Suicide, family crisis, isolation: Asians’ mental health on the decline, advocacy group says

From suicides to family crises to anxiety and isolation, the mental health of Asian New Zealanders is deteriorating and Covid is making it worse, says an advocacy group calling for a mental health strategy targeting the country’s diverse Asian communities.

For years, the family of an elderly woman witnessed her slow decline. It got to the point where she was setting furniture on fire to ward off evil spirits, and wandering half-dressed in the middle of the night fighting the same ghosts.

Only then did the family approach health services, where they quickly diagnosed her with a psychotic illness and treated her.

They didn’t seek help before because in their culture it was frowned upon to think that something was wrong with your parents. The right thing to do was to accept him for who he was and endure the challenges that came with it.

Families in crisis

This is one of many real-life cases faced by frontline physicians working with New Zealand’s diverse Asian communities, and the problems are getting worse, says an advocacy group.

The National Asian Mental Health and Addiction Advocacy and Advisory, or NAMAA, says that the demand for mental health services among these communities has increased since the Covid-19 outbreak.

Asian Helpline, a telephone counseling service offered in eight languages, saw a 150% increase in the number of calls from May to July this year. Referrals for non-gambling counseling sessions saw a 138 percent increase over the same period, says Ivan Yeo, a member of NAMAA and deputy director of Asian Family Services, which manages the helpline.

The group is seeing more complex family distress cases due to border closures and closures, such as increased family violence, intergenerational family conflicts, families struggling to separate from loved ones when welcoming a new baby. or deal with the pain.

The same communities are also under financial pressure, with Asians disproportionately represented in hospitality and services, key industries facing the headwinds of a long Covid recession.

Shame and stigma

When psychiatrist Dr. Aram Kim met the elderly woman with psychosis, she had lost nearly a decade to the illness, years of meaningful conversations, and a positive family life that it might have been, had she received early treatment. Her late diagnosis also meant she never made a full recovery, said Kim, who chairs the Korean Community Wellness Society.

“There is strong stigma and discrimination against mental health problems in many Asian communities, so people struggle to identify developing problems and get life-changing help early,” he said.

Research points to low rates of utilization of mental health services for Asians compared to other ethnic groups in New Zealand.

So despite today’s growing needs for mental health care, NAMAA says its clients are unlikely to seek care from mainstream services and will continue to rely on Asian providers they trust due to language and cultural differences. .

Why does it matter

“Regardless of ethnicity, we know that health inequities in any group will generate high costs for society,” Kim said, referring to direct impacts on health and social cohesion, and harms such as addiction and suicide.

Asians make up 15 percent of the current population and are projected to overtake Maori as New Zealand’s second-largest ethnic group by 2023.

“This means that a large proportion of New Zealanders of working age will be of Asian descent in the next decade or two, so the health of this growing population is critical not just for the physical and mental health of the entire population. But for the New Zealand economy as a whole, “he said.

NAMAA has started an online petition to the Ministry of Health asking for specific mental health support for Asian communities.

Where to get help:
Rural support trust: 0800 787 254
Life line: 0800 543 354 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828865 (0508 SUPPORT) (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Youthline: 0800 376 633
Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
What happens: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
Helpline for depression: 0800111757 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
If it is an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.