Open your heart and let in the sunshine - KXXD website here to help
Mental health has become a major concern for many countries. The prevalence of people who experience mental illnesses is on the rise.
According to the most recent New Zealand Mental Health Survey, Te Rau Hinengaro, one in five people may experience mental illnesses at some point in their life time. Unfortunately, Chinese communities are also facing the same issue, especially those of us who are new to New Zealand.
The best prevention is to empower yourself by increasing your knowledge about how to support your mental health, such as being kind to ourselves.
Other problems faced by Chinese communities include delays seeking help. We need to be aware that mental illness is not just a problem for the individual, it has wider societal implications, so it is very important to learn about what we can do to make the difference for people who experience mental illness.
Mental health a forbidden subject
In Chinese communities mental health is hardly ever talked about. Many people do not consider mental health as part of their overall health. As a result, some experience mental illnesses, but do not know what to do about it. Others, although they know they are experiencing mental illness, choose to ignore it and do not seek help.
Misunderstandings about mental illness play a big part in all of these situations. For instance, many believe people who experience mental illnesses cannot live a normal life, or think they are dangerous to others. As a result, some Chinese people who experience mental illness also experience self-stigma, such as also believing themselves unable to hold down a job and live a normal life.
Due to these myths, people often think they are being treated differently by others. Negative beliefs are the biggest barriers to recovery, preventing people from seeking help. For this reason, we in the Chinese communities must change our attitudes and beliefs.
Accurate information is essential
Producing information and providing accurate information to educate the wider Chinese communities is one of Kai Xin Xing Dong's objectives. The primary reason we are doing this is to ensure that Chinese communities are getting the right information about mental illness.
Mental Health is part of our health. Mental illness can happen to anyone. People who experience mental illnesses can recover, but without help and support from friends, family and communities barriers to a better life will remain.
The uniqueness of Kai Xin Xing Dong is to encourage people to show compassion and a loving heart. It provides the opportunity for Chinese people to learn about how they can help and support people who experience mental illnesses.
The first step is to be able to access accurate information in order to change attitudes and beliefs.
Bilingual website and literature review helpful additions
Kai Xin Xing Dong has developed a bilingual website and published the Chinese version of Chinese Attitudes to Mental Health Issues: A Literature Review. The literature review examines how Chinese people's attitudes to mental illness are influenced by culture, politics and religious beliefs. The literature review will help to guide the further development of the Kai Xin Xing Dong project.
Through all our work, and especially this series of newspaper articles, we encourage you to help your friends, families or another that you love and care for to seek early help.
Together we can make the difference by opening our hearts and inviting the sun into our lives. When we open our heart, we open an opportunity to share our love. When we have love, we have hope, and by taking the first step, we can create a better Chinese community for people who experience mental illnesses.
