Lab, Labubus, loneliness and Hinge: How not to cope with your depression
Author: KAYLEE NGUYEN, October 16, 2025
The author writes about Labubus, hunting for small joys and her journey with depression.
Ever since I saw those furry creatures adorning bright pink backpacks while scrolling through Vietnamese TikTok, I knew I had to have one.
My friends haven’t let me live it down, commenting that I am “ABG-maxxing” and that I am “contributing to the problem of consumerism.”
“Kaylee, you already have a Sonny Angel…please don’t tell me you’re going blonde next.”
But it was never really about the toy, it was about the thrill of wanting, of distracting the voices in my head with something furry and ridiculous.
It’s easier to obsess over the Energy Series and which AliExpress buyers to purchase from than to sit with the weight of my own loneliness.
Unfortunately, Labubus aren’t the only thing I fixate on, when I’m not scrolling through Shopee listings, I’m scrolling through people on Hinge.
Author's summary: Coping with depression through distractions.
- Labubus as a distraction
- Hunting for small joys
- Journey with depression