October 28, 2025
In the month of November, the Bay Area is hosting 2 major forums focusing on Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth’s mental health: The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)’s “Youth Mental Health Summit” and Creating Spaces’ “Tending to the Child Within”. In the lead up to these important conferences, it’s crucial to understand why these conversations matter because behind every panel discussion and speech are real people struggling in silence.
The Problems with AAPI Mental Health:
For countless years, AAPI youth have lived under the pressure of expectations: to excel, to work hard, and above all, to stay silent about their struggles. To many on the outside, it looks as if we have it all together. But in reality, hidden behind the facade, many youth are struggling with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The problem with all of this, is that many of these youth are getting the help they need.
In 2023, the CDC reported that Asian American children are among the least likely to seek mental health support compared to any other racial group. Many of these youth are forced to balance the pressure from their family but also from themselves. We’re taught to respect our parents, to work hard and to avoid causing any trouble. But this creates silence. This silence can very quickly turn into isolation when we struggle with issues like racism, burnout, or not being “good enough”.
Last year, The Asian American Foundation reported that “Suicide is the leading cause of death among AANHPI youth ages 15-24”. This reality further proves what many young people have been feeling for years: that the “pressure to stay strong and silent can have deadly consequences”. While AAPI communities are often portrayed as resilient and high-achieving, the data shows just the cost of that expectation: unspoken pain, untreated illness, and too many lives lost.
Exploring the Origins of the Issue:
Beyond broad philosophical frameworks, the reluctance to seek mental health care is deeply rooted in Asian Pacific Islander cultural expectations. For many in the AAPI community, there is an obligation placed on children from a young age to be a “model minority”: to excel academically, to push forward where others before have failed. This perspective is amplified by Confucianism, a philosophical tradition dating back over 2500 years that is foundational in many East Asian cultures. Its central idea of ren (仁), or benevolence, encourages individuals to be kind to others without expecting anything in return. While this helps foster a broader sense of community, it can also create a taxing positive feedback loop where an individual’s worth becomes intrinsically tied to their selflessness. This is not to say Confucianism is inherently bad; rather, that its implications in a modern context can disincentivise essential self-care and amplify the shame associated with mental illness. These narratives are often internalized to the point that any sign of struggle feels like a familial failure. As a result, many mental health issues (whether stress, anxiety, etc.) are often stigmatized not just as a personal flaw, but as a failure to complete a social responsibility.
Oftentimes, these mental issues are intensified when individuals are caught in inherent contradictions perpetuated by society. Young children and adolescents alike are told they are the “model” of perfect integration in society, yet they simultaneously face the reality that 93% of AANHPI youth report experiencing race-based discrimination. The silence is enforced by this impossible bind of internalized pressure and external prejudice, helping to explain the devastating outcomes, such as the fact that suicide is the leading cause of death for AANHPI youth ages 15-24 and that a heartbreaking 1 in 3 have planned or attempted suicide. Being pressured to be ‘perfect’ in a society that treats you as an outsider exacerbates the mental stress that many feel.
Solutions to the Stigma:
Breaking down the stigma around mental health in the AAPI communities starts with education and actively making an effort to dismantle the systemic and cultural barriers set in place.
The first step is to normalize conversations about mental health, whether that be in schools, workplaces, or within families themselves. This means being proactive in reframing mental health for both this generation and the next as a legitimate component of well-being. It is okay to take a break every once in a while or talk to a therapist about issues that you may be facing. The truth is, when we speak up, we don’t just help ourselves; we help everyone after us find the courage to do the same.
That’s why events like TAAF’s Youth Mental Health Summit and Creating Spaces’ Tending to the Child Within are so important. They aren’t just conferences, they’re opportunities for youth to feel connection, heal, and take action. Whether you’re a student, parent, or educator, attending these gatherings is a powerful way to learn, listen, and show that AAPI mental health matters.
Make sure to RSVP to the November 8th Creating Spaces’ event for free at the Asian Art Museum here.
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