Fighting with a Ghost
Kagan Goh
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Fighting with a Ghost
Kagan Goh
Through his multidisciplinary piece Surviving Samsara, Kagan Goh explores ungrounded realities inspired by his mental illness to combat stigma and prejudice.
Surviving Samsara is a live multimedia theatrical production bringing together theatre, spoken word, music, film, audiovisuals, and more. Created by Kagan based on his struggles with manic depression, this work breaks the taboo of silence about mental illness.
“It struck a chord with people, when I perform my poems or do storytelling, because not only do I speak for myself, but I also speak for those who have been silenced.”
Surviving Samsara traces his journey towards recovery, acceptance and unconditional self-love. The show spans two decades as Kagan struggles to survive the highs of mania and the lows of depression. The work offers intimate insights into an “insider’s” experience of madness as a survivor. Kagan exposes the damaging effects of the stigma of mental illness and explores manic depression not only as a disorder but also as a spiritual emergence—a vehicle for personal growth, healing, and transcendence.
“When I feel hypomania coming on, I let it come and go, ebb and flow and ride it in gentle waves, gentle undulating waves as opposed to huge peaks and valleys and roller coaster rides.”
Kagan Goh (he/him) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, published author, spoken word artist, mental health advocate, and activist who uses writing, film, and spoken word storytelling to educate the public about mental health issues and break the silence about the taboo of mental illness.
Fighting with a Ghost
Fighting with a Ghost
Kagan Goh
Through his multidisciplinary piece Surviving Samsara, Kagan Goh explores ungrounded realities inspired by his mental illness to combat stigma and prejudice.
Surviving Samsara is a live multimedia theatrical production bringing together theatre, spoken word, music, film, audiovisuals, and more. Created by Kagan based on his struggles with manic depression, this work breaks the taboo of silence about mental illness.
“It struck a chord with people, when I perform my poems or do storytelling, because not only do I speak for myself, but I also speak for those who have been silenced.”
Surviving Samsara traces his journey towards recovery, acceptance and unconditional self-love. The show spans two decades as Kagan struggles to survive the highs of mania and the lows of depression. The work offers intimate insights into an “insider’s” experience of madness as a survivor. Kagan exposes the damaging effects of the stigma of mental illness and explores manic depression not only as a disorder but also as a spiritual emergence—a vehicle for personal growth, healing, and transcendence.
“When I feel hypomania coming on, I let it come and go, ebb and flow and ride it in gentle waves, gentle undulating waves as opposed to huge peaks and valleys and roller coaster rides.”
Kagan Goh (he/him) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, published author, spoken word artist, mental health advocate, and activist who uses writing, film, and spoken word storytelling to educate the public about mental health issues and break the silence about the taboo of mental illness.
Through his multidisciplinary piece Surviving Samsara, Kagan Goh explores ungrounded realities inspired by his mental illness to combat stigma and prejudice.
Surviving Samsara is a live multimedia theatrical production bringing together theatre, spoken word, music, film, audiovisuals, and more. Created by Kagan based on his struggles with manic depression, this work breaks the taboo of silence about mental illness.
“It struck a chord with people, when I perform my poems or do storytelling, because not only do I speak for myself, but I also speak for those who have been silenced.”
Surviving Samsara traces his journey towards recovery, acceptance and unconditional self-love. The show spans two decades as Kagan struggles to survive the highs of mania and the lows of depression. The work offers intimate insights into an “insider’s” experience of madness as a survivor. Kagan exposes the damaging effects of the stigma of mental illness and explores manic depression not only as a disorder but also as a spiritual emergence—a vehicle for personal growth, healing, and transcendence.
“When I feel hypomania coming on, I let it come and go, ebb and flow and ride it in gentle waves, gentle undulating waves as opposed to huge peaks and valleys and roller coaster rides.”
Kagan Goh (he/him) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, published author, spoken word artist, mental health advocate, and activist who uses writing, film, and spoken word storytelling to educate the public about mental health issues and break the silence about the taboo of mental illness.
