

I was 14 then and what helped me pull through were the Japanese television dramas and anime shows that I was hooked on. When I told mum about my suicidal thoughts, she simply said, ‘Go ahead, I will not stop you.’ She was depressed and suicidal, too. My grandmother passed away when I was in primary school and it was difficult for me to talk to my grandfather because he could not hear well and I didn’t want him to worry about me. I tried reaching out to my parents for help only to hear dad say he was busy and mum complain that dad was useless. It got so bad to the point that I hated going to school. I was chubby and I became an easy target for bullies. Things took a turn for the worse, however, when I started secondary school. Growing up, I didn’t get much parental love but things were okay because my grandparents took good care of me. Mum took my younger sister while I lived with my grandparents.

MY parents were divorced when I was five.
