Sikhs in the Bay Area face stigma when seeking mental health care, often perceived as a sign of weakness within their community.
Sikhs in the Bay Area who seek mental health care often encounter disapproval from fellow community members, who may view mental health challenges as either fabricated or indicative of personal failure. This stigma can create significant barriers for individuals seeking the help they need.
Noor Khera, a resident of Livermore, has experienced mental health struggles but was initially hesitant to seek assistance due to fears of being perceived as weak. “I have heard it multiple times: ‘Be strong,’” she shared. “One day I started wondering, why am I so weak? My husband said to me, ‘You’re not weak, you’re sick.’ It allowed me to accept what’s wrong with me and to work on that.”
After following her doctor’s advice and starting antidepressants, Khera reported feeling much better, highlighting the importance of seeking professional help.
Dr. Ravinder Randhawa, a Sikh psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente Fremont Medical Center, noted that many patients express similar fears of judgment from family and friends. “They’re scared of being judged,” she said, reflecting on the stigma surrounding mental health within the community.
Randhawa herself faced judgment when she chose to pursue a career in psychiatry. “My own father was extremely disappointed. He questioned the field I was choosing. He would tell people I am a doctor, but what kind of doctor? So I had to take that disappointment in, and it did bother me a bit,” she recalled. However, she eventually educated her family about mental health, encouraging them to be more open to seeking help.
This issue is not unique to the Sikh community. “A lot of Asian communities struggle with emotional expression,” Randhawa added, underscoring a broader cultural challenge.
Naz Khera, Noor’s sister from Tracy, shared her experiences of attempting to confide in family and friends about her mental health struggles, only to be met with immediate disapproval. “It would get so bad I would crash…but that is also where rebuilding comes in,” she explained. She emphasized that the pressure to conform to societal expectations can be particularly challenging for women and girls. “We have to appear a certain way, which is not ourselves, in front of any community member that we meet.”
Despite advancements in understanding mental health, some still hold outdated beliefs that mental health issues are merely “all in your head.” Randhawa pointed out that while habits and hypertension can be managed through lifestyle changes, mental health remains misunderstood. “For some reason, people just don’t understand,” she said.
Younger Sikhs often find themselves at odds with older generations, particularly in families with immigrant parents who may have come from backgrounds where mental health was downplayed. Kamalpreet Kaur, president of the Sikh Student Association at Sacramento State, noted that many men from Punjab are sent abroad to work, leading them to suppress their struggles. “They have to end up keeping their struggles buried inside them,” he said.
However, potential solutions may lie within Sikhism itself. Arsh Kaur Sidhu, president of a health support group at Sacramento State University, highlighted the role of meditation and acceptance in Sikh teachings. “There is a lot of meditation in our religion, as well as peacefulness and acceptance,” she said, suggesting that these principles could help bridge the gap in understanding mental health.
As the conversation around mental health continues to evolve, it is crucial for communities to foster an environment where individuals feel safe seeking help without fear of judgment. By addressing stigma and promoting open dialogue, Sikhs in the Bay Area can begin to dismantle the barriers that hinder mental health care access.
Source: Original article