Asian Americans silent on seeking mental health help
The fastest growing racial group in the US reports the lowest use of mental health services.

The fastest growing racial group in the US reports the lowest use of mental health services. Cultural influences, parental pressure, collectivism, and the stigma of shame are a few reasons why Asian Americans do not seek treatment for their mental health issues.
Even these alarming statistics have not moved the needle much:
- Suicide was the leading cause of death for Asians, ages 15 to 24, in 2022.
- Asian Americans are three times less likely to seek mental health services than white Americans. Only 8.6 percent of Asian American sought any type of mental health services compared to 18 percent of the general population in the US.
- Southeast Asian refugees are at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with trauma experienced before and after immigration to the United States. One study found that 70 percent of Southeast Asian refugees receiving mental health care were diagnosed with PTSD.
In some Asian American cultures, mental health challenges are viewed as a weakness, and expressing emotions often is discouraged. Talking openly about it could bring disharmony and shame to the entire family. This belief is ingrained in many Asian American children.
They have one set of cultural values at home and another set outside the home. They are raised to respect their elders, place family needs above individual needs, maintain harmony and balance, seek collective success for the entire family, and avoid conflict. They live in an environment where there’s parental pressure to succeed academically, and external pressures to live up to the model minority stereotype of seamlessly mainstreaming into American culture.
There is a real sense that your value as a person depends on your ability to care for your family and your community. Asian Americans see themselves as having complete charge of their lives with no need for external intervention. Mental illness is perceived as taking away their ability to care for others, taking away their identity and purpose, and this is the ultimate form of shame.
I would like to be clear that I do not demonize collectivist values. There are benefits, such as a close-knit network and a reduced chance of feeling isolated. In theory, if everyone is considerate of each other in a collective “we,” it works. Problems, however, come when emotions don’t get expressed and controlling behaviors get involved.
As a result, these individuals suffer in silence, suppress their emotions, and tip toe around their personal issues. The consequences can be damaging to their mental health.
In other instances, people are afraid to ask for help because they don’t want to relive their traumatization. Many Asian Americans, like other immigrants, may have suffered some horrific tragedies that they want to leave in the past, however, these experiences have shaped their beliefs and values, and these are the same beliefs and values under which they raise their children. Many immigrants, especially those from southeast Asia who were impacted by the Vietnam War and its aftermath, arrived in America with fear, trauma and broken dreams. They experienced violence, war and economic oppression and already are suffering from psychological tragedies.
Other examples of traumatic events that can impact the mental health of later generations after are the colonization of Korea by imperial Japan, the United States Japanese internment camps, the Khmer Rouge genocide, the cultural revolution of China, and the colonization and partition of India.
Often, Asian Americans may find support from personal networks and close friends or a religious community. Others don’t believe talking about it will make them feel better. Instead, they prefer to deal with their issues by focusing on their work, school or family, for example. They tell themselves if work gets done and everyone gets along, there should be no problems.
It’s time to squelch the stigma and start to build awareness that everyone, including Asian Americans, should seek help for mental health issues.
When these clients do choose to try therapy, it is critical that therapists work to establish a strong relationship with their clients. These individuals want to be heard, and they need to feel comfortable returning for more sessions so they can begin healing from the issues they are facing. As therapists, we must create an atmosphere where our clients feel we are culturally sensitive to their needs, and they have an ally who understands the role of cultural values in the family and the family dynamics surrounding these values.
More than half of my clients are Asian American; I am of Japanese descent and grew up in a family where cultural values were those shared by other Asian ethnic groups. I understand the fears clients have about seeking mental health, and I can help relieve these concerns. I understand the impact that generational trauma can have on Asian American families. The atomic bombs of World War II were devastating to several people in my family tree who were native to Hiroshima, and I witnessed the way that trauma passed down.
Many of the clients I see are living with depression, anxiety, suicide ideation and intergenerational trauma. Parental pressure alone can cause emotional distress. Women have additional pressures and expectations to live up to, which are contradictory and impossible to meet. LGBTQIA+ individuals feel they have to hide who they are to save face for the family or to fulfill a familial duty. They experience body image issues because comments about weight are culturally acceptable. They experience emotional and physical abuse that gets justified and reinforced as “part of the culture.” Many young Asian Americans are struggling to find their identity. They live the Asian values at home, but an American culture outside. They are trying to navigate both and end up questioning their authentic self.
Through therapy, they can learn it is okay to integrate both in their life. We talk about finding their own values and blending both cultures together. You don’t have to be one or the other. Set boundaries and stick with them.
There is no shame in seeking mental health help. In fact, your mental health is the priority. By delaying help, your condition can become more severe.
If you don’t have anyone to talk to, or you feel you cannot confide in anyone, find professional help. You can start with online social media support groups if you aren’t yet comfortable seeking help from a trained therapist. You also can connect with coping skills through practices already present in your cultural heritage, such as meditation, yoga and mindfulness. But I want you to know that there are culturally competent mental health professionals in your community.