The shadow pandemic: Teen suicides and depression rates spike, with few resources for help

Teen suicide and depression rates amid the pandemic are as alarming as deaths from Covid-19, but few mental health resources are available to address this shadow pandemic, especially within communities of color. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Asian American children between the ages of 15 and 24. Black children between the ages […]

Let’s Talk: About unfinished business

A young man once told me about the time his father was facing a terminal illness. He had gathered his sons together before his last days to apologize for having been neglectful and abusive. At the time, the adult son felt relieved to finally hear his father take responsibility for the way he had treated […]

A hidden tragedy — mental illness and suicide among Asian Americans

What do Jiwon Lee, Kevin Lee, and Andrew Sun have in common? Sadly, they are three Asian American college students who killed themselves in high profile cases in April at prestigious universities. Kevin Lee, (no relation to Jiwon), a sophomore at Boston University studying biomedical engineering was found dead in his dorm room. Andrew Sun, […]

A psychological lifeline for Asian American teens

On a cold, clear Sunday evening in March, Hung Wei sits in the living room of her home in Cupertino, a prosperous Silicon Valley suburb, surrounded by a dozen high school students. The teens, almost all Asian American, gather around a circular glass coffee table graced with brightly colored figurines. Two girls of Indian descent […]

Campaign counters depression stigma among Asian Americans

So you’re Asian American and you’re depressed. You suffer from insomnia and stomachache – symptoms frequently associated with depression. But heaven forbid you want to seek the help of a mental health caregiver. As a member of the “model minority” community in the United States, would that not diminish your standing in the eyes of […]

LET’S TALK: About Depression

Feeling blue, sad, lethargic or unmotivated can be a transient mood that comes with disappointing news, such as not getting the job you interviewed for, being turned down for a date, or missing someone who has moved away. “Situational depression” is a normal response to difficult situations and down moods tends to dissipate with time […]

Chinatown death triggers worries about isolated elders

A tragedy happened in San Francisco’s Chinatown in mid-April. Yee-Shui Mar, age 91, fell from a window in her apartment building. The Chinese-language newspaper Sing Tao Daily reported that Mar, who was from Taishan City in Guangdong province, lived alone. She had a married daughter and grandchildren living elsewhere. Mar’s neighbors told Sing Tao that […]

Kyplex Cloud Security Seal - Click for Verification