-
Your Struggles Are Valid
By Lisa // People often think about mental illness as something that happens to those with troubled backgrounds. Or there must be some dramatic story that justifies their struggle. I certainly faced challenges telling mine because I do not have a dramatic or traumatic story. No divorced parents, no sexual assault, no job loss or…
-
A Young Person’s Search for Meaning
By Sean // I still remember the fateful day I wanted to commit suicide. Depression, the Black Dog as Winston Churchill once called it, had bitten me. I felt empty, alone and completely hopeless. Whenever I looked at myself in the mirror, an overwhelming sense of shame and guilt took over. Thoughts such as: “I…
-
Silent Struggles, Not Anymore
By Lorraine // Growing up in a traditional Chinese family where hierarchy features strongly, and as the youngest in the family, I do not have much of a voice. Speaking up is always considered rude, even if one has been misunderstood. Since we were toddlers, my brother and I were left under the care of…
-
My Journey with Depression
By Jason // It’s been a tough journey to recovery. I was clinically diagnosed with depression and generalised anxiety disorder in late 2017 to early 2018. I self-harm which on hindsight, stemmed from having been bullied in the past; being looked down on, insulted and abused. This also was triggered by the passing of some…
-
Coming Home: Anuradha’s Story
Anuradha writes about approaching life on her own terms, and how she is finally coming home to herself after struggling with depression.
-
How To Suffer Gracefully: Karen’s Story
Karen opens up about her personal quest to suffer “gracefully”, sharing six rules that have helped her cope with depression.
-
Recovery Takes Time: Aznet’s Story
Medication, therapy, rehabilitation – Aznet writes about her experience with Bipolar Disorder and how recovery is arduous but rewarding.
-
Pandemic Butterfly: Victor’s Story
By Victor Guo // It’s been a year since COVID-19 reached Singapore. Unrest. Anxiety. Uncertainty – most people feel this way. You are not alone. I feel that way as well, perhaps on a different and deeper degree than most… because I’ve had mental illness for many years. Everyone was leading normal lives. Who would…
-
What are we consuming on social media during COVID-19?
By Xuan // “Lockdown”, “circuit breaker”, “quarantine”—different terms with the same meaning that summed up 2020. To escape the restrictions placed on traditional face-to-face interaction, many of us turned to social media. It also became more of a platform to unleash one’s creativity, as evinced by the surge in ‘Tiktokers’, Youtubers, and Instagrammers. Nonetheless, its…
-
Our Theme for 2021: Being a #WorkInProgress
If there was anything that the pandemic has taught us, it would be that people are resilient. We often think of ‘resilience’ in terms of black and white; that either you have it or you don’t. But this is a fallacy. Resilience is a dynamic concept; something that can be learnt, nurtured, built upon. That…
-
Two birds offer solace and comfort during dark times: Nadera’s Story
By Marcus Lim // Nadera’s two birds are not just her “children” who she cares deeply about, they are also her lifeline. She shared with The Tapestry Project about her struggles with mental illness, her birds, and her experiences with the current pandemic. Remo, a yellow-sided Conure, and Kiwi, a yellow-green budgie, have been a…
-
F.E.A.R.: Face Everyone And Recover – Thomas’ Story
By Thomas K. // The first ever emotion I remember at four was fear. I came from a dysfunctional family, and my father was physically abusive since I was young. I was unable to attend school regularly due to daily beatings. Even if I did go to school, I had no pocket money or school…
-
Peer Support & Solidarity: Celebrating Mental Health Resilience in Migrant Communities
By Kelly Ng // In 2015, Omar Faruque Shipon started the Facebook page Bangladeshi migrant workers in Singapore as a personal repository for stories of fellow migrants working far away from home. Five years on, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, his page has become a precious lifeline for the Bangladeshi community in Singapore,…
-
Recovering, Renewed, Revived: Xuan’s Story
By Xuan // Four years ago, I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. This left a dent on my almost-perfect life. For 16 years, I had been working towards the goals of being the perfect daughter at home and the perfect student in school. What everyone did not know was the challenges living up to that…
-
De-Stigmatising Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation: Charlynn’s Story
By Charlynn T. // “Did you do this for attention?” I had not prepared an answer to that question. Paralysed with fear, I stared blankly at my parents, praying they would drop the topic and just dismiss the issue. That was the day they discovered I was self-harming. I’m not sure how it started. I…