I can relate … I come from Mexican family and we don’t really talk about our feelings and Therapy was never seen as an option it just was not something we did.. I suffered from social anxiety and I never knew this existed until I was an adult..I just always felt different especially from people in my own family. I thought I wasn’t “normal” .. why did things that seemed so easy for others were so hard for me ??? It wasn’t until I turned 30 that I decided I needed to do something and went to Therapy and there I learned about Social anxiety and how it stemmed from something that happened in my childhood. I’m so grateful I went . I’m so thankful you started this Joy . I always look forward to your Instagram posts and I knew I had to subscribe to this ❤️
Thank you so much for your post, Joy! I can relate as I just started therapy last year due to a myriad of life events and after years of denial that I didn't need therapy because I could go at it alone. Well that didn't work out so much especially during and after the pandemic. Luckily I've found a wonderful therapist right out of the gate and am a different person because of therapy. Thank you for sharing such vulnerable stories with us!
I feel like you're telling my story! Even though mental health care and awareness are becoming more normalized, no way can I share anything like this with my mom or the older generation. Thank you for making yourself vulnerable and sharing your experience. A lot of us can relate.
I also didn't know that I need to see the psychologist until I exploded! The fact that Asian thinks mental health is such a "negative" topic is quite toxic isn't it? And being told that your sadness is nothing compare to the others is even worst... I remember not long ago when I saw my psychologist, I told her it's ok if I can't make an appointment to see her coz I was sure there must be people having more issues than I do. I don't know where I got this idea from at that time, but then I remember whenever I feel stress my mum would told me, my problem is very little compare to some other people's, so I should just keep quiet and deal with it. Sometimes I appreciate that kind of mentality because that makes you "strong" and not a victim, but sometimes I just wish all my friends and family are more open to mental health issues and more kind to ourselves.
So familiar... hoping this next generation allows themselves the room to feel and share things without fear of judgement! (And love that you're doing this! ❤️)
Therapy has been so helpful to me as well! Personally, I learned to compartmentalize, in the healthiest sense of the word. I eventually got strong enough to put the things that made me anxious in my "therapy box" which I would unpack during our sessions. I learned that I did not have to solve whatever was making me feel anxious right in that moment - because I rarely, if ever, did and trying to solve it on my own only made me more anxious!
Joy, I'm looking forward to learning more about your therapy journey. I admire your bravery to talk about your mental health in such a public way.
I can relate … I come from Mexican family and we don’t really talk about our feelings and Therapy was never seen as an option it just was not something we did.. I suffered from social anxiety and I never knew this existed until I was an adult..I just always felt different especially from people in my own family. I thought I wasn’t “normal” .. why did things that seemed so easy for others were so hard for me ??? It wasn’t until I turned 30 that I decided I needed to do something and went to Therapy and there I learned about Social anxiety and how it stemmed from something that happened in my childhood. I’m so grateful I went . I’m so thankful you started this Joy . I always look forward to your Instagram posts and I knew I had to subscribe to this ❤️
All that you shared here about cultural expectations of therapy, I resonate with it deeply. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for your post, Joy! I can relate as I just started therapy last year due to a myriad of life events and after years of denial that I didn't need therapy because I could go at it alone. Well that didn't work out so much especially during and after the pandemic. Luckily I've found a wonderful therapist right out of the gate and am a different person because of therapy. Thank you for sharing such vulnerable stories with us!
I feel like you're telling my story! Even though mental health care and awareness are becoming more normalized, no way can I share anything like this with my mom or the older generation. Thank you for making yourself vulnerable and sharing your experience. A lot of us can relate.
Hi Joy!! Welcome to Substack! Looking forward to your thoughts and experiences with mental health.
I also didn't know that I need to see the psychologist until I exploded! The fact that Asian thinks mental health is such a "negative" topic is quite toxic isn't it? And being told that your sadness is nothing compare to the others is even worst... I remember not long ago when I saw my psychologist, I told her it's ok if I can't make an appointment to see her coz I was sure there must be people having more issues than I do. I don't know where I got this idea from at that time, but then I remember whenever I feel stress my mum would told me, my problem is very little compare to some other people's, so I should just keep quiet and deal with it. Sometimes I appreciate that kind of mentality because that makes you "strong" and not a victim, but sometimes I just wish all my friends and family are more open to mental health issues and more kind to ourselves.
So familiar... hoping this next generation allows themselves the room to feel and share things without fear of judgement! (And love that you're doing this! ❤️)
Therapy has been so helpful to me as well! Personally, I learned to compartmentalize, in the healthiest sense of the word. I eventually got strong enough to put the things that made me anxious in my "therapy box" which I would unpack during our sessions. I learned that I did not have to solve whatever was making me feel anxious right in that moment - because I rarely, if ever, did and trying to solve it on my own only made me more anxious!
Joy, I'm looking forward to learning more about your therapy journey. I admire your bravery to talk about your mental health in such a public way.