Mental Health

“Hola! Mi nombre is Lissa Ng. As a mental health advocate I bring awareness to depression and anxiety. I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic  with Chinese  parents, two cultures that stigmatizes Mental Health.

I have had anxiety my whole life but depression started when my dad suddenly passed away when I was 13. I used to sleep all day, almost 14 hrs a day and not eat.

When I had my first son, things got worst, and I remember reading about depression and postpartum depression but my partner at the time told not to mention anything, so my shame grew bigger and my fear to judgement consumed me.

At the age of 21, I used to work 12+ hrs a day and I didn’t see my baby much, who was 6+months at the time. I was also in a very toxic relationship that made me feel useless and never enough.

One night on my way home at the train station , I stood behind the yellow line. The speakers announced the arrival of the train, I walked slowly to find the perfect time to jump the tracks off the train as it arrived, but a voice inside my head said: “Lissa, your baby is waiting for you to come home, go home” and I froze. The wind of the train blew my face and I broke down.

Today, I’m in a much better place because of the people that have spoken up about their journey with depression and anxiety, my purpose it’s to change somebody’s life by sharing my own experience.

I’m grateful for having this platform to share that, and more to the Chinese, Hispanic-Latino communities” @lissangs_