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How I Learned to Talk About Emotional Well-being in My Asian Community
Don’t wait until there’s a problem
Have you felt judged for talking to your friends about mental health?
The stigma against mental illnesses closes most of us off from talking about it, especially within my Asian-American community, and among those who’ve absorbed narrow definitions of masculinity.
The first step to breaking the stigma is making the distinction between mental health and mental illness. The former is about the overall health of our minds. The latter is a diagnosis from a psychiatrist or psychologist. Most of us are not trained medical professionals, but we can have conversations about our overall well-being.
The World Health Organization defines mental health as ‘a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.’
Now with physical distancing restrictions in place, loneliness has spiked. And since the quality of our relationships has shown to be a key factor to individual happiness, it’s more important than ever to start the conversation with those you care about.
