Week 6 - Yuanxin Zhang

Yuanxin Zhang
Section A01
Week 06

The article “On Some College Campuses, Focus On Asian American Mental Health” summarizes the condition of Asian American students’ mental health, explain the cause of the depression, and provide the example how colleges can better focus on Asian American students’ mental health. Model minority expectations made students feel a strong need to succeed, to be high-achieving academically. The stereotypes of Asian Americans not only harm they by giving them a sense that they have to be successful in certain areas; many Asian American students do not seek for help from the college or friends when they feel depressed, because they feel ashamed to admit that they have personal or academic difficulties and that they cannot meet the expectations of the minority model. They would pretend that they are doing fine, even when they start to get metal illness. As a result, the symptom of their depression is very hard to detect. In the past few years, there were several pieces of heartbreaking news of Asian American students committing suicide, while some of the students were described as positive, hard-working students with good academic standing, according to their friends and professors, because those students hided their emotions when they were struggling. It is indeed important for the college to focus more students’ mental health. It is also important to encourage the participation of student parents. For parents who did not have their education in the US, they need to learn more about the culture and education system of the United State.

  

Question:

How can the college, friends, and family members help a student with mental illness, respectively?

Reference:

1. Kam, K. 2013. “On Some College Campuses, A Focus On Asian American Mental Health.” Retrieved October 28, 2017.
2. [Digital Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thevillagecelebration.com/near-death-experience-helps-mental-health-expert-reach-others/