This week's topic on faith, sexuality, and mental health, as the title presents itself, are definitely topics that are considered "taboo" in older and more traditional generations of many cultures. This is definitely the case with Asian culture as a whole with so many stigmas placed on such topics. Mental health especially is not talked about as much or even mentioned most of the time within families—and this is an issue. However, from what I have seen from my own experiences and peers’, often times a language barrier is the most difficult hurdle toto convey one's thoughts and emotions to their parents or guardians and so opportunities to have a deep conversation on heavy topics such as mental health rarely arise. Reading the micro-essays by Haydock, I realized and agreed that a solution that older generations tend to gravitate towards is normalizing the mental health conditions that people have. Extending what the norms are, instead of accepting anything else that is abnormal, doesn’t allow mental health conditions to be its own entity and instead something that absolutely needs to be “fixed” and pushed back into what is normal. The author states that they “want to see an alternative movement that embraces divergence,” which I agree because it halts the normalizing of such conditions. Holistic approaches to mental health is also beneficial in its own way. The author does not down right go against the ideas of holistic approaches, because they also see the benefits, but I think I am understanding that they want mental health conditions to be viewed as its own divergent entity rather than apart of the whole body, mind, and spirit.
Q: If this is a shared view amongst a vast amount of people with mental health conditions, how can western health professionals assist patients in a more suitable manner?
Picture: A "wellness wheel" to approach mental health in a holistic manner.
References:
Holistic Approaches to Mental Health - Google Search. https://www.google.com/search?q=holistic+approaches+to+mental+health&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS789US789&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjdsdyOudfgAhUCQK0KHeDoDV4Q_AUIDygC#imgrc=zVBOiYcfGxoe3M: Accessed 24 Feb. 2019.
Haydock, Shana Bulhan. I Would Rather Be Abnormal Than Holistic: Nine Micro-Essays
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