Multicultural experiences

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Chris_B Welcome to the Multicultural Experiences section
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, Welcome to the Multicultural Experiences section, a sub-forum within the wider beyondblue forum community. beyondblue acknowledges and respects the diversity of communities across Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islande... View more

Hi everyone, Welcome to the Multicultural Experiences section, a sub-forum within the wider beyondblue forum community. beyondblue acknowledges and respects the diversity of communities across Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Australians. beyondblue also recognises the complexities of identity and that people may identify with more than one community. Depression, anxiety and suicide can affect any of us at any time – regardless of our culture or background. We also know that a range of factors can make it harder for people in some communities to seek and access support. This section is for members born overseas, are the children of parents born overseas, have a language other than English as your primary language, or come from a family with mixed cultural heritage. Please be aware that posts in this forum may contain discussions of suicide, self-harm and/or traumatic life events. As per our community rules, please be mindful when posting about the level of detail you share on these topics as it can be upsetting for other members. We look forward to hearing your stories. Become a Multicultural Correspondent Are you from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background? Are you interested in being a regular contributor to this section? We are seeking members who will actively participate in discussions and start up new threads on topics of interest to CALD communities (6-10 quality posts per week). Please get in touch with our team to discuss.

All discussions

Donte Who You Gonna Call?
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Navigating the mental health system is complex for most Australians but there are additional challenges for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds which add to the complexity. How can one find comprehensive information in their... View more

Navigating the mental health system is complex for most Australians but there are additional challenges for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds which add to the complexity. How can one find comprehensive information in their native tongue for example? What happens to populations who do not have access to computers or the internet or are not computer literate and smart phone savvy? How many psychiatrists or other mental health professionals are bilingual and bi cultural? How does indirect discrimination restricts multicultural people from having full and equitable access to services? How often do mental health services consult with ethnic communities? How do we effectively engage culturally and linguistically diverse populations? How do we work with minorities within minorities e.g. people or groups who do not identify with the mainstream aspect of an ethnic culture or the dominant religion in that culture? People of diverse cultures, languages or religions may have difficulty with or cannot receive the benefits of mental health services and supports. Additionally, when family members interpret there could be breaches in privacy and confidentiality and a conflict of interest. A person-centre approach to service provision and care is pivotal to meet the diverse complex needs of various multicultural people and break stereotypes and a false sense of knowledge about a cultural group. So who you gonna call?

Donte Do you speak Gay? That's so Gay!
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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer+ (LGBTIQ+) people experience higher rates of depression and anxiety, and are at greater risk of suicide, than the broader community. Same-sex attracted Australians are 3 times more likely to experi... View more

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer+ (LGBTIQ+) people experience higher rates of depression and anxiety, and are at greater risk of suicide, than the broader community. Same-sex attracted Australians are 3 times more likely to experience depression, and twice as likely to experience an anxiety condition, than heterosexual Australians. 1 in 6 LGBTIQ+ young people in Australia has attempted suicide. This number is much higher and often undocumented in culturally and linguistically diverse communities as many do not disclose their sexual orientation and keep their sexual identity hidden due to fear of persecution, stigma, shame and guilt perpetuated by cultural or religious notions. LGBTIQ+ people from non-English speaking communities or newly-arrived migrants may face additional challenges, discrimination, marginalization, taboo based on cultural or religious prejudices and be more vulnerable and disadvantaged than the mainstream LGBTIQ+ Australians. This is especially true if they belong in a collectivist culture. People from these communities may feel more pressure to fit in with conventional ideas of being male or female. Many in religious communities feel pressured or are forced to marry a person of the opposite sex. Those who don't fit the mold can be subjected to ridicule, intimidation and even physical abuse and violence. This affects the mental health of not only the victim but also the rest of the family and people around that person. Today, there is an increasing acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people in society and greater visibility in the media and public life, and the recent same-sex marriage results and subsequent change of law in Australia indicates clearly that fact, however, many LGBTIQ+ people still experience discrimination, harassment and violence at work, school, church, temple, mosque, in their home and in social situations and various settings. Many LGBTIQ+ people and their families feel shame, fear, and the impact of stigma, not only in the countries were they migrated from, where they could had been persecuted, especially if homosexuality is still criminalized there, and is punished (in many cases by imprisonment or death penalty), but, also in their local communities here in Australia. If you, or someone you know experiences mental distress due to their sexual identity or are a family member or friend needing support and information please call the beyondblue Support Service on 1300 22 4636 or visit beyondblue.org.au.

