Category: World Mental Health Day 2024Page 1 of 4
In our fight to help remove the stigma associated with mental health conditions, we present stories of brave men and women who openly talk about their struggles with mental health.
We hope these interviews remind you that you’re not alone. We also hope that they encourage you to seek help or speak with someone.
“It took me a very long time to realise this, but nothing is more important than your mental health, be it in love or career. Life is about the decisions you make, so choose wisely, and always protect your peace of mind.”
“Some people were just born with a funny personality, but I’m more of a quiet observer. I’m constantly studying comedians, and thinking about how I can copy or outdo them. I’m writing down ideas and jokes all the time, so I’m really a writer at the end of the day.”
“I made it my mission as an actor to bring authentic representation to my work. And there are many ways to do that. For me, I chose to be mindful of the roles I play and portray.”
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People of Legends | “Sometimes, I do wonder. What if my brother called me the day he wanted to kill himself? Is there something I could have done? That emotion is very unresolved, because there’s nothing that you can do about it now.”
People of Legends | “I went for counselling, and the counsellor gave me very good advice. She said my ex-wife is out there smiling, laughing and enjoying her life as though I never existed. She’s living her best life right now, while I’m here spiralling. Don’t I deserve to be happy, too?”
How do you cope with life’s unexpected events? Jean Ling shows how she didn’t just survive but thrived after a car accident in New Zealand.
This World Mental Health Day, John Lim of Live Young and Well wants you to love yourself and lean on the power of friendships.
“I’ve learnt that when you gamble, you don’t only hurt yourself, but you hurt the people closest to you as well. So now, it’s not just about not wanting to fail myself, but also not wanting to fail the people I love.”
“Being a part of the musical felt amazing, because as ITE students, we were already looked at as the black sheep of society. So there was this genuine sense of unity; this sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. Everyone in the production really looked out for one another.”
“Whenever I hear how challenging it is for ex-offenders like myself to secure jobs, I am reminded of how fortunate I have been. My only hope is that society will be more widely accepting of ex-offenders starting afresh.”
“Everyone was born for a reason, and mine is to help the next generation discover themselves through music. Identity is the safeguard against low self-esteem, and everything I’m doing now is to help the youths find their voice.”
Maha Lakshmi: Bullied as a Kid for Having Curly Hair, Beauty Queen Learns to Love and Accept Herself
“I despised my hair when I was a kid because I was bullied excessively for having curly hair. In primary school, kids would throw staple bullets and pour eraser shavings into my hair. At that age when you’re so young and just want to be accepted, it was so hard to fit in.”
People of Legends | “In 2015, a family member whom I was close to committed suicide. It’s taken me a few years to talk about this without crying. With time, I’ve been able to speak about it to a couple of close friends, but beyond that, I don’t really bring it up in conversation.”
“Over the last year, that sense of emptiness and loneliness was so strong. I didn’t know how to deal with it, so I went on a journey of trying to figure it out.”
“The biggest thing I’ve learnt on this journey is that self-care is crucial, especially in parenting. As the saying goes, ‘You can’t pour from an empty cup.’ Anything can happen with the kids, but when I become dysregulated with my emotions, that’s when things go down the drain…”
People of Legends | “I think boxing has helped me manage my ADHD because it forces me to concentrate and stay calm, which is something I am still working on improving, given that my mind often goes into overdrive.”
“I started experiencing anxiety and depression when I was 10-years-old. Being the only Malay girl in Chinese Dance, I was bullied a lot in school. Although I was accepted by my friends and teachers in the CCA, I was ostracised by people of my own race.”
People of Legends | Legend’s new kid on the block talks about how her visit to Perth inspired a new outlook on life.
“My biggest fear is dying and not having tried, and I have a lot of visions that I want to make a reality. At the same time, I am afraid of putting myself out there because there’s always a fear of failure. But I’d rather fail now than not try at all.’