Topics created by Mai Tatoy

@Mai-Tatoy If your friend is caregiver see that he/she spend sometime for self care. Like - exercise , hobby , relax outing . You can take your friend for a cup of coffee which makes a lot of difference for caregivers stress relief. Sometime if you can spend some time with the patient which will also be a relief to him/her. Support group is another option which gives lots of insight to dealing with the situation. Suggest to join , if any Rehabilitation program around for their loved one (patient) will be definitely benefits by that .

Hi There! The 1st step towards addressing mental health issues with the fellow human, be it the one who's suffering or Caregiver, is to break the stigma. Talk about the issues openly and let people know it's only a mental condition, just like any other physical ailment. More than words, we need action around this aspect. Arrange webinars, platforms to participate, share our stories and support each other. Let not anyone feel unheard or suffer in silence. Let's help people with their acceptance issues. We must encourage everyone in this journey to lead a normal life..and never be insensitive to one's being. It doesn't money. It needs efforts - willingness, courage and support. Just be there.

i have been struggling successfully w/mental issues (schizophrenia & bipolar disorder)for 40 years.it runs in the family & is inherited from generation to generation. what actually healed me, though i still have to take my medications (because of chemical imbalance in the brain that is causing it), was in the POWER of the LIVING WORD & PRAYERS (mine & others). the LIVING WORD (JESUS)& the ROSARY as my family's routine PRAYER everyday as catholics has PROTECTED mine & another's life (whom i had to protect) during those DARK & DANGEROUS YEARS of MARTIAL LAW in the philippine(1972-1986). i got sick in 1980 because at age 24, i was bearing all the responsibilities as a student in my mind ( my dad lost his job & has to be operated on his heart through a bypass open heart surgery, the power behind financial deb t & death threats as a social activist for radical change, stress from dental school to do good or even excel in it-it was 1 of the 2 most prestigious dental schools in the philippines & had to be cautious in going home late at night due to rampant criminality in our neighborhood- i have solved this by learniing martial arts

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?

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.

@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 ...

@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.

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).

@swatiparekhji You are a good child to your mother. Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you also get the help you need to take care of yourself. Your own health and well-being is as important as your mum's. Take care and feel free to share here in our community forum, ok?