Beating depression: webcomic to reduce mental health stigma created by Indonesian brothers
- When Edward Gunawan talked publicly in Hong Kong about his 15-year battle with depression, the response was so strong he created webcomic to spread his message
- He and his brother, who illustrated the comic, hope to translate it into Asian languages; they began a Facebook group to help sufferers connect with each other
An Indonesian storyteller in Hong Kong has translated his own struggle with depression into a webcomic to encourage people affected by the condition to talk about their problems more openly and to raise public awareness about mental health issues.
Press Play was launched this month to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month in Hong Kong. In it Edward Gunawan, 36, chronicles his 15-year battle against depression, with vivid black-and-white illustrations by his brother Elbert Lim, sketched over six months.
The drawings reflect Gunawan’s feelings as he fought depression, which he described as “drowning”, being “overwhelmed by giant waves” and “falling into a hole”.
“I hope that by sharing such a vulnerable story about myself, it can empower others to talk about their own circumstances and their own feelings more openly with people they love and trust, [and] ultimately [to] seek professional help if they need to,” Gunawan says.
