Mental Health Resources for the AAPI Community

Mental Health & Self Care | 0 comments

Anti-Asian hate has been a persistent issue going back to when the Covid-19 pandemic began where the previous presidential administration partially and falsely blamed the Asian community. Eventually, escalating to the repeated attacks on the Asian community leading to one of the most recent shootings in Atlanta that left 8 people dead amid the rise of hate crime against Asian Americans. Social media platforms and news outlets have brought a highlight to this struggle by remembering the unfortunate lives that have been lost but also bringing a call to action on issues that have been long ignored. 

 Since March of 2020, over 3,800 cases of Anti-Asian hate have been reported. Although there have been fewer reports in cities like Chicago some claim that it might be due to other factors like a language barrier or immigration status. However, it is important to understand that these acts of hate crime are never justifiable and come with consequences. Reporting a hate crime should not be ignored because it could help prevent similar or worse encounters in the Asian community that we have seen.  

We understand that during these times of uncertainty, mental health can be a problem and it’s important to know where to find help or resources that can help you or your loved ones. Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) mental health experts have shared the following mental health resources specifically for Asian American communities designed to help those who may need a way to cope. If you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or fearful feel free to check these mental health resources or share them with anyone that might find them useful. 

Resources:

• AANHPI Service Providers | NAAPIMHA
  • This resource provides mental health for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians. 

• COVID-19: Reducing Stigma
  • Check out this video on how to reduce stigma. This video is part of the Asian American Mental Initiative COVID-19 and Mental Health video series. Stigma and discrimination can occur when people link with a particular group, which can create fear or anger to these people. The purpose of this video is to bring awareness of these situations and provide useful resources. 

• Asian Mental Health Collective (@asianmentalhealthcollective) • Instagram photos and videos
  • Check out Asian Mental Health Collective on Instagram for mental health resources for Asian Americans. This page provides different types of mental health resources such as workshops, tips, as well as inspirational stories.

• AAPI Journalists Therapy Relief Fund 
  • Provides funding to AAPI journalists for therapy and mental health resources. You could sign up to donate or receive funds. 

• Asian American Psychological Association 
  • Focuses on using research, education, policy, and professional practice to advance the mental health and well-being of Asian communities. Also provides fact sheets on Asian mental health concerns, anti-bullying information, and Asian American LGBTQ resources.

How to Combat Burnout

Mental Health & Self Care | 0 comments

Productivity culture has led us to normalize working long hours, taking fewer breaks, and neglecting time for ourselves. We are pressured to be as productive as possible and feel ashamed if we are not; this has led us to feel guilty for relaxing. This constant pressure to be productive can cause an excessive amount of stress and lead to burnout. Burnout is feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted due to excessive hours of work. Burnout is different for everyone, but together we can share our experiences with burnout and learn from one another on ways to take care of ourselves and combat burnout.

Burnout can come from studying for an excessive amount of time every day without taking breaks! It is influenced by how we cope with stressful situations, most specifically with a build-up of assignments resulting from procrastination and otherworldly worries. Additionally, bad organizational habits and a poor diet can contribute to burnout. Burnout can also derive from overworking yourself in your work environment. 

Burnout has numerous degenerative impacts on our overall physical and mental health. Regarding the psychological implications, burnout is consequential to feelings of anger, depression, irritability, and an overall negative contributor to a negative self-image. In essence, burnout’s negative physical impacts are derivative of the psychological, including but are not limited to overwhelming feelings of fatigue, insomnia, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other degenerative health factors. Burnout is attributed to other disease epidemics and social and racially marginalizing systems of oppression; nonetheless, academic burnout is indeed a setback that hinders student’s lives holistically, increases college dropout, and includes suicidal ideations or definite actions. 

Although burnout is always a possibility, we can take steps to mitigate the effects. 

Exercises to Combat Burnout 

One of the exercises in Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck is a complete inventory of your work activities, personal commitments, and relationships. 

• After making a list of your everyday activities, you have to rate each item on a scale of 1-10, based on how your body physically reacts to thinking about it. 
• Do you physically tense up, get a heavy feeling in your stomach? Or do you feel light and energized?  
• You can start with just one category, like relationships, work projects, or personal/leisure activities. 
• How does each person/activity on your list make you feel? 
• BONUS: (We are trying this) As a part of your weekly planning routine, answer this simple question. 
  • What will I say NO to this week? You don’t need to carry it all by yourself! 

Sources:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM-gEE-Di2W/?igshid=eh6py3swapj0. 

 burnout – APA Dictionary of Psychology

Power Down: 4 Ways to Fight Digital Burnout

By CHRISTOPHER GUIA CORTES, GREISY HERNANDEZ, NATHEN ORTIZ

How to Study While Also Prioritizing Your Mental Health

Mental Health & Self Care | 0 comments

With all the exams, assignments, and studying that has to be done, being a student can sometimes take a toll on your mental health. Despite these academic obligations, caring for ourselves is one of the most important things we can do to assure our mental and physical well-being. Obtaining good grades should not come at the cost of your mental health, so here are some helpful tips that you can follow while studying!

Tips for studying and having a good semester/quarter!

• Pomodoro method: This method allows you to rest in between studying as it requires you to work for 25 minutes straight. Once completing a successful study session, you are able to reward yourself with a 5-minute study break. During these short breaks, we recommend that you drink water and have a light snack. It is important that we care for our bodies and one way we can do this is by staying hydrated and ensuring that we eat a full meal at least once a day.
• Be organized: Google Drive: Create folders and make tabs dedicated for each of your classes. Make sure you title your google document with the name of the assignment followed by the due date.
• Google Calendar: We recommend that you schedule your study times and be specific about what readings or tasks you aim to complete during that time. Additionally, at the beginning of the semester/quarter, make sure that you read your class syllabus and be mindful of upcoming deadlines. Staying organized by using a physical agenda or a platform like Google Calendar allows you to stay on track with any assignments you need to complete and allows you to schedule your time accordingly in order to avoid overbooking yourself.
• Reach out to resources and services at your school: Inquire about any accommodations made available through your school’s Disability Services Center that can offer you a reduced course load, extra time on exams/assignments, and priority registration for classes. Further resources such as the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Health Services (e.g. access to free therapy), and academic or major advisors, may further aid you through your college journey. Additionally, we encourage you to attend weekly tutoring, go to office hours, reach out to your peers, and keep an eye out for study jams that are hosted by student-led organizations for further academic help. These also make for good opportunities to meet new people and get in contact with certain organizations on Campus!

Lastly, be aware of your capacity:

Take note of ALL your roles in and outside of school. Practice saying no or allow yourself to take a mental health day off when you need it. Avoid cramming and burnout by being aware of your capacity, (DON’T OVERBOOK YOURSELF)! Ask for extensions, most professors and faculty will be understanding and willing to work with you, especially during this pandemic. We also recommend that you practice the art of skimming. No one expects you to complete all readings assigned to you so learning how to skim readings and focusing on the most important topics will allow you to get the main points of the readings assigned. Lastly, we urge you all to celebrate every win, no matter how small! Remember that what you are accomplishing as a student is no easy task so be nice to yourself!

“If you get tired, learn to rest not to quit” – Banksy

By ANAHI CRUZ BAUTISTA, DENI RODRIGUEZ