J_M_12345 Introduction Thread
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Hey everyone! My name is Josette. I live in Sydney and will be starting university early next year! I have dealt with mental illness most my life but was only diagnosed a year ago. Within the time frame of a year though I have learnt so much about my... View more

Hey everyone! My name is Josette. I live in Sydney and will be starting university early next year! I have dealt with mental illness most my life but was only diagnosed a year ago. Within the time frame of a year though I have learnt so much about my diagnoses, the best strategies to manage my condition, and heaps of self-care methods which go a long way in aiding meds to give the best possible result. Therefore I'm a strong believer in recovery, and I have so much faith that everyone with any mental illness can lead a full and fulfilling life, making a difference to the people and world around them! beyondblue was a very crucial part of my recovery, and therefore I am honoured to be part of the forums and beyondblue community. Other than beyondblue though, my interests range from reading, science, medicine and health, running and Christmas!! I live with my parents and two brothers who I love so much, and who play such a massive role in my life and my wellbeing. Can't wait to "meet" more new people via the forums, so that we share our experiences - the good times, the tough times, but most importantly, the hope that we all share as we navigate our way to lead a happy and peaceful life! xx Josette

Whattodonext Recently married but in love with my friend
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I have recently married my partner of nearly 8 years and love her. We have had great times together however my relationship hasn’t been what it once was and I feel that I’m only still in it because it’s what I know and feel comfortable at this point.... View more

I have recently married my partner of nearly 8 years and love her. We have had great times together however my relationship hasn’t been what it once was and I feel that I’m only still in it because it’s what I know and feel comfortable at this point. I met a co-worker (female) a year ago and we have become really close friends inside and outside of work. We talk often and she has helped me when I had issues and felt anxious about work. In recent months we have both admitted to liking each other more than friends however we both agreed that I have a commitment and need to stick with it as I’ve only been married a few months and if we don’t end up working out then I would have left my wife and also lost a great friend. I can’t stop thinking about what life would be like with my friend and how happy we are when we are together, we have discussed what it would be like as well. She is a different culture (Muslim) to me and I would have to change somethings but I would make them changes to be with her. We have also tried to spend less time together outside of work, however this makes me feel upset and worried. I feel that I will lose a great friendship. She is single however her family are eager for her to find someone and settle down. We have tried to spend less time together to help fight urges and also to allow my friend to live her life and not worry about me and not to think about being with me. I know this doesn’t really make sense but I’m finding it hard to write down. Thank you for your help.

Hawraa Struggling for cultural sensitivity
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Hey guys! My name's Hawraa (pronounced, how-rah), and mental health is something I take very personally and am very passionate about. I've had a general anxiety disorder (GAD) most of my life with memories as early as 9yrs old, I've also experienced ... View more

Hey guys! My name's Hawraa (pronounced, how-rah), and mental health is something I take very personally and am very passionate about. I've had a general anxiety disorder (GAD) most of my life with memories as early as 9yrs old, I've also experienced bouts of depression in my adult years. I have family members that have suffered with their mental health and unfortunatley the thing we all have in common is we suffered silently and ignorantly for far too long before understanding what we were experiencing and feeling. On top of that, finding the support with the cultural and religious sensitivity to help us navigate through these experiences was incredibly difficult. Personally, I've seen a great deal of mental health advocacy, and I think it's incredible. It's becoming more of a conversation and moving in the right direction. However, I fail to see much diversity in representation when mental health is indiscriminatory. I sort counselling on a few occassions and found that most of my time was explaining my culture and faith and why seemingly social norms would be triggers of shame, guilt, and anxiety. This is why this multicultural experiences forum is something I'm excited to be a part of and look forward to engaging with people on their experiences and be able to relate through the lived experiences that come with our heritege. Empathetically, Hawraa

