i want to understand your pain

I attended a 3-day course on Understanding Youth Mental Health and Wellness this week (i thank my boss for sending me!). The lecturer Dr Ko Soo Meng, a senior consultant psychiatrist, gave very insightful elaborations about the various conditions and disorders prevalent in today's people - both young and old. Did i mention that he is such a clever joker as well? Ha.

Course syllabus aside, my first interesting observation was that more than half of the class were Christians, including Dr Ko himself. I thought i felt God's heart of love and compassion palpitate throughout the course; the many of us in the social sector really want to be God's heart and hands to the youth.

I was saddened to hear about the many extreme cases among Dr Ko's patients. Like a teenager with my emotions fired up, i felt the urge to become a psychiatrist. But with the sound mind of an adult, i do not do things rashly based on my feelings.

I wish the youth out there will be sound enough not to do things to hurt themselves on a spur of pain and depression. Guys, that is really an unnecessary choice.

Talk about it. Write your pain out. There is always someone who cares. Really.