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Opinion | How Ellen Loo, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain should inspire those with mental illness to seek help

Paul Yip and Daniel Lung say the conversation around celebrity suicides should focus on the complexity of causes leading to people taking their own lives and the value of reaching out for help

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Singer and songwriter Ellen Loo will also be remembered for her courage in talking openly about seeking help for bipolar disorder. Photo: Jonathan Wong
The sudden loss of Canto-pop singer Ellen Loo has shocked the public and her fans. Many were devastated by her death. The last thing we need to see are negative interpretations that lead to a misunderstanding of mental disorders and doubts cast on the effectiveness of seeking help such as “emotional disorders are incurable” and “it is useless to seek medical treatment”.
In fact, Loo had been proactive in facing mental illness and had engaged in many mental health promotion activities. She shared her experience in facing bipolar disorder and the challenges of the recovery process. She encouraged people with mental health problems to seek help. All these reflected her affirmation of the effectiveness of treatments and the importance of reaching out for help.

Just as with the rehabilitation process of other illnesses, the road to recovery from mental illnesses is bumpy, with relapses always a possibility. These include sudden and unprovoked depressive moods and poor thinking ability, among others. These conditions are sometimes more difficult to understand and to empathise with than physical pain, with the ups and downs sometimes leading patients to feel helpless and discouraged.

To support people who experience such episodes, we should try to affirm the positive progress they have made. Moreover, they need additional attention and support so that they feel we are walking with them during the tough times.

Watch: Hong Kong pop singer Ellen Loo dies aged 32

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