Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
HyunA recently took to Instagram to talk about her experience in battling a combination of health problems like depression, panic disorder, and suffering from fainting spells as a result of vasovagal syncope.
Hello, everyone. I’m not sure if this is the right decision to make for for my fans and those who like and show interest in me, but since I’ve thought a lot about it, I decided to talk about it. The truth is, I’ve dreamt of standing on a stage ever since I was little. As a result, I ended up achieving that dream, received love and support that I didn’t expect, and grew significantly. Since I thought I had many opportunities since I was little, I was thankful and excited. And at times, I felt sorry as well. As time passed, I debuted and grew up into an adult, realized I needed to take responsibility for my actions without making mistakes, and that I was chosen, so I just ran at full speed out of greed. I didn’t even know I was sick. But since I was always surrounded by good people and my fans, I thought I was okay. I pushed it off, denied it, and then only realized it when I went to the hospital in 2016. Since I was the type of person to naturally take medicine if my body was sick and to take cold medicine if I had a cold, I couldn’t believe my diagnosis of depression and panic disorder. I don’t think I believed it for around a year. Now, I naturally receive treatment every two weeks, and I try not to think of it as a negative thing since I so many people with me. But then for the first time, my vision turned hazy and I collapsed. I just assumed it was a symptom of panic disorder, but after a doctor at a university hospital examined my brain waves, I was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope. I just felt blank. I wanted to stand on the stage, but if I frequently collapsed and people knew about it, who would ask me to perform for them? I was worried more than anything, so I didn’t want to tell anyone. While I kept the secret for a long time, I felt bad and sorry every time I collapsed. I felt sorry to people who trusted me while I worked on advertisements and events. In order to lift the burden, I decided to be honest, and although I felt cautious, I ended up talking about it with courage, without hiding anything. I’ll do my best to continue forward with a positive attitude, but people can’t be perfect. I don’t think I’m too late, and I want to love and take good care of myself. And I’ll continue to be courageous and honest. Thank you very much for reading this.
While it’s certainly concerning that she’s battling all that, it’s probably a good sign that she’s comfortable enough to address it publicly and come forward. One of the most difficult things about mental health is having to pretend everything is normal when it’s not, so hopefully a positive reception to this will help her significantly and will also result in understanding should she need to take a rest or whatever else happens.
Hopefully the messaging will also help others as well, because she’s correct about seeking therapy and treatment if you have the means to do so, as it can be life-changing and it certainly was for me. This is less about the singular statement changing everything and more about hopefully this adding to the pile of people talking about it that will begin to shift general attitudes about mental health.
