Monthly Archives: October 2013

Go to Bed Angry!

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You’ve heard of the old adage, “Never go to bed angry.” For generations this has been the golden rule of marriage. To be sure, this is a helpful reminder for us to keep our communication lines open with our spouse to clear up the air instead of sweeping our problems under the carpet in the vain hope that things will be better tomorrow. Because, as we know, if we let our anger fester inside us overnight, it builds up resentment and gradually eats away at our marriage, right?

Well, not always. Continue reading →

Talking to Your Family about Mental Illness

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Life doesn’t always turn out the way we want it. Sometimes we are fairly able to cope with life’s ups and downs. We eventually get back on our feet with help from our families and friends. But other times, we take a longer time to recover from setbacks. We may find ourselves spinning or paralyzed by the demands of our day-to-day life. In such situations, feelings of “going crazy” are not uncommon.

What can you do if you think you may have a mental illness? How do you bring this up to your family? Continue reading →

Getting Help for a Loved One

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In my previous article I talked about some reasons Asian Americans underuse mental health services. Most Asian Americans turn to their family for support in times of emotional difficulties instead of going to a mental health professional. How then can you get help for someone in your family if their difficulties are serious? Here are some suggestions:

1. Express Your Concerns

Find a time and place conducive to bringing up the subject. Understand that what you are about to share with this person may not be easy to accept and may even be shocking to them. Ask yourself this: would they respond better when alone or when in the company of their most trusted person, such as their favorite sibling?

Continue reading →

Mental Illness: Myths and Facts

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Researchers estimate that 25% to 50% of American adults develop at least one mental illness at some point in their lifetime. Yet Asian Americans are the least likely to use mental health services when compared with other ethnic populations. This is despite the fact that Asian Americans do not differ from the general population in the prevalence of mental illness.

Why is this so? Continue reading →