“On the surface, it may look like we’re this model minority. We’re great at school, we’re obedient, and we follow the rules. This can cause mental health issues, how do you seek help when you’re perceived as the strong one?” said LBCC mental health clinician Amy La during the “We Belong Here: We are not Scapegoats” Zoom event on May 18.
La was accompanied by fellow LBCC mental health clinicians Daisy Cook and Brianna Reyes, along with psychiatric nurse practitioner Sherwin Imperio to discuss mental health stigmas, cultural myths, and the rise of hate crimes faced by the Asian Pacific Islander Desi (APID) community.
“In many Asian cultures, there is still that stigma that remains, especially when it comes to mental health issues. It’s one of those situations where we’re not going to be able to solve anything unless we actually talk about it,” said Imperio.
La said that members of the APID community are three times less likely to seek mental health services in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups.
“This is attributed to multiple factors. In the APID community, we tend to seek support from our family and friends first. There’s a concept called “saving face.” A lot of Asian cultures ascribe to that; we don’t want to share bad news outside of family. If something is going on, we don’t want it to reflect poorly on our family,” said La.
According to La, another factor that contributes to members of the APID community not seeking mental health help is the pressure of the model minority myth.
“For some of us during our elementary school upbringing, we were perceived as succeeding in math, and we didn’t. How am I gonna ask for help when I’m supposed to be good at this? This affects our well being and mental health,” said La.
The panel discussed the barriers the APID community faces when trying to seek mental help services, including cost.
Cook said that LBCC has a great relationship with community based mental health agencies that cater to the APID community, including the Asian and Pacific Islander Mental Health in Long Beach and Pacific Asian Counseling Center in Los Angeles.
“Based on your situation, if you have no insurance or limited pay, we will connect you to the proper resources,” said La.
Event moderator Ruben Page said, “There’s this misconception, and this causes an equity issue here, that mental health services are only for the rich…People are unaware of all these sources of assistance and financial assistance to get these services.”
La said that for many members of the APID community, finding a therapist who also identifies as a member of the APID community is also a barrier.
“I do believe it is very much important to have someone who looks like you, who you believe will be able to identify with the same experience that you have…but it’s not the only thing that should matter in terms of actually seeking out help. If you need help, you need help. That help can come from any color, shape, or size of an individual, as long as they’re genuinely, willing, and wanting to help you out, then that help is as important as anything else,” said Imperio.
The panel also discussed the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes and violence that have occured amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has definitely brought more attention to the anti-Asian hate that has been going on in our society. A lot has happened within the last year…in 2020 alone, the hate crimes have risen by 149%, and those are only the reported ones,” said La.
La spoke about history of anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S., including Japanese Internment Camps, the Chinese Massacre of 1871, and the murder of Vincent Chin.
“This is not new to us…there is a history over hundreds of years where Asians were perceived as a threat,” said La.
Imperio said that amidst these difficult times, including the rise of anti-Asian hate and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that people prioritize their mental health.
“Unless you’re taking care of yourself, you’re gonna have a difficult time actually taking care of people around you. As an advocate for mental health, I think it’s absolutely something that should be focused on. It’s just as equal as your physical health,” said Imperio.
For an APID Resources & Support Guide created by Student Health Services, click here.