I love driving around various neighborhoods during springtime, when flowers bloom and lawns come back to life after a dreary winter. Each time, I cannot help but be amazed at the peace and calm in many neighborhoods around Seattle. When one considers that our region is graced by the presence of tech companies with higher than average education and income levels, you may be led to believe that all people, particularly on the Eastside, somehow enjoy a higher quality of life. Continue reading
Tag Archives: mental illness
When Domestic Violence Erupts…
I read with great sadness in today’s paper about a 28-year-old mother of four found killed in her apartment. She had twice sought protection orders against her violent ex-boyfriend. In one petition, she expressed a resignation that “a piece of paper isn’t going to save my life when he finally gets me, but at least you know who killed me.” Continue reading
Talking to Your Family about Mental Illness
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
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?
Mental Illness: Myths and Facts
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
Therapy Associates 