Asian American college students and older women have drastically higher suicide rates compared with the rest of the nation. Asian American women older than 65 have a suicide rate of 11.6 per 100,000—more than double the rate for Caucasian women in that age group. Out of over 2,000 Asian Americans aged 18 or older, 2.7% reported having attempted suicide at some point in their lives. 9.1% of the group reported having had suicidal thoughts. The intense pressures many Asian Americans face in their daily academic, professional and domestic lives are factors that contribute to this growing discrepancy.
While depression does not necessarily lead to suicide and suicide is not always a symptom of depression, there is a strong correlation between the two. Certain subgroups of Asian Americans, including college students and older Asian American women have drastically higher suicide rates compared with the rest of the nation. Asian American women older than 65 have a suicide rate of 11.6 per 100,000—more than double the rate for Caucasian women in that age group.
This discrepancy is largely due to cultural differences. The intense pressures many Asian Americans face academically, professionally and at home increase the rate of depression and suicidal tendencies. In a national survey funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, out of over 2,000 Asian Americans aged 18 or older, 2.7% reported having attempted suicide at some point in their lives. 9.1% of the group reported having had suicidal thoughts.
The “model minority” pressure is the primary reason behind Asian American depression. Since 2006 over 50% of Cornell student suicide victims are Asian American despite comprising only 14% of the student body. In immigrant families, expectations to be a model student and follow the path to medicine and law are even higher. This pressure is even higher for women. Asian American women between the ages of 15 and 24 have the highest suicide rate among women across all ethnic groups with about 3.5 deaths for every 100,000 residents.
Asian Americans whose families experience a high degree of interpersonal conflict have a three-fold greater risk of attempting suicide when compared with Asian Americans overall, according to a study conducted at UC Davis. Stanley Sue, a professor of psychology and Asian American studies at UC Davis attributes this to the strong emphasis on family integration in Asian culture, adding another high risk factor for the Asian American community.
Furthermore, when these anxieties manifest as depression, Asian Americans are less likely to seek help and recognize the problem compared with Caucasians. “In many Asian cultures, the stigma surrounding mental illness is so extreme that it is thought to reflect poorly on family lineage,” according to Betty Hong, executive director of Asian Community Mental Health Services. Not only do the pressures to be a “model minority” contribute to depression, it prevents those suffering from it to seek help.
Some of these taboos surrounding mental illness among Asian Americans are specific to different Asian ethnic groups. Chinese tend to interpret mental illness as a punishment for some wrongdoing of themselves or their relatives. Vietnamese and Japanese are fearful that their use of mental health services will be exposed to friends and family. Koreans depend on medication to “treat” themselves.
Depression tends to run in the family whether it be due to genetics, learned behavior or both. Oftentimes, more determining than genetic predisposition is a stressful or unhappy life event that triggers the onset of a depressive episode. For Asian Americans in particular this may be disappointment at home, work or school or chronic stress. More generally, alcohol or drug abuse, childhood abuse or neglect, sleeping problems, social isolation or nutritional deficiencies are other causes.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms of depression (prolonged or episodic) include: trouble sleeping or excessive sleep, a change in appetite and weight fluctuations, fatigue, restlessness and irritability, inactivity and withdrawal, feelings of self-hate and inappropriate guilt, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness and recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
Prevention
A healthy lifestyle can prevent and or reduce the chances of depression occurring again. This includes: eating properly, getting plenty of rest, staying active, relaxing, spending time with friends or family, getting all of your nutrients and not drinking alcohol or using drugs.
For the elderly or those feeling socially isolated or lonely, volunteering within the community or getting involved in group activities can prevent the chance of falling into depression.
Treatment
A person suffering from depression should not try to manage the illness on their own. Depression is ranked in terms of severity: mild, moderate or severe, and the degree of the depression influences how you are treated.
Research has shown that a combination of antidepressant medication and psychotherapy to be the quickest, most effective treatment. Exercise, proper sleep, a healthy diet, and an active lifestyle are also important to maintaining a balanced body and mind.
