Reflection by Jeff
Hi, my name is Jeff, a freshie majoring in political science and history. Fun fact about me: On most days, including weekends, I'm awake before 7.30 am because my body clock doesn't allow me to sleep in.
When I was a young teenager, I had the impression that people suffering from mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety are just weak in the mind. The solution, I thought, was to simply help them build a stronger mind. Perhaps this was due to the influence of my peers in a uniform group of an all-boys school, where we were often challenged to conquer all sorts of difficulties with our minds. "Mind over body", as most would say.
But some time during my Junior College years, my grandmother was diagnosed with depression. Many years after the passing of my late grandfather, she was still grieving and was always in a depressed mood. This was unlike her usual resilient attitude that I look up to, which had also guided her through most of her difficult life. It was only then that I realised even the strongest and most resilient person could also suffer from mental illness, just like how an athlete is not immune to a virus or injury.
It was also during this time when I learned through my JC literature texts about the effects of the environment on our mind and self. For instance, the loss of a spouse could cause a person to lose his or her identity as a husband or wife. This could be detrimental to the state of mind when the person struggles to cope with the identity loss. Learning about this thus made me realise that there are many reasons why someone can suffer from mental illness. With so many factors that could affect our mental well-being, the solution can be never as simple as saying "have a stronger mind".
Correcting these two major misconceptions ultimately made me more empathetic. And I became motivated to learn more and help those who are suffering.
So I just want to say, if you're suffering from any mental illness, don't be afraid to reach out. We're all in this together.
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