The funny thing is, is I tend to automatically take the same stance as you- I figured it out by myself- you do it now.

Whereas my family is very very big into talking about ones feelings and staying in it together.

They are also into keeping the secrets in the group, and I’m a blogger.

So basically I’m the lone-wolf bigmouthed stoic sane one.

Anything like that in your brood?

You’ve known me for a while now, and you know that there are some parts of our lives that we certainly can relate too.

I strongly suggest attending a support group. It opens your heart and your eyes to what it is you are facing. It puts your problems into perspective rather than internalizing it under your own super magnifying glass.

It’s helped me address the problems I’ve had dealing with my father’s bout with Alzheimer’s, and has helped considerably in dealing and letting go of the the emotional baggage I had difficulty dealing with as an Asian-American. Most of all, you will come to realize commonalities with people experiencing the same emotions you are feeling, helping you gain the strength to deal with what most people don’t worry about. You develop your own emotional tool kit from hearing and sharing the experiences that you go through.

If you need someone to go with you, I’d be happy to come with. It’s about being a brother who cares about his family, as well as himself.

I think for those of us who are American born, I think there’s a willingness to be more open, but I think that’s also because of our nature of being American, and that we have more of the capability to access and benefit from mental health services since we understand the American cultural context in which they come from. It’s scary because it wasn’t until I started working for this one health clinic transcribing in Oakland that there are so many immigrants who are being prescribed antidepressants because they’re unable and/or unwilling to access mental health services.

I’m glad that more people are starting to come out as Asian Americans and having family histories of mental health, since it at least helps people to start realizing that there can be something done about it besides shoving it onto the backburner or acting out. If only there was a way to make it more accessible/pertinent for those of us who are immigrants…

when you said that, my first thought was “whoa, that’s so asian.” that’s exactly the attitude we need to fight, the idea that of being “a rock” and handling shit yourself. sort of like dealing but also looking the other way. maybe the first generation didn’t have the luxury of community support, but we do. and there ain’t no shame in talking about mental illness, and it’s great that such a group even exists!

I recently downloaded the Google toolbarand this “PageRank” thingie that shows me “similar pages” to the page I’m at.

So. What’s a page “similar” to yours? Take a look-see.

Big Pink Cookie – Creative GeekWeblog and photos.
http://www.bigpinkcookie.com/

“Younger, healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia show significant brain abnormalities…”

You might find it interesting. Or offensive (please don’t, you’re smarter than me!)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19994585/

I have an aunt who is herself special needs, and lives with my parents, so I’ve experienced some similarity in that regard as well. I don’t feel stigma, per se, but sometimes her actions (nosy and self-centered, but that’s just the way she is, she can’t help it) also shape who I am as a person. It’s tough to describe, and feelings on the issue don’t help any. Well, shoot, now I don’t even know what I’m saying.

I used my blog for my therapy forever but it wasn’t until I took myself to a survivors support group that 1) I realized I wasn’t alone and 2) I realized I was further along in recovery than the group was and I needed something more personal. Thus began 4 years of therapy, which got me the rest of the way through.