It’s encouraging to witness Hong Kong gradually becoming aware of the significance mental health and how it impacts every aspect of life, from relationships to wealth and health. For years our city has been constrained by the stigma surrounding mental health, leading individuals to engage in a relentless pursuit of high performance, achievement, and maintaining a positive image in order to feel worthy. And if they fail to achieve, then adopting coping mechanisms instead of facing and dealing with their emotions. Most people don’t even realize how their self-worth has become intertwined with their abilities to perform societal roles, be it as a CEO, dutiful child, or homemaker. As a result, anything that threatens our position or public perception triggers anxiety, prompting us to suppress, put on an ‘act’, or distract attention from our imperfect aspects.
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