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Overcoming the Odds: Sufyan’s Story
I first met Sufyan during this year’s Singapore Mental Health Conference. As we briefly traded war stories in our battle for sanity, I could fully relate to how it was like being homebound and unemployed due to severe anxiety and panic attacks.
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Lending Hope: Justina’s Story
By Justina // Once, during a rough patch when I felt utterly hopeless, I quoted Elosie Cole’s poem “Borrowed Hope” in a session with my psychiatrist: “Lend me your hope for awhile. A time will come when I will heal, And I will lend my renewed hope to others.” He told me that recovery looks…
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Making The Best of My Life: Sam’s Story
Editor’s Note: Our social interactions and significant relationships can contribute to our sense of self and self-worth. In Sam’s story, she shares what led to her suicide attempt and how she found peace today through owning her personal coping methods. Her story also highlights the need for mental health professionals to be more sensitive and empathetic, and to treat…
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Unravelled #1
We’ve been getting some really awesome questions from readers and thought it’ll be good to share them here with you in our new segment — “Unravelled”.
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When Life and Love Collide: Debra’s Story
Editor’s Note: Life events, such as being in significant relationships and switching professions, play a great part in affecting our moods and day-to-day functioning. Having a keen sense of insight and self-awareness, Debra identifies these two major stressors which had led to her depression and anxiety, and what it means to lose something, only to gain something far…
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How Mental Illness Lies
By Nicole K. // May is a special month for me (it also happens to be Mental Health Month) so I’ve decided to finally publish what took me 3 months to draft — my personal story on self-harm and suicide. It was a tough thing for me to relive, but I believe it’s important for others to understand how mental illness…
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Recovering Our Dreams: Kate’s Story
Editor’s Note: Recovering from mental illness is possible. Our reader, Kate, shares that it begins with facing our fears and rediscovering our hopes and dreams in life. A Peer Specialist with the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH), Kate relates her personal story on depression. We look forward to receiving more inspirational stories like Kate’s and we hope…
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Depression Is Like A Vulture: Natalie’s Story
Editor’s Note: Our reader, Natalie, shares her struggle with depression and self-harm. Her story reveals that external circumstances at home or at work can potentially become triggers for depressive episodes. It is, therefore, important to equip oneself with effective coping strategies, such as self-encouragement, awareness, and reframing of negative thoughts. We’re proud of you Natalie,…
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Green Couches: Ana’s Story
Editor’s Note: Some of us come from difficult backgrounds, where family relationships were rife with conflict, inflicting wounds and scars that never seem to go away. These hurts, when not dealt with appropriately, can leave one vulnerable to mental distresses like depression and anxiety, even suicide. Our reader, Ana, shares how she rose above the…
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Looking On: Angela’s Story
Editor’s Note: Amidst the pain of loneliness and stigma that often accompanies mental illness, our reader Angela found comfort in her artwork. A talented artist, Angela has graciously provided one of her pieces to accompany her story on surviving a difficult childhood and what it’s like living with depression today.
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Why I Hurt Myself: Kelly’s Story
Editor’s Note: You can only conquer what you confront, and you can only confront what you are able to identify. Kelly had the self-awareness to recognise she had a problem, and found the courage to confront it. Because she received non-judgemental support and care from her close friends, she was able to discover healthier ways…
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Depression: The Facts Beyond Sadness
By Nicole K. // “There are three things that people tend to confuse: depression, grief and sadness.” – Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression There is a significant difference between clinical depression (a.k.a Major Depressive Disorder or Unipolar Depression), and the emotion of sadness. Grief and sadness are natural responses to negative…
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Down, Down and Up: Erica’s Story
Editor’s Note: Work stress can affect us more than we realise, and it can be especially difficult to cope with after a vacation or festive holiday. Our reader, Erica, shares her story on how work stress, along with family and financial struggles, had led to her first episode of depression and self-harm. Self-harm is a…
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Don’t Tell Anyone
By Nicole K. // Don’t tell anyone, I was once told. I genuinely appreciated that well-meaning piece of advice when I mentioned my struggle with clinical depression to a mentor. It was meant to keep me safe from hurtful comments, from the people that may not understand and might even exploit me on some level…
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The Tapestry and I: Nicole’s Story
By Nicole K. // Our lives are made up of stories–ours and others. Within these narratives, we often find an intricate weave of experiences, insights, advice and memories. It is also through these stories, that we discover we are not alone in our life’s journey. This knowledge is especially important when it comes to mental illness, which is isolating by its very…
