Cultural Differences Between Mental Illness And Western Culture

Mental illness is a psychological disorder that has rare a behavior that causes impairment to the individual. These mental illnesses vary through culture, and diversity. Some mental illness is more prevalent in other cultures, such as bulimia nervosa being only relevant in Western culture, hikikomori in Japanese culture, or dhat in South Asian cultures (Heine, "Mental Health", 2012). These culture-bound syndromes are highly influenced by their own cultural values, and is not seen to be influenced by outside cultures. Studies have suggested that Asian Americans have a greater stigma on mental illnesses compared to Western Americans (Cheon & Chiao, 2012). Depending on the culture, it shapes how individuals view and respond to others with a mental
There is a lot of cultural diversity in all kinds of mental illnesses, so finding a suitable therapist with the same cultural background could significantly help become a more successful treatment. It could help patients suffering from mental illness be able to express their concerns and views better when they share the same language and culture (Heine, "Mental Health", 2012). Without any language and culture barriers, this could effectively help patients and keep them in therapy longer because it provides a safe place, better understanding and help improve
Support shows an association with physical health benefits, even across cultures, but people seek social support differently (Heine, "Mental Health", 2012). Just like Can from the documentary, he lacked support he needed from his family, so he sought support in other aspects of this life, in other people with similar mental illnesses to help him cope with his life. The lack of support from Can’s family increased more hardships for him and created a deal of more stress and frustration, which made it harder to accept and cope with his feelings. Can was lucky enough to find that outlet of connections to vent and cope with his problems, and even help others with similar issues. Huang (2011) expresses that a patient could very easily use cultural or religious teachings as an excuse for not taking initiative in seeking help, which reinforces even more of their problems. The belief of dealing with mental illness is that “there is no point in trying, that’s just the way it is, there’s nothing I can do about it…. ‘‘life is suffering’’’ (Hwang, 2011). I believe this is perfect example of Asian culture belief, because Can experiences it, I experience it, and so does every other Asian person I know experiences some part of this