We pay so much attention to support our physical health when we are ill, however, when it comes to mental health we cower in shame. Unlike physical health, we often feel ashamed to speak about mental health, we stigmatise this topic as if it is a plague.
Majority may not have as extreme way of viewing mental health as how our Africans counterparts do as how Sangu Delle shared. However, the stigma is real. In a society where emotions are often invalidated, we have much difficulty to be vulnerable (even to closed ones) about our feelings and struggles. We tend to think seeing a counsellor, psychiatrist or any other mental health professionals as “crazy”, “mad”, “siao” (expression of “crazy” in Hokkien).
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Indeed, it is not wrong to care for these aspects of ourselves. I must say there has been more effort recently after some tragic events that happened in the past years. We don’t need to wait for more tragedies before we care for our mental health. It’s OK not to be OK and it’s definitely OK to seek help.
About the contributor
Dominica is a psychotherapist at Soulmatics. She is also a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and a certified TRE Provider. She enjoys integrating body-oriented approaches in the therapeutic process to help those who come to her to have a more holistic and experiential process. In her free time, she enjoys reading and playing with her pet dogs – Kopi & Xiaobai.
Soulmatics 