Stigma occurs when something is viewed negatively because of a characteristic or a personal trait that’s thought to be undesirable. It could be related to someone’s identity, mental health disorders, or their physical appearance, to name a few. Stigma leads to many issues in a society, discriminatio

By Nambita Sahai “How can you kids feel depressed, you all have everything nowadays”, “It is just a phase”, “Stop being lazy”. These are just some of the things you may hear as an AAPI youth if you share your mental health experiences. As an Indian American myself, I wanted to delve deeper into my

By CJ Calica As a Filipino-American growing up in an area with few Filipinos, I became disconnected from my heritage. My parents were ridiculed because of their culture, accent, and appearance, so they made sure that my siblings and I would never have to face those experiences by making us as “Amer

Student ambassadors of the Immigrant and First-Gen Immigrant Subcommittee wanted to share these factors impacting immigrant mental health that they feel need to be emphasized more. As a subcommittee, we meet twice a month to think critically and discuss these issues, as well as provide a network of

Student Ambassadors of the Immigrant and First-Gen Immigrant Subcommittee wanted to share these words of advice and encouragement! We hope something here resonates with you and inspires you to advocate for yourself and prioritize your mental well-being too!

One of the topics the Immigrant and First-Generation Immigrant Subcommittee focused on last semester was the struggle with cultural dissonance, defined as “an uncomfortable sense of discord, disharmony, confusion, or conflict experienced by people in the midst of change in their cultural environmen

There are parts of the human experience that can be inherent. For example, feeling “lesser” in relation to another, questioning whether our standards have been fulfilled to its entirety, and simply feeling undeserving of what we’re granted. At one point in our lives, we may have downplayed our o

The Immigrant and First-Generation Immigrant Subcommittee would like to share the following piece written by member Lowell Polite and its accompanying graphic by member Chelsea Nguyen. Hi, my name is Lowell Polite! I am a student aiming to transfer to the University of California, Irvine and atte

by Aashika Hannurkar “Ewww! What is that you’re eating? It looks and smells so disgusting!” Growing up, this exclamation of disgust always confused me. To me, my lunch looked delicious, and it tasted even better. The sweet aroma of cardamom and the texture of the warm rice was like a comforting e

This post was written by Aliza Lopez, one of Neolth's Student Mental Health Ambassadors. We thank her for sharing her story to help eliminate the stigma around mental health. While important to acknowledge that all stances and experiences with mental health vary, many individuals who have identifie

by Naveen Kassamali, LMFT “If I could say anything to immigrants who are struggling with their mental health, I would want them to know that they are not alone and they can find a community with people who are going through similar things'' said Sara Anba, who is a part of Neolth’s Student Ambassa

The Immigrant and First-Gen Subcommittee would like to share the following piece written by member Aliza Lopez to address the need for cultural competency in healthcare. Aware of your urgent need for medical treatment, yet experiencing the unyielding feeling of not feeling understood when seeki

The Immigrant and First-Generation Immigrant Subcommittee ended last semester with a roundtable talk discussion on the question "How can the mental health industry better support the health and well-being of people with immigrant backgrounds?" Our first set of quote cards for the new semester is a c

Hello, my name is Johnny, and I would like to speak to you about mental health in the Latinx community. Mental health in the Latinx community is stigmatized and I would like to offer you some important notes on why culture and religion contribute to the stigmatization of mental health. Lastly, I

The college admissions process can be daunting. As a high school junior, talk about college follows me everywhere I go—from school to socially distanced gatherings to family dinners. Besides the fact that I have no idea where I want to go, I am also stressed because I have no one to consult with.

HAPPY CELEBRATE FIRST-GEN DAY! For today’s First-Generation College Celebration, I want to celebrate all who identify as a first-generation student on behalf of the Immigrant and First-Generation Immigrant Subcommittee and as the subcommittee leader! We are so proud of you for pushing through eve