Breaking the Stigma: South Asian Mental Health and Support
Breaking the Stigma: South Asian Mental Health and Support
While mental health awareness continues to grow across the globe, specific cultures still experience significant barriers to understanding, addressing, and accessing appropriate resources to support mental health. Despite being part of the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, the South Asian community continues to face significant cultural barriers to mental health support with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health reporting that Asians were 60% less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have received mental health treatment in 2018.
On this week’s episode of the More Than a Therapy Couch podcast, we sit down with Surbhi Vyas LPC, a Licensed Professional Counselor and the founder and owner of Healing Lotus Mental Health. Vyas has done extensive work with the South Asian diaspora and has seen first hand how generational trauma and stigma has affected the mental health of newer generations.
Why South Asian Mental Health Matters
The South Asian diaspora refers to individuals with an ancestry from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan. This includes individuals with parents who immigrated to the United States from one of these countries and are balancing navigating the cultural expectations of their families with the cultural expectations of their peers. As a result, this population faces unique mental health struggles that often go untreated due to a variety of reasons.
Vyas elaborates that “this fear of judgment is not just in South Asian culture, it's everywhere, but how do you handle it? So many lives are being affected, and we are not talking about it.”
Common Mental Health Challenges in the South Asian Community
When faced with common cultural expectations, patterns in mental health struggles can emerge. Some of the most common mental health challenges experienced within the South Asian community include:
Stigma and Shame: Mental health struggles in South Asian communities are often extremely stigmatized and perceived as weakness or failure. In this collectivistic culture, many individuals fear judgment from family or friends, leading to suppressed emotions and struggles.
Pressure to Succeed: In many South Asian families, there is a high priority placed on academic and professional success. The weight of these expectations can often feel crippling to individuals who may develop anxiety, depression, and burnout as a result.
Identity and Cultural Conflict: Many individuals, particularly first-generation immigrants, are balancing dual identities–having to choose between the traditional values of their family of origin and modern American culture. This can create confusion, isolation, and identity struggles.
Limited Culturally Competent Care: Finding a mental health clinician who understands South Asian culture and its impact on mental health is crucial for effective treatment. Without sufficient representation in the field of mental health, racial minorities often bear the responsibility of educating their clinicians on systemic struggles, which can negatively impact the care they receive.
Addressing South Asian Mental Health Needs
While it is evident there are gaps between mental health needs and mental health resources within the South Asian community, Vyas and other clinicians worldwide have taken steps to bridge this gap and provide others with the tools and resources to address these needs.
Starting the conversation about mental health within a South Asian family can be difficult, but it is a vital step to dismantling the stigma associated with mental illness and paving the way for understanding and support. By normalizing conversations about mental health in South Asian communities, we create space for others to acknowledge similar experiences and access resources in a safe, judgment-free environment.
Vyas shares “it’s a lot of psychoeducation for parents as well… There is a fear of the unknown. If we don't know what therapy is, why would we want that for our child?”
Another barrier to care that impacts the South Asian community is the financial burden of therapy. Taking the time to work on oneself can look different to everyone, and there is no right or wrong way to work on one’s mental health. When searching for professional mental health support for yourself or a loved one, it is important to ensure that the individual you find is best suited to support your needs, both clinically and financially. Therapists can vary in their licensure, areas of focus, experience, insurance status, and cultural competencies, so it is important to do your research prior to engaging in sessions.
When discussing the cost of professional help, Vyas suggests “looking at it as an investment and a ripple effect into your better self. As well as recognizing how that can ripple into your relationships, your family, your relationship with yourself and more.”
When choosing to invest in your self-care, it is important that the therapist you see is able to offer culturally competent care. Culturally competent clinicians have taken the time to educate themselves on the intricacies of working with various populations and the best clinical modalities and approaches to support them. There are options for every individual, including for those who prefer to see a therapist from a similar cultural background as themself. Everyone has a different comfort level and it is important to advocate for yourself and the care you need.
When should I see a professional ?
If you or a loved one are experiencing mental health challenges that cannot be managed on your own or are interfering with your daily life, it may be time to consult a mental health professional, such as a therapist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and there are professionals ready to support you on your journey toward wellness.
To listen to the full episode of More Than a Therapy Couch, visit https://www.youtube.com/@TreeofLifeCC or find us on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Pandora.
About Tree of Life Counseling Center and Healing Lotus Mental Health
At Tree of Life Counseling Center in Princeton, NJ and Freehold, NJ, we have an experienced team of 50+ clinicians to help support you, and your family, through whatever you may be facing. Schedule an appointment today by calling 732-393-8391 or filling out an online form at https://www.treeoflifecc.org/start-today.
At Healing Lotus Mental Health, Surbhi Vyas, LPC specializes in working with clients who may be suffering from anxiety, depression, life transitions, intergenerational trauma, school avoidance, executive functioning concerns, women's issues and family issues including couples counseling. As a South Asian female and New Jersey native, she has a passion to serve BIPOC clients whose past generations thought of therapy as a taboo. To schedule a virtual appointment call 732-997-0509 or fill out an interest form at www.healinglotusmentalhealth.com
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-a-therapy-couch/id1745752836
