Mental Health First Aid for Youths at Hope Chinese School

“Anxiety? Depression? Oh, that has nothing to do with me.” Many may think that way, but what you might not know is that there are people around you suffering from depression and anxiety every day. These people might be your friends, your family, or even your children, yet you might not know anything about it. You may even accidentally say something hurtful to them.

From April 27th to June 1st, Dr. Cixin Wang and Dr. Jia Li Liu of the University of Maryland held a series of lectures on Youth Mental Health First Aid with the help of the Mental Health 360° Project supported by the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC), along with the help of the Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI). The lectures were held at Hope Chinese School, and organized to help Asian American parents gain a better understanding of the psychological mind of youths, teaching them how to identify and address mental health issues so youths can receive the support and protection that they need sooner than later.

Mental health illnesses such as anxiety and depression are common during puberty. According to studies done in America, at least 22% of youths (age 13-18) suffer from serious mental health issues, which severely impacts their studies and their lives. Among them, 31.9% of youths suffer from anxiety, and 14.3% suffer from emotional disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder. The likelihood of second generation Asian American youths (Asian Americans with immigrant parents) is higher than Caucasian youths whose parents are not immigrants. However, Asians have a greater stigma toward mental health issues compared to people of other races, and are less likely to seek professional help from doctors, psychologists, therapists, etc. Reasons such as stigma, lack of knowledge on mental health, not knowing what kind of treatments or resources there are in response to mental illness, and more make Asian American youths unlikely to seek out free mental health services at school compared to other youths. However, Asian American youths are more likely than those from other races to commit suicide of perform self-harm.

The lecture covered a wide range of topics, including signs that can be used to identify mental health illnesses through changes in diet, sleep, and behavior, and also how one can help by paying attention to behavior changes, being an objective listener, being empathetic, and suggesting for them to seek professional help.

Depression does not normally get cured on its own. Seek professional help as early as possible. 80 to 90% of mental health illnesses are curable through active treatment whether done through medicine or psychological treatment. But many youths don’t seek help until early on, delaying the treatment process. Studies show that there is often a long delay between the first sign of mental illness and the first visit to a health professional, with an average delay of over 10 years. The result? Patients need to spend even more time on their path to recovery.

Only once we understand the signs and types of mental illness can we take immediate action to help others who may be in needed. Not only can knowledge of mental health issues help a person, they can also save a life, and that person may be right beside us.

In September, Dr. Cixin Wang and Pan Asian Volunteer Health Clinic psychiatrist Dr. Xiaoping Shao from the Mental Health 360° Project (under CCACC) will continue holding free lectures at Hope Chinese School for parents and their children.

For resources on mental health, please take a look at the following:

• National Council for Behavioral Health: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24 hours): 1-800-273-TALK (8255); Text: 741741; Chat: suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Dr. Cixin Wang is currently a psychiatrist at the University of Maryland and is an assistant professor for the department of special education. Wang’s research includes: school bullying prevention, student mental health, etc. Wang received her doctorate in psychoeducation at Nebraska University in 2011, and previously worked at Virginia Beach Public Schools. She completed two years of postdoctoral clinical research at Johns Hopkins University, performing treatment and psychological assessments on children and families. Wang has published over 40 dissertations, carried out over 90 professional conferences and lectures, and held over 40 community lectures geared toward parents, teachers, and the general public on topics such as parenting, child behavior management, mental health in children, etc. Due to her contributions toward education in Asia and America over the years, Wang received the Early Career Award for Distinguished Contribution to Research from the Asian American Psychological Association in 2017.