Talking about mental well-being at home can be daunting, especially if you come from an Asian background, where emotional struggles are often denied, misinterpreted—or worse, stigmatized. For example, even though depression affects 3.8% of the global population, it’s still sometimes believed to be caused by a lack of willpower in East Asian cultures.

When people hear the word “schizophrenia,” they often picture chaos, voices in one’s head, erratic behaviour, and disconnection from reality. These portrayals, shaped largely by the media, miss the nuances of what it’s actually like to live with the condition. This article takes a closer look at what schizophrenia is, what it isn’t, and whether living a so-called “normal” life is possible with the right support in place.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Asia is famous for its deeply rooted and rich cultures and rituals. The long-standing traditions integrate into our everyday lives, even in modern times. It’s not far-fetched to say that there are a lot of things we can learn from those rituals. Taking the essence of the ancient wisdom from Asian rituals, we might just be able to learn a lot about mental well-being.  

All of us inevitably face some form of adversity, struggle and setbacks in life - it’s one of those things we can virtually all agree on. In fact, we may sometimes face pain and hardship so overwhelming that it seems to crush us. But what if we could re-orient our perspective toward suffering? By not only seeing it as a negative experience to endure, but as an opportunity to grow as a person and develop our character?

Overwork is not a new issue, but what now poses a growing threat to our mental health and work-life balance is the glorification of overwork culture in Asia. These days, “overwork” is not only acceptable, it’s inspirational.

If you have anxiety, then you are likely familiar with the feeling of racing thoughts. A thought can appear suddenly, brought forth by the smallest of triggers. It then links to another thought, and then another one, and so on. Just like a frog leaping from one lily pad to the next, and the next, and the next...