6 Myths about Mental Health Commonly Held in Asian Communities
Asian communities face various challenges when seeking mental health support. Alongside systemic and linguistic barriers, cultural biases and negative perceptions about mental health can also be major obstacles. As an Asian therapist, it is my mission to empower our communities with knowledge about mental health and help individuals gain insight of how culturally ingrained beliefs and practices shape the way they approach healing. By dispelling these myths, we can break down barriers to healing and promote well-being.
Let’s dive into some of these myths. Maybe some you have heard before, and maybe some you find yourself still believing.
Myth #1: Seeking therapy is a sign of weakness or lack of willpower.
This stems from Confucianism beliefs that mental issues are a result of a lack of self-discipline or a weakness in character. It is believed that being mentally healthy implies the control of emotions and moderation of behavior. It is frowned upon to get into explosive fits of anger, get excessively happy, or become easily irritated as a lack of emotional control threatens social harmony. Thus, to avoid conflict and group disharmony, individuals go to great lengths of controlling and avoiding "extreme" emotions to avoid conflict, judgment, or shame.
Myth #2: Seeking therapy means that you are “crazy”.
This misconception stems from a lack of understanding about mental health. It is also influenced by how mental health is portrayed in the media. Many of our immigrant parents learn about the dominant American culture through TV and movies. Because of stereotypes fueled by visuals of psychiatric wards and asylums, many individuals associate seeking therapy with pathology. In reality, anyone can gain from therapy as the goal of therapy is to help individuals gain autonomy, build resilience, and process unresolved pain or grief.
Myth #3: Seeking therapy is shameful.
Because Asian cultures are collectivistic, our individual identities are a reflection of our group identity. An individual does not just represent him/her/themselves, but their family. It is not uncommon for parents to be blamed for their children’s behavior or how their children turn out. To preserve the family image and honor, there is a strong emphasis on “saving face” where individuals refrain from airing out their personal struggles. Because the nature of therapy involves processing pain and suffering, it can feel shameful and counter-cultural as it violates a practice that has been so culturally ingrained. Additionally, the belief that parents are responsible for their children's behavior, seeking therapy may be an admission of parental failure which fuels shame.
Myth #4:Therapy is for white people.
Historically, there has been a distrust of the health care system due to language barrier and lack of culturally affirming or aware care. Western medicine has not only positioned itself superior to Eastern medicine, but also mystified and pathologized Eastern ways of healing. The lack of culturally affirming and aware care, language barriers, and even discrimination towards immigrants, has kept individuals from trusting Western healthcare. This includes the field of psychology as it is developed by white cisgender men.
As the number of Asian therapists in the field increases, the stigma surrounding mental health diminishes. With a growing presence of culturally competent professionals, there's enhanced trust and understanding in addressing mental health concerns within Asian communities and families. And as more and more BIPOC folx enter the field, there has been a movement to decolonize therapy. Decolonizing therapy calls for an active unlearning of harmful ways that individualistic powers have fragmented and marginalized communities, it challenges the power differential between therapist and client, and it moves away from a pathologizing framework. It integrates ancient cultural practices, wisdoms, and beliefs for collective healing. Therapy becomes accessible to all.
Myth #5: Therapy is just paying to talk to someone.
While on the surface therapy can look like “just talking”, therapists are trained to look beyond the surface, identifying defense mechanisms, core wounds, where they stem from, and the barriers that obstruct healing. Therapists help clients improve their emotional literacy– a skill that is highly needed in Asian cultures as negative emotions are not often expressed. Because emotions are rarely articulated, individuals lack the vocabulary, language, and skills to process and cope with how they feel. Through empowering clients with language, clients are able to voice and name what has been unspoken, but always felt. Labeling emotions is how we express, become aware, and validate them which is important for healing.
Additionally there are many different types of therapy modalities beyond talk therapy. These include art/music therapy, somatic therapy, experiential drama therapy, neurofeedback therapy, psychedelic therapy, and more.
Myth #6: You can talk to your family members instead
Although family members can provide support, their responses may sometimes be unhelpful. Particulary in a culture where negative emotions are demonized, family members may dismiss, minimize, and invalidate an individual’s emotional experience. Seeking support from family members can potentially exacerbate attachment wounds, underscoring the importance of processing these emotions in a safe therapeutic environment free from judgment.
Ready to break through these barriers?
As an Asian American therapist, I understand the shame and all the negative backlash that comes with seeking therapy. And as a child of immigrants, I understand how we have made it a life purpose to pay our parents back for their sacrifices. I get that seeking therapy to process familial pains can feel like you’re betraying them or that you’re being ungrateful. However, while our parents did the best they could with what they had at that time, they aren’t perfect—and that’s ok.
In therapy, there is no shaming or judgment. And it is my passion to help you find healing and wholeness for you and your family.
Let’s start with a free consultation call to explore any barriers to healing—whether they are misconceptions about therapy itself or unhealed wounds that affect you to this day.
Remember that your healing is not shameful. It is not selfish. And that you are worth it.
