If you are having suicidal thoughts or feelings, contact 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or a qualified physician / mental health professional immediately.
My maternal grandmother was schizophrenic. She helped raised me and my siblings for more than two decades before she passed away in 2002.
At the time her illness first surfaced, she was a 45-year-old divorcée and single mother living in Mumbai with her brother and his family. The understanding of her disease and how to treat it were very poor at that time. Her daughter (my mom) would grow up to be a general practitioner. Eventually, she was tapped to lead geriatric psychiatry at a Veterans Affairs Hospital in Central Texas.
My mom’s training in mental health made a tremendous difference for my grandmother. The right combination of medication and therapy gave her a better quality of life.
Still, I spent years watching my grandmother talk to people who weren’t there and relive painful experiences over and over again in her head.
When she passed away, I remember being simultaneously heart-broken and relieved that she would no longer be trapped in by her own thoughts.
Thirteen years later, I had the privilege to serve as Chief of Staff to the United States Surgeon General, our nation’s doctor. As our team began to plot the public health campaigns on which we wanted to focus, we came to a consensus around mental health and the importance of emotional well-being.
We committed to addressing the stigma around mental illness, particularly in immigrant communities and in communities of color.
And my first and most important thought was: I’m going to do this for Ranjan Ba.
In alignment with our mission to encourage others to #SpeakUp about mental health, we’ve created this blog – a passion project highlighting those who wish to share their stories with the world.
Open to anyone, the series features personal anecdotes from members of the South Asian community who have struggled with mental illness – and the stigma that comes along with it.
To submit your story, click here.
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I always feared that I would be called weak if I expressed any vulnerability. So instead, I put on a “strong” face at all times...
...and what I felt wasn't considered a "real problem." Middle school was a testing time for my personal life. My family was dealing...
I wish I had a different dad. I wish I was blessed with a dad who would take time out of his day to ask me “How are you?” instead...
...I’m sure most of us would assume they either work as an engineer, a doctor, a scientist, or an upper position in a company. I’m not...
MannMukti pledges to serve all South Asians, recognizing the power hierarchies in our communities, created and maintained by different identities of caste, language, geography, gender, sexuality, and religion that shape individuals’ obstacles while seeking mental liberation.
