Student and Family Resources
As an English teacher, every year I work with Asian American students who deal with mental health issues, diagnosed or otherwise. The process of recognizing that you may be depressed or experiencing anxiety, reaching out for help, and getting treatment must feel so overwhelming. The resources I've listed below are starting places or points of reference for you and your families. They should not stand in for talking to your counselor and other professionals who are trained in mental health issues. If you think or know you are dealing with such an issue, please talk to your friends and the adults you trust.
1) http://reappropriate.co/2013/10/mental-health-awareness-week-top-10-myths-about-asian-americans-and-mental-health/
This article breaks down some of the most common myths and assumptions about mental health for Asian Americans and contains links to the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness as well as numbers for suicide hotlines that are attuned to the needs of Asian Americans.
2) http://hyphenmagazine.com/category/ask-model-minority-suicide
Hyphen ran a series titled "Ask a Minority Suicide" that features blog posts and articles about a range of mental health issues. There are articles about how to choose therapists who are able to work well with Asian Americans, how to manage the academic pressures many Asian Americans may feel they are under, how to combat depressive thoughts, etc.
3) http://www.xojane.com/issues/i-thought-being-miserable-was-just-part-of-being-chinese-american
In this essay, Kristina Wong talks about how hard it has been for her to recognize that she struggled with depression. She explores the ways being Chinese-American may have added to her reluctance to identify her issues and seek treatment.
4) http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/archive/2010/12/resource-guide
This resource guide is part of the Hyphen series on mental health listed above. I highlighted this particular post because it contains a very thorough list of hotlines, community health centers, informative websites, and therapists and providers who specialize in working with Asian Americans, especially second generation Asian Americans.
5) https://soundcloud.com/the-bull-and-the-badger-podcast/episode-1-personality/recommended
Vanessa Yee is a Chinese American filmmaker who made a film, The Laundromat, about the ways mental health issues are still often taboo in Asian American communities. As an offshoot of that film, she started a series of podcasts that talk about "dirty laundry" like body issues in Asian American communities, interracial relationships, figuring out careers, etc.
1) http://reappropriate.co/2013/10/mental-health-awareness-week-top-10-myths-about-asian-americans-and-mental-health/
This article breaks down some of the most common myths and assumptions about mental health for Asian Americans and contains links to the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness as well as numbers for suicide hotlines that are attuned to the needs of Asian Americans.
2) http://hyphenmagazine.com/category/ask-model-minority-suicide
Hyphen ran a series titled "Ask a Minority Suicide" that features blog posts and articles about a range of mental health issues. There are articles about how to choose therapists who are able to work well with Asian Americans, how to manage the academic pressures many Asian Americans may feel they are under, how to combat depressive thoughts, etc.
3) http://www.xojane.com/issues/i-thought-being-miserable-was-just-part-of-being-chinese-american
In this essay, Kristina Wong talks about how hard it has been for her to recognize that she struggled with depression. She explores the ways being Chinese-American may have added to her reluctance to identify her issues and seek treatment.
4) http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/archive/2010/12/resource-guide
This resource guide is part of the Hyphen series on mental health listed above. I highlighted this particular post because it contains a very thorough list of hotlines, community health centers, informative websites, and therapists and providers who specialize in working with Asian Americans, especially second generation Asian Americans.
5) https://soundcloud.com/the-bull-and-the-badger-podcast/episode-1-personality/recommended
Vanessa Yee is a Chinese American filmmaker who made a film, The Laundromat, about the ways mental health issues are still often taboo in Asian American communities. As an offshoot of that film, she started a series of podcasts that talk about "dirty laundry" like body issues in Asian American communities, interracial relationships, figuring out careers, etc.