There are bad days, and there are days where it seems like everything is simply worse than before. For many people, these feelings occur when you are down and could pass as time goes by. However, in some cases these emotions cling on, sometimes for weeks and months. Such prolonged feelings can actually inhibit normal lifestyle. 

The terms “mental health” and “mental illness” are frequently being used as if they connote the same meaning, but they actually do not. Every single one of us have mental health, the same way that we all have physical health. And throughout the course of our lives, not all individuals would go on to experience having a mental illness, but at least in one point of our lives, every single one of us would eventually come to a point where we struggle or face challenges with our mental well-being (a.k.a., our mental health), and this is fairly comparable to when we would all have challenges with our physical health from time to time, so let’s dive deeper into understanding what this really means.

To most people, psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors tend to conjure up the same imagery. That it is a mental-health professional talking to a client while the client is on the couch. While it is not completely wrong, it is not completely true either. Psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors are all trained to understand and help with emotional issues, but however, there remains a huge difference between the three professions.

According to the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS, 2019), about 424,000 children in Malaysia are affected by mental health issues. Among the more common ones that we may have heard is  ADHD and autism. Both are neurodevelopmental disorders that could share some similar symptoms, and both conditions can be present at the same time.

Mental health is one of the most overlooked aspects of personal health, especially in Malaysia. The Ministry of Health estimates that almost 1 in 3 Malaysians may be facing mental health issues. With such a common occurrence, somehow people do not really talk about it much at all. 

We all know hedgehogs as cute, spiky animals but they are actually more than what they seem to be. Believe it or not, we can learn a lot from these spiky animals, especially students and entrepreneurs. From how we make decisions to how to choose a career path, many theories and concepts have been derived from hedgehogs. Lets read on and see what these cute animals can teach us.

Crying. A natural occurrence that many of us experienced. Despite being a totally normal and human thing to do, shedding tears isn’t always accepted. This is truer to males in an Asian society because some might feel shameful for crying, as Asians aren’t expressive in terms of emotions. Being the literal ‘first thing that you did when you were born’, crying is imperative for the wellbeing of humans, no matter the age. Studies have shown that crying has a plethora of importance and benefits. Do read up on this article if you want to know the top 5 importance of crying.

Most people know what personalities are. Something akin to traits or characteristics of a person. Chances are that you might have already experienced taking a personality assessment be it in social media, online or from professionals. The more famous personality tests includes the Big Five and the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It is understandable that most people tend to associate those personality tests with the West, given that most of the personality tests were developed in the West. However, as Asians, how often do we hear of Asian psychological tests? Or specifically, personality tests?

SPM just got commenced and there is no doubt stress is in the air. Those who are taking and those who have taken the dreaded exam, knows how torturous it is. The same goes for college and university students who are facing exams and thesis writing. The main point of it all is stress and exhaustion. Unfortunately, nowadays, student stress is shrugged off as just something common and insignificant. However, too much stress and exhaustion may cause a student to suffer academic-burnout. Despite it being known as a working-adult problem, many are unware that students too can experience burnout. Such a crippling condition may even lead to dire consequences.