From the “model minority myth” to Confucianism, Asians are under a ton of pressure to perform and are often discouraged from sharing their true feelings–but that doesn’t make them go away. Healthy coping skills build resilience and improve relationships.
less likely to receive mental health treatment compared to non-Hispanic whites.
more likely to consider suicide.
increase in anxiety and depression from racial pressure.
A common belief among the general public is that Asian Americans are all incredibly intelligent, hardworking, and law-abiding people. It’s part of what is known as the “Model Minority Myth”. Unfortunately, the model minority myth, originally made to help Asians, ends up hurting them instead, with many fearful of not living up to the stereotype and letting down their family. This leads to increased anxiety, depression, burnout, and overall health issues.
In a TED talk featuring Olivia Lai’s “Asian Doesn’t Start with A+” at TEDxPhillipsAcademyAndover, she shared that she had been conditioned to accept herself as nothing less than perfection. Like her other Asian-American friends, it was a shared experience among them to crumble under school and work pressures.
Many Asian parents made extremely difficult lifestyle changes to provide a better future for their families. Those from newer generations often feel their emotional distress or learning difficulties pale compared to the stories they’ve heard from family members. Because of this, youth struggling with emotional distress or learning challenges might fear seeming ungrateful to elders by complaining of their own “lesser” struggles. Guilt often discourages them from speaking up.
Disabilities and mental health diagnoses can have real consequences in Asian countries, even getting expelled from school. You aren’t defective.
It can be very productive and therapeutic to work with a therapist from the same culture and ethnicity - it might be a lot more comfortable than someone who doesn’t really understand what it’s like in your shoes. There aren’t enough, though.
The stereotype that all Asians are excellent in academics hurts the kids who aren’t. Many Asian children could benefit from behavioral and academic supports, but instead learn to hide their imperfections.
Culturally "accepted" distractions from negative emotions, spending, gaming, drinking, and workaholism can provide temporary relief but cause major problems long-term.
The infusion of Confucianism might have inadvertently caused Asian parents to be stingy with their praise as it is considered “boasting” almost to the point of indecency by the older generation.
Many Asian students who seem to have it all get gifted-kid burnout. Gifted-kid burnout syndrome is a recently coined medical term and is the result of chronic exhaustion.
Hard work and resilience are valued throughout the Asian community. The common societal belief is that failures are excuses for laziness and low effort since the older generations overcame such hardships.
