Shakti Perspectives
Big thanks to @greaterdandenongyouthservices
for allowing us to share this story as this content was originally posted from their network.
Shakti perspectives: Tanishka
When I was 14 years old, my life changed completely. My family made a sudden decision to move to Australia. I was excited, of course, but with that also came waves of doubt and anxiety. For the first time in my life, I had emotions that I didn't know how to deal with.
When we finally moved to Australia, I had a hard time making friends because I felt as if I didn't "fit in". For an extrovert like me, that was a total nightmare. I became more isolated, I wasn't the usual chatterbox, and even getting out of bed felt too hard. Mental illnesses are not widely recognized in most Asian Cultures. No one in my family could tell what was wrong, not because they didn't care, but because they were unaware.
When I did learn about the symptoms I was manifesting, it was a big surprise for me to know that the emotions I felt were not uncommon. I also realised that I couldn't be the only one feeling the way I did. For a painfully long time, I had blamed myself for not being "normal". My family and friends must have been doing the same to themselves.
I started educating people around me about mental health and much to my delight, they tried to understand this alien concept. It wasn't easy for us because we were taught to “only acknowledge the good" and “get over the bad”. We have since been making progress. We can openly talk about what emotions we are experiencing and if need be, talk to a professional about it.
Identifying and managing mental health problems can be challenging. If you ever feel buried under the weight of coping with them, please know there is always someone you can talk to. There is professional help available. There is always someone who wants to help you out. You are not alone.
If you would like some more information or support, check out the links below:
https://www.youthbeyondblue.com/
https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/