A 28-year-old worker with around S$100,000 in savings turned to Reddit to ask whether taking a career break is a sensible idea after her new job left her feeling completely drained and emotionally fragile.
Writing on the r/singaporefi subreddit, she shared that ever since she joined her new workplace, her life has felt increasingly chaotic. She explained that the intense stress from work has caused her to experience “suicidal thoughts,” get into arguments with her partner over very small matters, and gradually lose the motivation to complete even the simplest tasks.
She also said she genuinely tried to make it work. She attended therapy sessions in hopes of finding clarity or some sense of relief. However, instead of feeling better, she ended up feeling more fragile and emotionally exposed, as though every layer she had built to hold herself together had come undone.
“I got fragile instead. I’ve had depression and OCD thoughts for ages, and I genuinely thought they were gone or at least manageable. Turns out they’re not. Now I’m questioning my whole path and all the life decisions I thought I’d already sorted,” she wrote.
She added that she doesn’t want to give up completely. Part of her still wants to push forward, aim higher, and do better—but in her current state, even thinking about it feels like trying to run uphill in quicksand.
“It seems like there’s no way out. Not going to lie, I’ve tried many, many ways to keep my mind strong, but it just keeps going round in circles,” she admitted. “I also have interviews lined up, but I don’t feel excited anymore. I am tired of going through it all over again.”
“Your health and relationships are way more important than your job.”
Sensing that the woman was experiencing severe burnout, many Reddit users encouraged her to step back and take a break.
One commenter wrote, “You’re in a pretty good position with S$100k at 28yo. Don’t think of it as a ‘break’, but think of it as the time you take to build your health, your self and allowing new experience to enter your life. Trust me, Singapore is a more pleasant place during office hours.”
Another advised, “Suicidal thoughts are quite serious. Do take a break, and there will always be a better job for you.”
A third said, “At the end of the day, your health and relationships are way more important than your job. If you have savings of S$100k to tide yourself through unemployment for the time being, I think it’s perfectly fine if you have been in your job for quite a while and want to call it quits. All the best, and stay strong!”
A fourth added, “Don’t go for interviews. At this point, you will just trigger this again if you cannot recenter yourself. Most mental and health issues go away when you stop working.”
Reach out for help
If you or someone you care about is struggling with intense suicidal thoughts, it’s crucial to seek help immediately. For urgent assistance, you can dial 999. Additionally, you can contact the SOS Hotline at 1800 221 4444 or the IMH Hotline at 6389 2222.
For in-person assistance, you can visit the IMH Emergency Services located at 10 Buangkok View, Buangkok Green Medical Park, Singapore 539747.