You're a good friend! Sometimes all it takes is just letting her know that you're there for her without really digging into the issues and risking coming off as "kaypoh". For people who are struggling, even answering simple questions like "how are you?" can be quite overwhelming, so it'll be good to just simply let her share when she's ready. A person will only share with someone whom they know is empathetic, non-judgemental and ready to listen, and is not a "fixer".

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Maybe a sustainable farming experience? That way, you can have a bit of fun while learning about how to do things in a more sustainable way (and maybe score some yummy produce along the way). Green Acres Orchard in Penang is a great getaway if you are in Malaysia or plan to travel there. In Singapore, Bollywood Veggies and Citizen Farm have activities for the public that could be fun, whether it's farming and composting, or even cheese-making!

If you are more into history and culture, look out for workshops that teach local crafts like weaving and painting, like Greenroutes' Warli art day trip in India, or Torajamelo's homestays in Indonesia.

Check out websites like Local Alike, which helpfully provide a platform to check out and book tours directly, and which also explain the kind of impact you can make by taking part in these tours.

Absolutely! Perhaps the tricky part is determining how much is too much.

If your friend has specified that they would like to be left alone and given some space, do respect that As people with lived experience, we find that it helps when people drop us an occasional text or does something that lets us know we aren't forgotten. Unfortunately, we might sometimes feel the pressure to respond, which makes us want to get into hermit mode.

But this isn't necessarily reflective of everyone and will depend very much on context and the unique dynamics of each relationship and each individual's personality. Please don't take our lack of response personally... and please don't give up on us. We're doing our very best and want to be better friends once we are able to.

Every life lost is one life too many. Suicide is a real and urgent issue, and we believe that prevention is better than cure.

While we can't speak for the army or our schools, the key resource we turn to for suicide intervention are Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), which has a 24/7 hotline (1800 221 4444). They also have a counselling email (pat@samaritans.org.sg) if the call does not go through.

Other hotlines available are Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800 283 7019 and Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800 353 5800. Alternatively, you could also dial 995 or call the nearest hospital that might admit the person through A&E.

Ideally, educators and army personnel should be mental health literate so they can spot early signs of distress and intervene before things escalate. And as the general public, we can also do our part to be more informed, practice empathy, and be ready to help someone who might be struggling.

What a great question! Inclusivity is a dynamic concept, but often means accepting and involving a person in any activity or decision without discriminating against them. An example of this would be hiring based on merit rather than other identity factors (gender, race, mental health, etc.)

Another approach would be about "choice" - does the person have a say in making certain decisions, or are the decisions being made for the person? For example, the very act of being consulted for your opinion before a decision is made is a good indicator of a healthy and inclusive working environment!

There are probably many ways to practice and show inclusion. What do you think?

It's always heartbreaking losing a loved one, be it through natural causes, illness or accidents. But to lose someone to suicide leaves behind so many unanswered questions, and it can be difficult to find closure.

One of our team mates lost a friend to suicide; she chose to talk through it with her psychologist because dealing with feelings of guilt, anger, despair is overwhelming.

So yes, talk about it. Talk to someone who might know the deceased. Grieve together, reminisce together, heal together.

Also, please know that healing doesn't have to follow an expected timeline, you're allowed to take as long as you want. Knowing this is always a great first step in understanding what closure really means to you, and those around you.

This is a really tough question.

We're not experts, but we can certainly relate to how frustrating it is when people don't hear what we have to say, or when they invalidate our struggles. This might be more about parents being in denial, rather than being unloving or unsupportive. This doesn't excuse their words or actions, but perhaps in their worldview and prevailing attitudes of their time, sometimes children can be seen as a measure of their "success" as a parent. So to see their child struggle is a personal failure.

It isn't easy changing their mindsets, but one thing we can perhaps shift is our view of them -- that they do not intend to be hurtful and are also struggling themselves. In the meantime, we hope you're able to get support and emotional validation from other sources like siblings, friends, or school teachers and counsellors.

@thetapestryproject-sg family service centers are free for singaporeans I believe and they are almost everywhere in singapore. Usually in the neighborhoods etc! There are people who are practicing to become counsellor as well who are willing to do pro bono work. Another free option, although it is only catered for short term. And I also suggest trying other sorts of therapy rather than just talk therapy.

Things like movement, art, music, play therapy etc can all be beneficial and helpful. Over The Rainbow has free events by donation where one can explore some of these therapies in SG as well.

I think it's helpful to see a mental health condition as a chronic condition not unlike diabetes. I personally believe an absolute cure does not exist but the condition can be well-managed. In other words, if we don't take the necessary steps to take care of ourselves, we will invariable relapse. It's not a matter of if, but when.

Preventing that involves several things. If medication works, then it must be taken regularly and consistently, even if things appear to get better. That's not to say one must be on medication for life. If an individual chooses to go medication-free, or if medication doesn't work, then self-care must be prioritised. This includes understanding one's triggers and environmental circumstances which could lead to a relapse. It's hard to generalise across all mental health conditions, but I've found the more you understand of your condition, the more you accept it as part of who you are, the more you'll know what to do to prevent a relapse, and the greater the confidence you'll have to actually do these things. Sadly, we often know what we should do but we don't have the guts to stand up for ourselves.

For both psychiatrist and therapist:

Empathy Patience

For a psychiatrist:

Ability to present the condition and treatment plan clearly to the patient Familiarity with the latest research in the treatment of the medical condition Familiarity with the drugs prescribed, including side-effect profiles (most do not spend enough time talking about potential side-effects) Ability to have a mature discussion with an informed client on his/her condition (there's a lot of good information available on the internet so patients may actually know a thing or two)

For a therapist:

Flexibility in approach (what works for one client may not work for another) Ability to distill the essence of what a client is sharing Ability to offer a range of activities (I've found a session is only as useful as the homework provided)

Educating the whole staff about mental illness would be a good first step. And not just how to recognise it, but provide concrete ways each employee can take to look out for one another's mental well-being. Destigmatisation in the work place starts there.

@thetapestryproject-sg I have outbursts in public too but I just move on because I believe I am in the right and if you know you are in the right , you don't have to be ashamed of yourself
Anyway my email is ocean33388@yahoo.com and you can share your story with me , I don't mind meeting up because I am also living in isolation due to my condition
Just feel free to drop me a message

@praiseehyehiesous Hi, thank you for your question. I'm wondering if @thetapestryproject-sg can help on this. Besides being an independent, not-for-profit online publication that champions mental health recovery through the power of first-person stories, they also have a community of people who have shared their personal journeys.