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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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Beware the myth of the creative ‘mad-genius’: More to art than insanity
By Kelly Ng // From how German composer Robert Schumann supposedly achieved superhuman productivity during his manic periods, to what’s been dubbed the “Sylvia Plath effect” – which tries to establish a link between creatives and mental illness based on the life and death of the depressed poem – the theory that creative people are…
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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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Not Alone in the End: Interview With An “End-of-Life” Doula
By The Tapestry Project SG // Some may find that talking about end-of-life care isn’t “auspicious”, but we think it’s apt because life is about living well, leaving well and human connection. In this piece, we chat with Joanne, an end-of-life doula, who is part of the “No One Dies Alone”, a programme in which…