In My Mind brings viewers into the headspace of people facing struggles related to their mental health.In this episode, we look at Sofia’s battle with self-doubt and anxiety growing up to eventually becoming a peer leader with Circles of Resilience.
Circles of Resilience by Resilience Collective is a safe space where peers, or persons with lived experience of mental health conditions, come together to help each other thrive and lead authentic lives.
The Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT) set up by IMH conducts outreach and mental health assessments for youths between 16 and 30 years old.
You can find out more details at https://www.imh.com.sg/CHAT
Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
Circles of Resilience by Resilience Collective is a safe space where peers, or persons with lived experience of mental health conditions, come together to help each other thrive and lead authentic lives.
The Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT) set up by IMH conducts outreach and mental health assessments for youths between 16 and 30 years old.
You can find out more details at https://www.imh.com.sg/CHAT
Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:02 Recovery seems like a big word, especially for mental health
00:07 warriors like me.
00:10 But I like to think of it as us spiraling
00:13 through a deep, dark tunnel before emerging
00:15 as something beautiful.
00:18 When I was a child, I was high strung, jittery, and jumpy.
00:24 It was hard for me to cope with new situations.
00:27 And I would cry hysterically every time
00:30 I faced anything unfamiliar.
00:32 The first big thing happened to me when I was five.
00:36 I was told that my younger brother had severe autism
00:39 spectrum disorder.
00:42 At that time, I didn't know what that meant,
00:45 and no one could explain it to me.
00:47 All I remember was feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness
00:51 and doom over our family.
00:54 Growing up, my parents prioritized my brother's needs
00:58 over mine.
00:59 Naturally, I became my brother's caregiver.
01:03 I had to be an adult.
01:05 I remember writing countless diary entries
01:08 and lamenting how my brother was my mother's number one
01:12 sweetheart.
01:14 I wished that she would love me in the same way, too.
01:17 Mistakes were unforgivable to me because I did not want
01:20 to add to my family's burden.
01:23 I became my worst critic.
01:25 Whenever I made a mistake, I would berate myself.
01:29 It came to a point when I would even physically hurt myself.
01:33 I could not eat or sleep properly,
01:35 which led to gastric issues and insomnia.
01:38 I was sick all the time and couldn't
01:40 attend school, which was why I fell behind in my studies.
01:45 It got so bad that I would throw up before each paper
01:48 and would take five minutes to read one line during my exam.
01:53 I didn't finish any of my papers for O-levels.
01:57 But against all odds, I managed to enter JC, albeit
02:01 with a chip on my shoulder.
02:04 During one of the exams in JC, I had a panic attack again.
02:09 I left the exam hall and called my dad.
02:11 I spoke to him for a long time before I could finally
02:14 pull myself together.
02:16 It was then that I decided I had to do something.
02:19 I sought help from the school counselor.
02:23 My father, friends, and teachers regularly checked in with me.
02:28 Slowly but surely, I gained better control of my emotions
02:31 with healthy lifestyle habits and a good support system.
02:35 I surrounded myself with positive people
02:38 who helped steer me away from negative and dysfunctional
02:41 thoughts.
02:42 I was one of the top students in my school for A-levels,
02:45 and I got into my dream course, psychology at NUS.
02:49 Being a young adult in uni, I knew that it was a different
02:53 ballgame here.
02:54 I had to be my own advocate, my own cheerleader.
02:57 I learned how to celebrate even for small milestones.
03:01 I earned a scholarship, placed on the honor roll,
03:04 and achieved an honors degree with distinction
03:07 upon graduation.
03:09 I thought to myself, I've made it.
03:12 But in fact, that was just the start of my recovery journey.
03:17 I had to pursue something more.
03:20 I wanted to be a cheerleader for others, not just for myself.
03:26 I started to use my lived experiences
03:28 to support and empower other youths who are struggling.
03:32 I've been peer leader for Circus of Resilience since 2020.
03:37 I met many young people like me who
03:40 have been through painful experiences, too,
03:42 by offering a listening ear to those in need and helping them,
03:46 I've not only found fulfillment in life,
03:49 but I'm also reminded that we are not alone.
03:51 I believe that mental health warriors are not
03:54 broken spirits.
03:55 We have emerged stronger from our past selves.
03:58 And just like how butterflies can't see their wings,
04:02 the rest of the world can.
04:05 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:08 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:12 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:15 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:19 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:22 [MUSIC]