Content warnings: APISAA death and trauma, mentions of suicide, violence, etc. This content could be triggering or distressing to some.
Neel Acharya (19 years old), Sameer Kamath (23 years old), Varun Manish Chheda (20 years old), Dinesh Gattu (22 years old), Sai Rakoti (21 years old), Vivek Saini (25 years old), Akul Dhawan (18 years old): 7 Indian students--all under 25 years of age--who died back-to-back at colleges around the country. Many of their deaths were suicides, while some were homicides. A pattern is emerging among these APISAA students and it’s concerning other members of the APISAA community, including the parents of growing APISAA students about to enter college. The circulation and representation of trauma, violence, and death in the news leads to increased prevalence of fear and trauma in the APISAA community (especially among parents of APISAA college students) as well as an increasing toll on the mental health of APISAA students, who are becoming increasingly worried over their own safeties.
Overarching Statistics
Mental health has always had effects on the APISAA community, but it has not always been treated or viewed as a serious issue, both by members of the APISAA community and members outside of it. In 2019, suicide was the leading cause of death of APISAA, ages 15-24. “8.6% of Asian Americans report seeking mental health services compared to nearly 18% of the general population” [Nguyen]. APISAA students are least likely to seek mental health services compared to other racial/ethnic groups. 77% of APISAA folks ages 18 and over with a mental health condition receive no treatment at all, and 1 out of 10 APISAA adults struggle with major depression. The main reason for such startling statistics is the stigmatization of mental health in the APISAA community, that many view seeking help for mental health as weakness and going against traditional values of stoicism. As college students, this struggle with mental health may be even more amplified as they enter a new, stressful environment where they must be more independent about their health decisions.
Some Factors Leading to Mental Health Stigma
It is important to note that there are many different cultures in the broader APISAA community – not all cultures view/treat mental health the same way (as will be described further in this article), nor do they all need the same resources. The APISAA community is not a monolith, and viewing all APISAA folks under one singular umbrella only works to perpetuate mental health stigma and miseducation. Nevertheless, many APISAA adolescents and young adults today cite experiences with negative mental health stigma. Some APISAA cultures view mental health as a weakness, and it is not encouraged to talk openly about individual struggles. Individualism, as a more Western concept, is not as emphasized in some APISAA cultures; instead, many folks are taught to believe in prioritizing those around them through sacrifice of individuality and conforming to societal norms. Language can present a barrier as well, whether it be interactions between generations of APISAA families, between healthcare representatives and patients, etc. Feelings and emotions may not be as easily or properly expressed across language barriers, leading to further frustration when dealing with mental health.
MMM Connections
In American culture, the stigma against APISAA mental health also fits in the framework of the Model Minority Myth. The Model Minority Myth (MMM) is used to uphold white supremacy/dominance through framing the APISAA community as a “model minority” that has been able to succeed despite systematic oppression and racism that white supremacy has enforced. With this framework, APISAA communities have had to hold back on speaking out on struggles to assimilate in white American culture and survive and avoid further persecution. The pressure to conform to the MMM normalizes keeping mental health struggles under wraps. "The stereotype presents Asian Americans as the quiet success story of all other racial minority groups; however, research shows the model minority myth can drive resentment from non-AAPI peers. This leads to isolation and bullying of AAPI individuals, who then experience depression and anxiety. The myth is cited as one of the strongest sources of stress for Asian American youth” [Schlossberg]. APISAA students may often feel this narrative is pushed on them, specifically when succeeding with academics. They fall into the belief that they should keep their problems to themselves, because they should be doing better than their peers and living up to unhealthy expectations.
Effects of Stigma
As a baseline, APISAA identities are already stigmatized against being emotional in the face of stereotypes of success, stoicism, and intelligence. This stigmatization has further effects when it comes into play with other factors and identities. For example, the intersection of an APISAA identity and male identity takes a toll on mentality of Asian masculinity, as APISAA men are often expected to maintain an outward image of strength, which does not entail asking for help, and are pushed to always lead their lives with this mindset. Stereotypes specifically, often drawn from the exclusionist tropes of Orientalism, emasculate APISAA men. This only furthers the practices of not asking for help and continually upholding the image of strength that is at the expense of APISAA men's mental well-being. Stigma can also perpetuate a cycle of silence on mental health in the community across generations, leading to obstacles such as unresolved intergenerational trauma. As briefly mentioned before, Western stereotyping magnifies the effects of stigmatization and intergenerational trauma through exposure and progression of racial trauma. Prolonged scrutiny under white, cis, heteronormative structures enforces aversiveness. With all this combined, the increased stress of the college environment as well as the stigmatized state of mental health for APISAA youth leads to greater levels of mental health struggles in the community, but without the proper resources to truly work through or heal from those struggles.
UVA Mental Health Resources for APISAA Community
Specifically at UVA, there are some resources for mental health available, although not always necessarily directed towards the APISAA community. The Multicultural Student Center (MSC) has previously hosted events talking about the intersections of race and mental health, and generally provides a safe space for minoritized students to gather and share experiences. Spaces such as the MSC and the Asian American Student Center (AASC) work to give APISAA students opportunities to connect with similar peers, which can help when dealing with times of mental health struggles. And, of course, the Asian Student Union holds events and programs that help to uplift and recognize the variety of mental health struggles that APISAA students go through in college, both in response to day-to-day events or to APISAA trauma and violence in the national news.
CAPS Team and Representation
As of 2021, about 18% of UVA’s student population identifies as Asian American. The UVA Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) team does not currently reflect that population – less than 10% of CAPS staff members are part of the APISAA community. It can be isolating, intimidating, and uncomfortable for APISAA students to approach services such as CAPS when the staff does not reflect the diversity of the student body, as having people who can relate to experiences as deep as mental health struggles can make it more comfortable to open up. Current CAPS staff members could also be provided with diversity, equity, and inclusion training to obtain the tools/resources necessary to aid APISAA students with their health needs.
Taking Care of Ourselves and Our Community
Given recent traumatic events that have devastated our APISAA community, it’s important to not only look out for ourselves as individuals, but also our community as a whole. We must help keep each other safe and healthy. If you are ever struggling with your mental health, seek out support systems: healthcare experts, trusted friends, family, and/or mentors, etc. Check in with your loved ones from time to time – it can be more difficult for others to begin to open up, but by normalizing it, it can become an easier process for all of us. When the chance arises, go out and find ways to advocate for more accessible and representative APISAA healthcare, and more accessible and representative healthcare for other marginalized communities as well. The stigmatization of mental health does not begin and end with the APISAA community – mental health affects students of all backgrounds, and people of all ages and experiences. Together, we can create a more accepting world for everyone.
Bibliography:
Venkatraman, Sakshi. “Back-to-Back Deaths of 7 Indian Students Leave Community Shaken and Worried.” NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, 15 Feb. 2024, www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna137789.
“Parents of Akul Dhawan Want Answers after Freshman Son Found Dead.” NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, 9 Feb. 2024, www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/akul-dhawan-university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign-rcna138019.
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- The Activist