Yeo Esther. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse)]
Yeo Esther. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse)]

Yeo Esther, a physician and entrepreneur, has spoken out against allegations that she has been using her depression for marketing purposes.

Yeo appeared Wednesday on broadcaster Jang Young-ran's YouTube channel to address various allegations surrounding her.

Asked whether she was exploiting her depression to promote herself or her company, Yeo said she was not.

"Absolutely not," she said. "When I disclosed my depression, our marketing team called it 'a bomb for the company.' We sell health-related products that are good for the body — I should be out there saying, 'I don't have depression' and 'I sleep just fine,' shouldn't I?"

Yeo also opened up about when her depression first began. "My depression started in earnest when I was 30," she said. "But I'm a doctor, so I tried a wide range of medication treatments." She added that even after nearly 10 years of medication, some issues remained unresolved.

She spoke about the various depression-related treatments she had tried firsthand, saying she wanted to raise greater awareness about the condition as a medical professional.

Yeo also addressed remarks she made on the entertainment program "Unmyeongjeonjaeng 49," in which she said she counted the days until she would die.

"For someone with depression, it feels like it will never end," she said. "If you pick a day when you think you might finally be able to wrap things up, it gives you the will to at least keep living until then."

"In my case, I had set Nov. 18 last year as that date — but when November came, I had actually improved," she said. "I changed my medication in October last year, and my husband came to stay with me, and for the first time the dark thoughts were gone."

"During menopause, my husband — who I couldn't stand the sight of — started coming around, eating meals with me, and that really helped," she said.

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, dial the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 109, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.


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