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Unpacking from Pain
Empathy is a powerful heart tool and the new relationships I’ve made are very precious. I learn everyday about empowerment and try to help my peers let go of shame, remember who they are, without and despite their illness, and walk their paths of recovery.
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A Letter to my Younger Self
By Shannon // Dear Shannon, It’s been more than five years since your first panic attack. During this turbulent time, you have experienced your fair share of ups and downs, and here are four lessons I wish you had learnt earlier. It is totally fine to feel depressed, anxious, sad, or angry. These are normal…
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Athletes Are People Too: Interview With an Athletic Counsellor
By Kelly Ng // We have often spoken about how incorporating physical activity in our daily routine can be beneficial for mental wellness. On the other hand, how do sporting professionals care for their mental fitness? The Tapestry Project hears from athletic counsellor and volunteer advisor for Safe Sports at Sports Singapore, Ms Sharon Teo,…
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To Tell or Not to Tell: My Journey With Mental Health Disclosure
By Ying Ying // In 2013, when I learnt that my diagnosis was “brief psychotic disorder” I thought what are people going to think of me? Instinctively, I knew that the odds were stacked against me. During the initial stages of my rest and recovery, I shuddered at the idea of sharing my diagnosis with…
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Hello Darkness, my old friend
By JayX // I prefer to identify myself as “JayX”, and this is my story. I am a 25-year-old male Singaporean who grew up in an average five-member household. Though my father is the sole breadwinner, we still manage to make ends meet. Life hasn’t always been optimal, but still, I can vaguely recall what genuine…
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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…
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The Healing Power of Art
By Kelly Ng // Frequent hospital visits when her father was undergoing a kidney transplant in 2018 made Aanya Rao realise how daunting the monochromatic walls and massive hospital equipment were. “Healthcare centres have become synonymous with ‘home’ for many of these patients and even healthcare workers, and I felt it is only fair that…
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Recovery Takes Time: Aznet’s Story
Medication, therapy, rehabilitation – Aznet writes about her experience with Bipolar Disorder and how recovery is arduous but rewarding.
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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…
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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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After a Suicide Attempt, a Stuffed Bear Helped Renew a Sense of Purpose
By Marcus Lim // The modern workplace can be rewarding, but the increased pressure to get results and to work late, has led to more burnout. Enoch Li, 39, a Hong Kong social entrepreneur, strongly believes that more needs to be done to preserve the mental health of workers. She founded Bearapy with the mission…
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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…
