May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to recognize the rich cultural contributions of AAPI communities. It’s also an important moment to shed light on mental health in a population where challenges often go unseen and unspoken.
Mental Health in AAPI Communities
The AAPI community is incredibly diverse, encompassing people with roots in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Each subgroup brings its own languages, histories, and cultural perspectives, including how mental health is understood and addressed. Because of this, mental health experiences and needs can vary widely across the AAPI umbrella. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and understanding this diversity is key to reducing stigma and creating more effective paths to care.
Still, AAPIs as a group face several systemic challenges in the U.S. that may impact accessibility to mental health services, such as harmful stereotypes and bias, language barriers, and lack of insurance. (UCLA Health)
Despite experiencing mental health challenges at similar or greater rates than the general population, AAPI individuals are the least likely to seek help. Of AAPI adults with a mental illness, 73.1 percent did not receive treatment compared to 56.7 percent of the overall population. (Mental Health America)
Understanding the Barriers
Mental health stigma remains a powerful force in many AAPI communities. Cultural values that emphasize self-reliance, emotional restraint, and family reputation can make it difficult to speak openly about mental health. Some may worry about burdening loved ones or fear being seen as “weak” or “unstable.” Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders reported not receiving mental treatment because they a) Didn’t want others to find out or b) Feared their neighbors’ negative opinions, at rates higher than other racial/ethnic identities. (NAMI)
For younger generations, these pressures are often compounded by intergenerational and cultural tension, experiences of racism or xenophobia, and the rise of social media.
Taking the First Step
Healing begins with awareness. Simply talking about mental health openly, without shame, can be a powerful first step. Encouraging loved ones to share their experiences or checking in with yourself about how you’re really doing can begin to break long-standing patterns of silence.
Whether you’re seeking support for yourself or trying to better understand a family member’s struggle, know that you’re not alone. Caring about mental health is a strength, not a weakness.
Resources and Support
- UCLA Health: Confronting mental health barriers in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community
- Asian Mental Health Collective
- National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
- NAMI – AAPI Resources
- Mental Health America
At Mind Therapy Clinic, we honor the courage it takes to ask for help—and we stand with all communities working to make mental health care more accessible, inclusive, and free of stigma.