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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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Dancing to the Beat of Depression and Anxiety: Q. Anuradha’s Story
By Q. Anuradha // I’m a dancer. Because my body is looking for cues to guide its movement, I pay more attention to the underlying beat in a piece of music than the average person. Music with a steady beat is easier to move to, the patterns easier to anticipate. But what happens when you…
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Shaping the Landscape of Singapore’s Mental Health Discourse
By Chia Xun An // In a highly competitive society such as Singapore, it is no surprise that the complexities, desires, and pressures of our 724-square kilometre metropolis can increase the risk of poor mental health. Reports showed an increase in stress and burnout, with $3.1 billion being spent on stress-related illnesses annually, including mental…
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The Struggle for Self-Compassion: Karen’s Story
By Karen Zainal // A few months ago, I turned 29. I’m embarrassed to admit that it bothered me a great deal. If you’re older than I am, I forgive you for rolling your eyes. As for those of you around my age, I hear your nervous chuckle! We often hear the assertion that age…
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Taxi Conversations: Aznet’s Story
By Aznet T. // When you’re in a taxi, do you make conversation? Lately I’ve been steering topics toward mental health. I might talk about how a mental health social agency trained and matched me to a job: “They helped me for free! I hadn’t worked for five years. They taught me and gave me…
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The Search: Cheryl’s Story
By Cheryl H. // “You are in shock,” she said gently. I let the words sink in and found myself speechless. A wave of relief washed over me; I felt the familiar tightness in my chest followed by tears rising predictably in my eyes and flowing down my cheeks. I had promised myself I wouldn’t…
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Recovery Is Always Worth It: Qin Xu’s Story
By Qin Xu // “The sun will rise and we will try again.” – Truce by Twenty One Pilot. Having battled with different mental illnesses ranging from anorexia to depression since the start of my teenage years, I have learnt that mental health is just as important as physical health. And like any physical illnesses,…
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Pandemic Parenting with Peppa Pig: Charmaine’s Story
By Charmaine Toh // Today was a good day. I maintained my most controlled IG-perfect mommy stance when my freshly-minted four-year-old, C, threw her daily tantrum. Typically, this is a colourful display of short chubby legs scissoring furiously in the air, arms flailing, and her little pre-schooler voice whining, “mooommyyyy but whhhyyyy?”. I’d firmly said…
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Add Enchantment to Your Everyday Homebound Life: Eliza’s Story
By Eliza Thomas // Many of us are dealing with the effects of social isolation and distancing during this COVID-19 crisis. Some of us have had it harder and are slipping into depressive states, especially when things are compounded with family and workplace stresses or, worse, unemployment and cash flow fears. What if we took…
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Recovery is Possible: Alvin’s Story
By Alvin Chew // Since young, I was quite academically inclined. I did well for both my ‘O’ Levels and ‘A’ Levels. My good results in the 1987 ‘A’ Levels earned me the Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship to read Mathematics and Physics in NUS. I was supposed to become a teacher. However, during my…
