Mental Health

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  How to cope
  • annamartinez  

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  Any good present ideas for a caregiver?
  • suemeilee  

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  What should I do if someone came up to me to say that they are at the brink of committing suicide?
  • suemeilee  

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  @emiedecastro For me, I would really consider the faith and the belief system of the person before saying anything God-related. I totally agree with what you said about encouraging medical/professional advice though! And I'd add, we need to listen - really listen - to our friend and try to look at things from our friend's perspective and not our own.
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  Have you ever felt guilty over a sense of duty to others?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  @lynnchan Maybe mom is sad to see grandma's condition. In a closed tradition it is better not to ask what and why she is sad. I think mom will refuse to talk about it and is becoming more and more secretive. Just give your attention. What does she like? Cake? Have cake with her. Give her warm hugs. Long and friendly hugs. Don't ask anything, but let her cry in your shoulder if she wants. Tell happy experiences with mom and grandma. Laugh with her. Say that you love her and grandma. If mom wants to share her feelings, please listen and hug. If she doen't want to talk, don't force her. All your mother needs is a feeling of comfort. Maybe if she is asked a lot of questions, she will feel uncomfortable because she worry about giving you trouble. Just give your attention and love. Pray together and let her hear your asking for her: may God help and love her very much. Bless you and your family.
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  What does it mean to support our community?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  @lynnchan I love what you shared, Lynn. There is a marked difference between listening to understand and listening to reply. It is good for all of us to learn to listen more and accompany our loved one in what they go through as a way of showing our care and support.
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  How do we better manage mental health at workplaces?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  I wish a MC wasn't always necessary to 'prove' or 'justify' a person taking sick leave. While I'm sure this differs from company to company, country to country, such is the norm here in Singapore! Sometimes, a person might be going through a mental block and might need a stress relief day. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health, so why shouldn't coping our mental state without a MC be okay?
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  What books and movies would you recommend when it comes to understanding more about mental health?
  • thetapestryproject.sg  

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  The first book that came to my mind was The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. *******DISCLAIMER: This book does NOT talk about recovery, and might be distressing for some readers.******** The Yellow Wallpaper is a short narrative about a lady who tries to make sense of her deteriorating mental health during the 19th Century. It is also known for in part as a feminist novel. Although this book is not about recovery, it was the first book that made me empathize with how someone with a mental health condition might feel when support & help is not given. As someone who never had any contact with mental health as a topic before, this book opened my eyes and made me so angry! It shed light on how society judged others so easily and how society can so comfortably enforce methods to cope with their own inability to understand the person - it is uncaring and unjust.
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  What does coping look like to you?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  Coping is being involved in an activity that steals you away for the moment and lets you forget about any worries or stress that has been weighing you down. For me, that activity has always been art & dance - painting, drawing, dancing, pottery, sewing etc. I love love love how immersive art & dance is, as well as how accessible it is. I've heard from several friends they're hesitant to start because there's a high barrier - "I don't have any experience. I don't know how to do it!" but fact is everyone has a pen & paper at home, and everyone has a space for them to move. If you're willing to replace the idea of 'I'm creating a piece for approval from others' with 'I'm creating a piece to find peace with myself' - the experience becomes very different and therapeutic.
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  Has COVID-19 affected your mental health?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  @Zah I salute you for being appreciative. God loves us all. TC and be safe always. Don't worry too much. Rain do pour out to give life to plants and sunshine to help them produce their food, thus, there is no reason for you to worry for everything is in accordance to His will. Sending our love and hugs ...
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  Is there enough support for caregivers in our society?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  Are you a caregiver or know someone who is one?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  @mysticempressa Thanks for the suggestion, Veena! Thanks too for the work that you do for CAL's C2C training programme and how CAL is supporting caregivers in Singapore.
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  Sometimes it only takes a stranger, in a dark place… to make us warm in the coldest season
  • alfred76  

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  It is has been said, that journey is always better when it is shared for focusing only on ourselves will not reveal our life's purpose. Strangers it may seem, but, they were God-sent Angels as channel of blessings for you to see His goodness and great mercy.
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  How can we deepen our understanding about mental health?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  Movies and videos! This was one of the first videos that gave me more insight into depression: 'I had a black dog' https://youtu.be/XiCrniLQGYc . And movies are a good starting point to understanding the topic a little more, e.g. Silver Linings Playbook , A Star is Born, even Girl, Interrupted (yes this is a very old show).
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  Have a story about your mental health journey to share?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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  Do you have personal experience with mental health conditions, or know someone who does?
  • Mai Tatoy  

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