Faith and Mental Health Among Asian Americans

1. Faith and Mental Health Among Asian Americans Virginia Asian Foundation

2. Faith and Mental Health • Status of Mental Health among Asian Americans • Faith and Spirituality in Mental Health Findings • Clinical Preparedness for Clergy • Spiritual Preparedness for Mental Health Carers • Toward a Meaningful Partnership between Spiritual Care and Health Care • Final Remarks

3. Quotable • “Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.” ~ Elie Wiesel • “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” ~Chinese Proverb • “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” ~ Ecclesiastes

4. Status of Mental Health among Asian Americans • AAs have one of the lowest rates of suicide in the U.S • Highest rates: • American Indian and Alaska Natives — 15.1 per 100,000 • Non-Hispanic Whites — 13.9 per 100,000 • Lowest rates: • Hispanics — 4.9 per 100,000 • Non-Hispanic Blacks — 5.0 per 100,000 • Asian and Pacific Islanders — 5.7 per 100,000 Source: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

5. Status of Mental Health among Asian Americans • Elderly AAs and Pacific Islander women have higher rates of suicide than whites or blacks • For women aged 75 and older, the suicide rate for Asian and Pacific Islanders was 7.9 per 100,000, compared to the white rate of 4.2 and the black rate of 1.2 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

6. Status of Mental Health among Asian Americans • AAs are less likely to self-disclose their personal problems • AAs are also less likely than other groups to rely on mental health services • AAs also tend to rely on family to handle problems • AAs are concerned about negatively affecting their social network which keeps them from seeking help • Emotional problems are viewed as shameful and distressing

7. Status of Mental Health among Asian Americans • In his analects, Confucius recommended this philosophy when it comes to ruling people: “Lead the people with excellence and put them in their place through roles and ritual practices, and in addition to developing a sense of shame, they will order themselves harmoniously.”Source: Asian Americans' Rising Suicide Rates -- Three Students Take their Lives, newamericamedia.org

8. Faith and Spirituality • Through religious or non religious form, spirituality is the quest for meaning, purpose, value, hope, connectedness and transcendence • The way in which a person views the world can have a significant effect on the way they react to their illness experiences

9. Faith and Spirituality • Religious spirituality center on some concept of a transcendent God who is perceived in various ways as being an active presence within the person’s life experience • Religious spirituality gives a person access to a religious community, with the various potential benefits of social and spiritual support

10. Faith and Spirituality • Social and spiritual support centers on the development of meaningful relationships with people who will respect and listen to the spiritual beliefs of the individual • Spiritual well-being of the individual leads to the development and maintenance of mental health

11. Spiritual Support Findings • People not affiliated to any religion are at elevated risk for depressive disorder and depressive symptoms • Those involved in religious community activity or who highly value their religious faith, are at reduced risk for depression and recover more quickly from depression Source: Spirituality and mental health care: rediscovering a 'forgotten' dimension, John Swinton

12. Spiritual Support Findings • Organizational religious activities, rather than private religious activities, appear to result in most benefit • Religious involvement helps people cope with stressful life circumstances, with consequent lower likelihood of depression • Religious or spiritual activities may lead to a reduction in depressive symptoms Source: Spirituality and mental health care: rediscovering a 'forgotten' dimension, John Swinton

13. More Statistics • AAs are significantly less likely than Caucasians to mention their mental health concerns to: • A friend or a relative (12% vs. 25%) • A mental health professional (4% vs. 26%) • Or a physician (2% vs. 13%) • It is important for community leaders, family members, and caregivers to know how to detect and treat mental illness Source: SPAN USA, Suicide Prevention Resource Center

14. Clinical Preparedness for Clergy • It is the duty of religious groups to care for the mentally ill • Often clergy are in the front line. They get members of their community approaching them because they have a problem and they need assistance with it • Many clergy are unprepared to deal with the mental health problems they face on a day-to-day basis

15. Clinical Preparedness for Clergy • In the majority of cases they haven't the experience or knowledge of what to say or do, or where to recommend the person to • How can we raise awareness of the issue of mental illness as the proper concern of religious leaders and those involved in or associated with religion? • How can we equip clergy to properly tackle mental health problems?

16. Spiritual Preparedness for Carers • Psychiatrists acknowledge that a mentally ill patient's strong religious beliefs can provide a solid platform for therapy • This is because much therapy will begin with something the patient holds as certain and building from there • Carers need to recognize that spiritual experiences are real and significant in the process of care Source: Spirituality and mental health care: rediscovering a 'forgotten' dimension, John Swinton

17. Spiritual Preparedness for Carers • Carers need to have the necessary skills to be able to recognize, respect and deal effectively with the spiritual aspect of their clients’ lives • When you do not know how important my religion is to me, what language I speak, where I am coming from, how are you going to help me cope with my mental illness?

18. Final Remarks • The clergy must be trained in how to tackle mental health problems • The therapist must understand the worldview of the mentally ill person • The therapist must not impose his or her beliefs • Benefits • Social benefits: sense of belonging • Health benefits: greater well-being and self-esteem