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Is Mental Illness “Funny”?
By Nicole K. // I met a friend recently and had a chance to catch up with her briefly. She asked what it was I did exactly at The Tapestry Project. So I explained that I write about my personal experiences with mental illness as well as others’. She burst into an uncontrollable fit of…
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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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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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One Word At A Time
By Nicole K. // If only we knew how much power lay in a single word. Words wield the power to heal or to hurt; to bless or to curse; to reveal or to mislead; to inspire or to discourage. The root of stigma against mental illnesses is perpetuated by our choice of words. Let’s…
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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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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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A Chance To Live: Amanda’s Story
Editor’s Note: Our reader, Amanda, battles with schizophrenia, and shares her experiences and what treatment was like. She urges others like her to seek help early. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Amanda. We are rooting for your success.
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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 Thing About Stigma
By Nicole K. // It seems okay, maybe even noble, to talk about a broken arm, cancer or kidney disease, but somehow it is not okay to talk about schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Why? It’s about perception. Somehow, we have been given (and are sending) the message that the mind isn’t as important as what…
