1. Stefanie Sun / Sun Yan Zi
Reports in 2011 stated that Stefanie Sun admitted to suffering from depression for a year.
During that period of time, she could hardly speak and was suspicious of everyone around her.
Shin Min evening daily reported that the singer very quickly shot to fame, but within the first 3 to 4 years of stardom, she suddenly "retired" from showbiz for a year.
Sun admitted that she would avoid colleagues who knocked on her door by blasting music and pretending she didn't hear them to avoid all matters relating to work. Others from showbiz speculated that the star's quick rise to fame brought too much stress and pressure, causing her to sink into depression.
When Sun was interviewed by a Hong Kong entertainment channel and quizzed about her health condition, she admitted she had struggled with depression.
She said: "That period of time was the lowest point in my life."
She added that she could hardly talk or relate to others at work. Even though she wanted to strike a conversation, she could not bring herself to.
Her thoughts also became very negative, thinking the worst of all her problems.
She would have doubts about the encouragement that came from close friends. When she received affirmation and applause from fans, she felt all of it was false.
As a result, Sun felt that she had to take a break from showbiz, knowing that her condition would worsen if she did not retreat to rest.
She also said candidly that she faced opposition with wanting to take a break because she was the main money spinner for her record company at that time.
Now the singer, who is in better spirits, attributes her recovery to friends who have given her the space for self-reflection. She realised that the world still revolves without her, and things go on - a realisation that has helped her to see more meaning to life.
2. Quan Yifeng
"A successful person isn't necessarily happy, but a happy person will be successful." Quan Yifeng, the Taiwan-born MediaCorp host has been receiving treatment for severe depression, anxiety and sleep problems since 2007.
She also suffered post-natal depression after giving birth to her daughter in 1999.
During the course of her treatments, Quan said she has changed many therapists, but they mostly referred to her experiences before coming up with a diagnosis.
She said: "In this 10 years, I haven't lost my temper in situations where I should have lost my temper. In situations where I should not have lost my temper, I lost my temper, making me very confused.
"I felt that people were trying to harm me... I was suspicious about the people around me."
She said that she was once afraid to drink a cup of water because she thought that someone might have poisoned it. The fear caused her to lose weight until she was just 39kg, she said.
3. Mavis Hee
In June 2006, Hee hit the headlines in Singapore when she was arrested after harassing two hotel guests at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. She was warded at Singapore's Institute of Mental Health, and was diagnosed with clinical depression after a stay of four weeks. She was not charged by the police. In October 2006, she came out to explain her actions in a series of interviews with the Singapore media, explaining that she was on the road to recovery. She also thanked her fans for their immense support all these years.
4. Yvonne Lim
Yvonne Lim's failed relationship caused her depression
The actress went through a bout of depression and was heavily dependent on sleeping pills after her engagement was called off.
She is more wary when it comes to matters of the heart now as the bubbly actress recounted her most heartbreaking relationship to date. Lim shared that her relationship with her ex-boyfriend reached the stage of "marriage" and he eventually proposed to her. The actress sunk into depression and even contemplated suicide after the other party broke off their engagement.
Lim shared that she grew unhappy with each passing day and decided to let go of this heartbreaking relationship. "Back then, I was really hurt by it. I stayed by myself for six months and eventually sunk into depression. I had to see a doctor and depended on sleeping pills to get some rest. I thought about suicide but did not do anything foolish when I thought of my family."
5. Thomas Ong
Local actor Thomas Ong has revealed that his decision to forgo having a single place to stay for three months caused him to suffer from depression.Speaking at the press conference for his new TV drama Secrets for Sale, the former MediaCorp star said that after moving in and out of rented apartments for the past 10 years, he "wanted to experience what it's like to be without a home."
During those three ‘homeless' months, Ong primarily stayed with two of his friends, who let him use their guest room or living room. Occasionally, we would stay at a budget hotel or live with his godson in Kuala Lumpur.
The nomadic lifestyle caused him to suffer both physically and mentally. He said: "I didn't know it would be so depressing not having a fixed place to go back at the end of the day."
Even though he knew that he was slipping into depression, he did nothing to stop the slide, saying: "I wasn't in a clear state of mind then. I intentionally wanted to have this experience. Maybe actors are sickos."
Ong is much better now after meeting a senior financial advisor, Mr Hang Chang Choon, who encouraged him to start planning for his future.
With Mr Hang's advice, Ong decided to become a financial advisor as well, learning how to manage his finances as his life.
Looking back on his bleakest period, he says that he "always knew that it was just an experiment and that (he) would be okay in a few months time".
