-
The Cost of Silence: How Ignoring Mental Illness in South Asian Families Leads to Physical Health Issues
Mental health remains a stigmatized issue in many South Asian families, where cultural expectations and generational beliefs discourage conversations about psychological well-being. Instead of seeking help, individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders are often...
-
Spirituality Versus Psychiatry: Why Many South Asians Turn to Religion Before Therapy or Psychiatric Medication
Mental health in South Asian communities is a subject influenced by a combination of cultural, social, and religious factors. Many South Asians, particularly those in Western countries, have a unique relationship with mental health care that often leads them to prioritize spiritual or religious...
-
Mental Health and Matchmaking: How Stigma Affects South Asian Marriage Prospects
Marriage is a monumental decision in South Asian culture, with families playing an active role in selecting partners. The matchmaking process, through family networks, matrimonial websites, or professional matchmakers, tends to prioritize factors such as education, career, caste, and family...
-
Therapy is for “Other People”: Why Many South Asian Parents Dismiss Mental Health Support
In many South Asian communities, mental health remains a stigmatized topic, leading individuals to suppress their struggles rather than seek help. This cultural undertone often results in both parents and children enduring mental health issues in silence, perpetuating a cycle of unaddressed...
-
The Holidays Are Coming: How to Handle Disagreements
Key Points: Group narcissism refers to the tendency to exaggerate the positive image and importance of a group to which one belongs. Factors woven into the psychology of individuals may increase the likelihood of buying into group beliefs. Pay attention to how your emotions affect your...
-
Expand Harm Reduction Services to Address Impact of Overdose Crisis on Older Adults
The devastating impact of the overdose crisis in the United States has been well-documented, affecting people from all backgrounds, demographics, and geographic regions. The data tells us that one age group in particular has been overlooked in the overdose crisis – older adults. The rate...
-
Behavioral Health News Spotlight on Excellence: An Interview with Jihoon Kim, CEO of InUnity Alliance
Overview In this interview, Jorge R. Petit, Founder/CEO of Quality Healthcare Solutions, LLC, speaks with Jihoon Kim, CEO of InUnity Alliance (asapnys.org / coalitionny.org). Jihoon discusses his strategic vision and priorities for addressing the growing mental health and addiction crisis in New...
-
Blockbuster Movies and Mental Health: Exploring New Narratives in Summer Films
Movie blockbusters have always been a staple of summer entertainment, providing thrilling escapism with larger-than-life characters and spectacular action sequences. However, recent movies like "Inside Out 2" and, even more surprisingly, "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" have added a new dimension to the...
-
Addressing the Adolescent Behavioral Health Crisis
Over the last year I have been writing about the growing public health crisis of behavioral health challenges among adolescents and young adults, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. The United Hospital Fund (UHF), in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), recently released The...
-
Your Options for Responding to Mental Illness Stigma (Protectively, Collaboratively, or Assertively)
I have been open about my bipolar disorder for almost twenty years. Immediately after I spoke at my first mental health awareness event, I was met with feedback and gratitude. People thought it was a brave thing for me to speak up about my mental illness to fight stigma. But the truth is, I felt I...