Hayfa Is resilience a factor in positive mental health?
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Hi everyone, I know that this line may cause uncomfortable reading for some but I really think it is worth pondering being that this topic may hold true for many communities especially around the world. Literature and empirical evidence suggests that... View more

Hi everyone, I know that this line may cause uncomfortable reading for some but I really think it is worth pondering being that this topic may hold true for many communities especially around the world. Literature and empirical evidence suggests that some communities develop a characteristic resilience due to the environment they live and they adapt to that life and for most, resulting in strong mental health. This may be a product of military occupation, conflict and difficult conditions in their home countries, people have been born into these circumstances so they know no other form of living and from this one and only experience they are conditioned to live as they best they can. Of course such living conditions may go two ways in a person's health and wellbeing but generally most develop good, strong mental health from these difficult conditions and in many circumstances become active to bring about a change in circumstances. I think mental health is more likely to be compromised if one lives relatively comfortably but some type of negative circumstances or changes occur which then impact their mental health causing anxiety or depression. In my work I have spoken to many people from CALD backgrounds that have had some horrendous experiences but their mental health is strong and they keep pushing on positively. Sometimes we think that people from multicultural communities deny or stigmatise mental health but is it possible that in reality they don't have much awareness of MI because in the circumstances of their lives they haven't really encountered it? What are your thoughts?

bluskiy elderly immigrant parents living with adult children - stressful
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Our family is Chinese - father, mother, daughter (me). My grandparents immigrated about 3 years ago on a parent visa because they wanted to live with us in Australia. Unfortunately, we have nothing in common with them, and we aren't close. Because of... View more

Our family is Chinese - father, mother, daughter (me). My grandparents immigrated about 3 years ago on a parent visa because they wanted to live with us in Australia. Unfortunately, we have nothing in common with them, and we aren't close. Because of this, the household has a very tense atmosphere-- even though we live under one roof, it feels like two families are living there. I think the effects are more poignant because we remembered being relaxed and free to move around the home before they came and now we don't have that relaxed feeling. It doesn't feel like "home" anymore. We don't understand why they feel the need to cling on to my dad (their son), to the extent of following him overseas and intruding on our family since they were financially and socially fine back in China (all their friends and relatives are back there)! It's hard to articulate the magnitude of the stress we're under as well - we want them to be happy but at the same time them being here disrupted our family life in only a negative way. Right now, we don't know what to do. We want to live apart from them. We think having an open discussion is the best way to communicate this but we doubt they'd be honest with their feelings. My dad has checked up on them countless times before, and they'd always say they're "fine" but it's hard to believe because they don't know english, they're very quiet, they don't have many friends/no close friends, or any interest in spending the rest of their days in a fulfilling manner. Also, it's almost certain they'd interpret our desire to live apart as abandoning them. We wish we could find a way to communicate our feelings, and for them to honestly communicate theirs so we can find a living arrangement that doesn't cause so much misery... I've looked at counselling but it's hard to find one that deals specifically with the Chinese parent-adult child relationship. Any advice is appreciated: this has been going on for 3 years already...

Chris_B Meet our beyondblue Connect Peer Mentors
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Hi everyone, We're pleased to announce the launch of a new peer support service, beyondblue Connect, based in Victoria's Greater Dandenong region. You can read more about this free service here. beyondblue Connect combines telephone, email, face-to-f... View more

Hi everyone, We're pleased to announce the launch of a new peer support service, beyondblue Connect, based in Victoria's Greater Dandenong region. You can read more about this free service here. beyondblue Connect combines telephone, email, face-to-face and support here on our forums. The purpose of this thread is to introduce our Peer Mentors, and answer any questions about beyondblue Connect that aren't already answered on the FAQ page. beyondblue Connect mentors have backgrounds in health, community and peer support services. They draw on their own personal experience to offer caring, evidence-based interventions to improve wellbeing, decrease emotional distress and improve connections to your community. You may also see Peer Mentors responding in threads here from time to time. Please note: At the moment, beyondblue Connect services are only available if you are living in the Greater Dandenong region.

