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 people whom I’m close to.
My relationship with my family can be unstable, but they are supportive and we are learning to face difficult situations together as a one.
Even though I’m still a student, I am making plans to work part-time to support my family as my mum has cancer, while my grandmother has dementia.
Some friends knew I had mental health issues because of the scars on my left wrist. They then spread the news that I was clinically depressed. As a result, I lost trust in people. I internalised my feelings, and didn’t really express myself or reveal my feelings to anyone long after I was diagnosed.
But I’ve since forgiven them and appreciate that they too, like my family, are there for me.
//The first step to getting help is to gain the courage to speak up and share with a psychiatrist or counsellor, even if you don’t feel like it.//
You’re not alone in this and the people around you will be there for you too and they’d want you to recover.
So how do I cope? For me, it is also important to do what I love to keep my mind off from the negative thoughts. You can try sports, hanging out with friends or family members, going for night walks with a friend, reading a book or listening to happy music.
Even though I’m battling depression and anxiety disorder, I’m not giving up. If I can do it, so can others going through the same thing. I’ve always known that I’m not alone and I’ve friends around me to support me. They never gave up on me.
Relationships are important for our recovery. Thank you for reading my story and I hope this encourages someone out there.
Jason is a Year 3 Electrical Engineering student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. His hobbies are playing the guitar and piano, taking photos, and sports. He aspires to be an audio production engineer or musician in the future.
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