I don't know about you, but I come from a culture where from an early age it was drilled into me that you are born the way you are. We have popular sayings like 'A man is born not made!' or 'You see a madman, he was like this from small!'. So what does that mean in regards to mental health? How do attitudes as such affect the way we view mental illness? Are we born this way? Or does life turn us into mentally unwell individuals due to hardships and trauma that accumulates along the way and gets us to a breaking point? Is it one or the other? Or a combination of both? Does hereditary factors as well as environmental play a role? And how does one overcome obstacles posed by culture and intergenerational notions especially in the era of information and technology and upon arrival in a western country? If we are born mentally ill, is there any hope for recovery? If, on the other hand, mental illness is an outcome of hardships and trauma, does this means it goes away once those are removed from one's life? What's your belief? What are some notions around self and health and particularly mental health and illness that you grew up with? Is it healthy to challenge these? How much to we throw away and how much we keep in this ever-changing environment of information and new knowledge that we are bombarded with on a daily basis over social media and the news? Are your attitudes in this area and your deep core values unchanged or have you altered your views by migrating to Australia and getting older? Do you think you would hold the same attitudes, views, beliefs if you never left your country of origin? Are we born this way? Or do we become who we are?
