Kisah Kamek

“I hope you heal from the things you don’t talk about.” – I first saw this quote back in 2021, and I can’t tell you how much I needed that. It had stuck in my head since then. I often hear people telling people to talk about their issues, or to share about their feelings, […]

    “Haiya, you gila, is it? I send you to Sentosa lahh!!!”            “Aiyerrr… someone going mad eh.. Send you to 7½ mile lah!”        Have you ever encountered such words, especially when you were a kid? When kids would fight, cry or get mad, and call out the words ‘7½ Mile’ or […]

    “男生流血不流泪”  – 我想信大家对这句话很熟悉，基本上都是每一个男人的座右铭，感觉上男生不管遇到什么难题都需要硬着头皮熬过去。社会对男性和女性有不同的期望与观念, 让我们总认为女孩是软弱的，她们的哭泣、求助都是可以被接受的; 男孩就应该要勇敢，可以经得起任何考验，哭泣、求助就意味着软弱、没胆量。而我们常常生活在这种观念的强化中而不自知。 小时候，我印象最深刻的就是在我学习骑脚踏车的时候，不小心跌倒了，大哭一场，爸爸对我的第一句话就是“男子汉, 不就是一点伤吗？哭什么哭！” 我呆住了，脸上挂住泪水，不敢出声。身为家里的长子，又有一个年龄与我相差六岁的妹妹，我慢慢地都会有这些”男人不可以流泪“ 或 “男人的责任是要保护女人” 的概念，所以更加逼自己不可以轻易倒下。每当遇到任何困难，无论大小事，我都选择默默承受，无非因为我是”男生“。 渐渐长大，责任越来越多，背负的东西也越来越重。社会的不公、生活的压力、友情或爱情的问题，以上种种都让人难受。三年前，我步入了我人生最低潮的阶段。我突然对任何事情都失去了兴趣，就连区区起床也成为我每一天的挑战。但是，就因为我是“男生”，只要想到我需要接受心理治疗，我就感到莫名的耻感，害怕会被其他朋友取笑我没能力。“明明就是一个大男人，为什么这么弱不禁风？” – 这些荒唐的想法总是在我脑海里徘徊。一直以来都很“坚强”的我，终于有一天忍不住垮了，时常翘课，成绩一落千丈，还差一点要被退学。 在我收到了要被退学的警告信后，我突然领悟了我需要帮助。我下定决心就在隔一天鼓起勇气去见学院的辅导师。我记得那时就是一把鼻涕一把泪地把我所有承受的压力告诉我的辅导师。相信我，那种感觉真好，仿佛一个重重的包袱减轻了。我领悟了其实真正的勇敢是在觉得有需要的时后，懂得寻找/接受帮助。心理上的问题其实和咳嗽感冒是一样的，并没有必要感到羞耻。 其实，无论是男生女生，都会有情绪的波动，都会在生活上遇到一些负性的事件导致悲伤、难过。昨天在Facebook看见了他们分享关于Mental Health For Men让我有很大的感触想要分享我的故事，也很感谢他们提供过了一个这样的知识让更多人可以明白真正的勇敢是什么。如果你也要难过的时候，但是却告诉自己“我是男人，男人不应该流泪”，那请你再告诉自己一件事：“男人不该流泪”这件事是社会强加给你的，若因为有泪而强行压制而成疾是不可取的。每个人都会笑会哭会失落，这都是应该的情绪反应，没有什么大不了的。要记得，真正的勇敢是在坚强的同時，也可以找一个信任的人给予支持，并找机会让压力得到渲洩之口。能对自己坦白，承认自己的情感，并容许自己在低潮时候平衡心理，再reset精神，好让自己可以变得更强壮，走得更远的路！加油！

    It all started 9 years back when I was 16 (Form 4). I was in a full science class. I couldn’t cope with my studies and I failed most of my exams. Things got worse when I entered Form 5. Symptoms of depression started showing up. I started to have less attendance to […]

    I grew up in a typical family that doesn’t believe in mental health. I’ve always admired movies from the western culture which they would hug each other and give affirmation of their love, no matter what situation they got themselves into. I asked my mom once before, why we never do things like […]

    TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide   Suicide Prevention Day is the push for me to share this side of my story. I’m a little late to the party but that’s okay because I thought there might be people out there who might need this.   I am currently 28 and it has been 6 years […]

    I’m the child that dreads theme parks. I have a secret anxiety booster button installed in me for rollercoaster rides, or anything that makes me feel like I don’t have anything in control. What about those ‘fun’ rides that gives you a death drop from XX ft above ground? Right now, I don’t […]

    This whole lockdown actually triggered my anxiety quite a few times which reminded me the time when I got my first panic attack. I dealt with anxiety for years and I think it started during high school. I was transferred from another school and was placed into this whole new environment. Adapting isn’t […]

    Depression! The first time I heard this word was when I was a 4th year medical student. We were obliged to go through psychiatric posting and it was my first time encountering depressive patients. As a medical professional, I thought I would be exempted from having the illness. Unfortunately I was wrong. Little […]

    I am a frontline healthcare worker and I have encountered anxiety ever since COVID-19 crisis hit our nation. On 23rd March was my first mission in combating COVID-19 along with my colleague. I was in one of the first teams to be called into the field. All I can say is I was […]