11/03/2019
hello!!! this is a series on the faces of TYAR.
i'm Val, founder of The Youth Are Rising. this is a post that’s ALL about ✨M E✨. pls read
i began writing poetry when i was thirteen. i was very inspired by local poets like Cyril Wong, so much so that i even did a project on him LOL.
i suffer from psychotic disorders and personality disorders. my mental health journey started from when i was in primary school, but due to the lack of awareness and support, it was much later that i began to actively seek help. however, my mental health issues displayed themselves prominently in my secondary school years, where i acted out in anger and impulsivity and got into physical and verbal fights with both peers and teachers on a regular basis. i am sincerely remorseful for what i did then, but i know that i shouldnt bear the entire weight of my actions because society could have helped me more. i was a 😕 student, which led to my expulsion. as such, i haven't completed my secondary school education.
i think that my secondary school days were my darkest days. because i was notorious for using physical violence and aggression, schoolmates avoided me, out of both fear and spite. to my teachers, i was just another hopeless case. no one was there for me, and i had little support. over time, however, i've met people who are full of light and love. kindness came in the form of help from the right professionals, friends and family whose support never wavered, and DBT practically saved my life. i cant say that im "recovered" or "neurotypical", but i do think that the compassion poured onto my wounds has helped me come some way. i hope that the education system in Singapore does more to support students with mental health issues, that educators listen and take what students say seriously, and that judgment in schools lessen. i believe that a lot more can be done for youths, in terms of support for their mental health.
when in crises, i usually write. i switch around styles and genres a lot, but mostly just pen down whatever comes to mind. my journal is always with me!
ok kudos to you for reading this far. thank you for your support, and TYAR will smash the press while allowing words to heal.
stay tuned for more updates!!! fun stuff happening soon ;-)