AAPI & Mental Health
It is Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! The term AAPI encompasses such a diverse population with many cultures with unique experiences. I state this to say that the AAPI experience has some similarities, but is by no means a monolith. Mental health treatment in the West has benefitted so much from Asian and Pacific Islander practices (ie. meditation, yoga, acupuncture), yet there is little acknowledgment of the influence and many barriers for AAPI mental health treatment in the West.
AAPI health is impacted by racism from the “model minority” myth to the increase in hate crimes (for more information see 2020 FBI Report, NBC News summary of UC San Bernardino Study) since the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Earlier this year, MedPage Today posted an article by Jingwen Zhang discussing the impact of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes on the health of Asian Americans and opportunities for medical intervention to mitigate the impact. Below is non-comprehensive set of resources for AAPI Health.
APPI Health Resources:
Asian Health & Service Center - Portland, OR
Asian Mental Health Collective - US and Canada
LGBTQ AAPI Resources via Asian American Psychological Association
More Facts and Resources via Mental Health America
UTOPIA - Organization for Portland Pacific Islander Queer and Trans Folks
AAPI Mental Health Books:
Stigma: Breaking the Asian-American Silence on Mental Health by Tanaya Kollipara
Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans by Jenny Wang, Ph.D
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
The Collected Schizophrenias by Esmé Weijun Wang
AAPI Heritage:
As always, take what is helpful and leave the rest. I hope you have the week you need.
