Coco Lee’s Death Sparks Much-Needed Attention To Mental Health

Picture Source: Koimoi

One in every seven Chinese suffer from at least one type of mental illness in their lifetime. We need to talk.

Coco Lee, renowned Chinese-American singer, passed away from suicide on July 5 at the age of 48. Since her debut roughly 30 years ago, she has had a very successful career, from singing an Oscar-nominated song to becoming Chanel’s first Chinese ambassador, making her name as a pop icon. Some of her notable works include “A Love Before Time” from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and “Reflection” from Mulan, the live action film.

She was known for being a vibrant performer with a radiant personality. Her performances were always very energetic. Because of this, many netizens expressed their deep shock when they saw the news.

“I can’t believe this. She was always the sunshine girl who loved to sing, dance and smile,” a comment on Twitter-adjacent app Weibo reads. Another top post reads, “Is there still any happy person in this world then?”

This is a prime example of what is called “sunshine depression” in Chinese. It refers to someone presenting themselves as very positive and optimistic when they are actually facing mental struggles underneath. The virality of this event has sparked this phrase and provoked discussions of mental health across social media platforms.

Mental illness is a very taboo topic in Asia, despite the fact that many experience symptoms of anxiety and depressions. The large social stigma leaves a significant number of Chinese patients undiagnosed.

“I can’t believe this. She was always the sunshine girl who loved to sing, dance and smile,” a comment on Twitter-adjacent app Weibo reads. Another top post reads, “Is there still any happy person in this world then?”

-BBC News

Especially post COVID-19, China’s strict policies took a great mental toll on students and young people that are facing difficulty finding jobs. While society and businesses have now transitioned out of the pandemic mode, there are still ways to go with mental health diagnosis and awareness.