swidjaja11 Feeling Horribly Alone
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I am a university student and studying Accounting. I don't hate it but it's not my main passion. My passion is piano and Applied but I can't see myself as a teacher. I see myself as a performer, which is a career that doesn't pay the bills. As for Ma... View more

I am a university student and studying Accounting. I don't hate it but it's not my main passion. My passion is piano and Applied but I can't see myself as a teacher. I see myself as a performer, which is a career that doesn't pay the bills. As for Mathematics, there are not a lot of job prospects. I plan to study Music and get a part time Accounting job after obtaining my Accounting degree but I have a dilemma. I might not maximise my career. If I talk to my parents, it will be the same conversation. Do I love Accounting? Me: Yes (lie). P: Fight for it! If I tell the truth, I will get my dad angry and getting my dad angry and disappointed in me is worse than any failure in exam. I want to talk to my mum but, being the idiot she is since she works in a menial job, can't help me so, I have no choice but to turn to my dad. My dad is smart since he is working for his ph.D however, I had a traumatic experience with him. No abuse whatsoever but he once got extremely cranky just because I couldn't understand a Math question. I remember that he nearly threw a glass to a wall just because I couldn't understand it but I have no choice but to talk to him since he is the smart one. Talking to him feels like being in a hot seat. Despite having provided me with resources and my mum claiming that he loves me, I call bullsh*t. I don't want to have to do anything with him. I just can't wait to cut my entire family off, particularly my dad. Talking to him makes my blood boil. My mum wants me to talk but I don't want to since I feel like that I'm in a hot seat. I prefer to suffer in silence. To exacerbate things, I feel pressured to lose weight because my family members in Indonesia will tease me if I don't. I once ended up wailing to my parents that I don't want to go back to Indonesia because of this. My mum, being the block-head she is, doesn't understand that, more than once, I almost become anorexic. She told me to just ignore them. This just makes me feel horribly alone. I don't know what to do and I just think that death is the best answer. If anyone can give me any advice that will be great.

op1996 Adolescence as a second generation immigrant
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Hi guys, I will be talking my high school experience in Australia- how I adapted & coped with cultural difference. As an adolescent my mental health was at risk due to social and hormonal change, as well as the high need for a sense of belonging. I f... View more

Hi guys, I will be talking my high school experience in Australia- how I adapted & coped with cultural difference. As an adolescent my mental health was at risk due to social and hormonal change, as well as the high need for a sense of belonging. I first came to Australia when I was 15 year old (year 10) on my own for school. Not going to lie, it was very hard at the beginning as my English was still not proficient and I was one of the few Asians in a mostly caucasians school. I was extremely insecure of my English and that was one of the reason and that was one of the reason why I developed social anxiety & a irrational fear of people. I was too scared to even talk because I feared that my peers would judge my English so I was a very quiet kid. My lack of self esteem led to a whole lot of loneliness, self loathing and eventually it led to other problems as well. My grades started to drop because I could not concentrate in class, I started having insomnia, gained a lot of weight which did not help my crippling teenage insecurity. I did not have any friend whom I could talk to and I did not want to make my parents from Vietnam worry so I would lie and told them that I was having a good time. I also did not seek any sort of professional help. Eventually I started having suicidal thoughts and that was when I realised that my symptoms were more severe than just teenage blues. I researched and educated myself on depression/ anxiety & started to form a list of coping strategies that I forced my self to stick to. I had a journal of all the positive 'to do' things in the list each day and rewarded myself with compliments every time I completed the lists.The strategies consists of improving my overall health such as exercising and having a better diet. It took me about a month to started having better self care habits and the positive reinforcement from accomplishing the every day list made me feel much more confident and better. Towards the end of high school I had a much more positive mentality and my life tended to have an upward spiral from there. I got over my language insecurity & became more assertive, which led me to get out of my shell and experience the positive things in life. I will have another post focusing on my coping strategies and how I shifted my mind set from negativity to positivity. I regretted not seeking professional or social help because I reckoned that It would made my recovery a lot easier.