Season 5 Episode 6
Mental Health Tips For Asian Americans Ft. Jeke
For being as commonly spoken as it is, mental health is a topic that is still shrouded in much mystery. Depression and anxiety are just a few, commonly diagnosed mental health ailments that our generation suffer from - but how does being Asian American influence those conditions? We have different stresses, cultural pressures, and socio-economical upbringings than other groups - let alone being notorious for keeping mental health a taboo topic or completely disregarding it as a series health condition. Our episode today is incredibly special because we brought on Jeke to talk to us about his own personal battles with his mental health as an Asian American and giving valuable tips and perspectives that can hopefully help anyone who is listening or reading this.
Dogs/Cats/Pets
Did you know petting a dog or a pet can release endorphins to help you relax your furry friend and yourself? Having a pet/service animal can not only make you happier and more relaxed, but can also help you keep a consistent schedule. To paraphrase Jeke, he mentions that having a pet and taking care of her made it feel like he accomplished something in the day, even if it is as simple as going for a walk or feeding her. This is important for those who suffer from depression as they may feel that a simple task could be an extremely taxing job.
Understanding Your Parents’ Intentions
In the Asian American community, it is not uncommon to have parents who may lack emotional support. In fact, we often joke about how Asian parents are these stone-cold beings who are there literally to help you sustain life - and to some degree…. that may be true. We discussed the concept of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in which we agreed that immigrant parents typically only had time to provide the Basic Needs. In a time where it’s increasingly more expensive than previous generations, we often lack those basic needs ourselves and the pressures we experience from them is a projection of their fear that we can’t provide for ourselves, let alone a future family.
Scheduling And Understanding What Works For You
Everyone is different and operates in unique ways. If you find yourself struggling to abide by self-imposed or work-imposed schedules, don’t beat yourself up over it, there’s more than one way to tackle work. For example, some people might prefer a rigid structure in their day, blocking off time by the hour/minute to make sure they get their tasks done. Others might find that a a rigid structure is too stiff and not malleable, so they prefer to make sure they finish their tasks while following their own timelines. Point is, it is mentally defeating and detrimental to keep using a system that does not work for you.
As always, be sure to listen to the episode for full details! It’s a good one!
Jeke’s curated list of resources:
Try online therapy! A quick google search can do the job to find a service. Online therapy is much. more comforting especially if it is your first time enlisting in therapy.
Depression And Bipolar Support Alliance - They offered support groups pre-covid. The website has good resources for anyone curious about mental health. There’s a time/spot for anyone of any background.
If you are ensured with Kaiser, the mobile app can easily schedule appointments with psychiatrists or therapists and is easy to get medication refills (if you require medication).
IMG CREDIT: www.simplypsychology.org