling, family help, school support, community outreach, medical assessment or referral, depending on need.

Green Hearth is Project Green Ribbon's short-stay, family-based sanctuary for suitable youths aged 13 to 25 during an emotional crisis. It provides a calm, home-like setting for stabilisation, supportive routines, daily check-ins and care navigation while the next safe step is planned.

People may use search terms such as “youth crisis shelter” or “youth crisis home”. Green Hearth is best described as a short-stay, family-based crisis sanctuary. It can provide temporary accommodation for suitable youths, but it is not a walk-in emergency shelter, hospital, psychiatric ward or police service.

Current published eligibility includes youths aged 13 to 25 who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents, are suitable for a short stay in a calm home-like setting and do not require immediate medical or police intervention. Every request remains subject to assessment, safety, suitability and available arrangements.

A Green Hearth stay may be supported for up to 14 days. The exact arrangement is subject to case review, suitability, safety and available funding or partner arrangements.

No. Green Hearth is not a public walk-in facility. Start with the Green Hearth intake request or contact PGR so the team can understand the situation, assess suitability and coordinate next steps.

Green Hearth is in Singapore, but the exact residential address is not published publicly for safety and confidentiality. Directions are provided when appropriate after assessment and arrangements have been made.

The focus is on safety, calm, supportive routines, daily check-ins, practical needs, listening and care navigation. PGR may coordinate with family members, counsellors, social workers, healthcare professionals or community partners where appropriate.

No. Green Hearth is non-hospital community-based support. A young person who needs immediate medical treatment, psychiatric emergency care or police intervention should receive that level of care first.

Yes. Parents, caregivers, schools, counsellors, social workers and other professionals may make an enquiry or referral. The Green Hearth intake and assessment process still applies.

Green Hearth has published several possible funding arrangements, including PGR-funded, referring-agency co-payment and donor-funded options. The applicable arrangement is discussed during assessment and does not override safety, suitability or availability considerations.

A young person may make an initial enquiry about their situation. What happens next depends on age, safety, circumstances, the type of support requested and whether consent or caregiver involvement is needed. Immediate danger should be handled through emergency services first.

Family crisis support is timely emotional, practical and professional assistance when conflict, distress, safety concerns or major disruptions are affecting family life. It may involve assessment, counselling, casework, safety planning, referrals, communication support and, in suitable circumstances, temporary accommodation.

Consider seeking help when conflict is escalating, communication has broken down, daily functioning is seriously affected, a young person is repeatedly leaving home or disengaging from school, emotional distress is increasing or anyone feels unsafe.

Focus first on safety and keeping communication open. Avoid turning every conversation into an interrogation or argument. A parent can seek guidance from a counsellor, school professional, Family Service Centre or other appropriate service even while a young person is reluctant to engage.

No. A diagnosis is not required before asking for guidance, family support, counselling, school support or community-based help. Emotional distress, anxiety, family conflict, isolation and school difficulties can all be reasons to seek early support.

Yes. Parents and caregivers can seek advice about communication, boundaries, safety, family conflict and available support pathways even if the young person is not yet ready to attend therapy.

Yes. Family conflict, communication breakdown, emotional distress and practical crisis can all create a need for support. PGR can help people understand possible pathways and may connect them with more appropriate family, counselling, social or clinical services where needed.

Yes. Schools, counsellors and education professionals may contact PGR to discuss support pathways or a referral. Schools should continue to follow their own safeguarding and emergency procedures where required.

Yes. PGR can receive enquiries and referrals from professionals and community agencies. Information about current concerns, safety, existing supports and the purpose of referral helps the team assess the most appropriate next step.

Yes. PGR works with families, counsellors, social workers, healthcare professionals, schools and community partners where appropriate. The aim is to connect support rather than operate as an isolated service.

Yes. A professional can make an initial enquiry before a placement is confirmed. Green Hearth suitability is still determined through assessment, safety considerations, the young person's circumstances and available arrangements.

If someone is at immediate risk of serious harm, call 995 for emergency medical services or 999 for police assistance, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department. Do not wait for an email or non-emergency community service to respond.

For 24/7 mental health support, call national mindline 1771 or WhatsApp 6669 1771. For suicide crisis support, call Samaritans of Singapore at 1767 or WhatsApp CareText at 9151 1767.

No. Green Hearth is not an emergency medical or psychiatric facility. Emergency services or a hospital Emergency Department should be used first when someone cannot keep themselves safe or needs urgent medical or psychiatric intervention.

If you believe there may be immediate danger or a serious medical emergency, use emergency services. If you need 24/7 mental health guidance but the situation is not an immediate emergency, national mindline 1771 can provide support, counselling and wayfinding.

The Unheard is Project Green Ribbon's storytelling and lived-experience platform. It creates space for human stories, the Human Library and creative expression, and includes The Unheard 2026: Journey Home.

Yes. The Unheard accepts story and creative-work submissions for review. Submissions are not automatically published, and contributors may request anonymous publication if selected. The submission platform is not an emergency or crisis-support channel.

Journey Home is The Unheard's World Mental Health Day 2026 experience, bringing together stories, creative expression, listening and community connection. Public event information is available on The Unheard website.

PGR aims to handle personal information carefully and in accordance with its Privacy Policy and applicable Singapore requirements. Confidentiality is not absolute: information may need to be shared where consent has been given, coordination is necessary and appropriate, or disclosure is required or permitted by law or serious safety concerns.

PGR aims to respond as promptly as reasonably possible, but it is not a 24-hour emergency service and cannot guarantee an immediate response. If a situation cannot safely wait, use emergency or 24/7 crisis support instead.

You can support PGR through donations, partnerships, volunteering, in-kind support, community collaboration or by helping young people and families discover credible support pathways.

PGR publishes practical knowledge guides on youth crisis support, family crisis support, youth outreach, community mental health and related topics. These guides are intended to help young people, families and professionals understand possible next steps in Singapore.