Shedding Light on a Quiet Crisis

In honor of June being Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge a hard truth: AANHPI Men Are Hurting In Silence.

1 in 5 Asian American men have experienced a mental health disorder—but they also have one of the lowest treatment rates of any group in the U.S. Due to stigma, culture, and harmful stereotypes, they’re often left out of the mental health conversation. Here’s some facts you should know:

• College-aged AAPI men report higher rates of depression than women in their communities, yet are still less likely to seek help.

• In some Pacific Islander communities, young men die by suicide up to 11x more than young women.

• US-born AAPI men are more likely to struggle with substance abuse than those who immigrated. Culture clash, racism, and pressure to “succeed” play a role.

• Masculinity hurts when it silences. AAPI men who strongly identify with traditional gender roles report more depression and less help-seeking.

To All AANHPI Men, you’ve carried a lot: Pressure to succeed, to be silent, to take care of others before yourself. But here’s the truth: Your pain is real, and your strength is not in hiding it. You deserve support, healing, and a future that feels good to live in, and WAVES is committed to working towards making that possible.

To learn more, check out the original source published by SAMHSA by clicking on the button below!