Zhenghua: Joyce

Joyce struggled with her mental health throughout her school years. In primary school, she felt lonely, insecure, and had low self-esteem. This led to her zoning out, ignoring homework, and spending all of her time with friends in search of emotional validation. She also started binge eating and binge-watching shows, which negatively impacted her health.

In secondary school, bullies further affected her social skills and self-doubt. Joyce was placed in the normal academic stream but felt pressure to get into the express stream. This led to her becoming study-obsessed and pushing friends away. She eventually reached a breaking point and started having occasional outbursts in class.

Thankfully, Joyce had some supportive teachers who helped her through this difficult time. In junior college, she found ways to process her feelings through meditation and breathing exercises. She is now doing great and continues to find ways to manage her mental health.