News 2017
22 June
From China to NZ: A mental health journey
*Sue packed up her family’s life in China more than a decade ago with her sights set on living the Kiwi dream, but the reality of moving to a foreign country wasn’t what she expected.
“We came to New Zealand for a better life but it was totally different in reality. It was a shock for me, I didn’t know what to do.”
Sue says she couldn’t drive and struggled with the language barrier, despite learning some English before she arrived.
“I couldn’t understand people and I felt like a helpless baby who couldn’t communicate her needs.”
Sue says finding a job in her new country was stressful, she felt useless and couldn’t sleep properly for three months.
She says deciding not to reach out for help made her feel even more isolated and desperate.
“I wanted to die, I stayed in bed all day and I didn’t do anything.”
Sue was reluctant to share her experience with mental illness because of the stigma around mental health and mental illness in the Chinese community.
“I didn’t want to talk to Chinese people because they would treat me like a mad person and look down on me. For a while, I didn’t talk to anyone and that made it worse.”
But there was a turning point for Sue and she began her journey to recovery.
Reaching out for help
Sue opened up to her English tutor, who put her in touch with community mental health services. She got the medication, therapy and support she needed.
“I was desperate for help, I didn’t care what other people thought of me, I just wanted to get better for my daughter. I realised I couldn’t go, it would be selfish…my daughter would be alone without a mother.”
Sue says she is still on anti-depressants and is living with depression, but she’s enjoying life again.
“I am a different person now…I have a job, I can speak English, even though it’s not perfect, I’m gardening and I have built a network of friends.”
A message for the Chinese community
Sue wants to use her experience with depression to help others in the Chinese community.
“My illness is my treasure; I don’t want other people to suffer and I want people to know there is light.
Sue is determined to help end the stigma and discrimination that Chinese people attach to mental illness.
“You don’t have to hide anything, it’s just like any other disease and you haven’t done anything wrong.
“There’s so much support for mental health in New Zealand and it’s not seen the same way as it is in China.”
Sue says the journey to recovery starts with reaching out to friends and family.
“If you don’t speak out, loved ones don’t know how to support you and Chinese people need to know that there is help out there…people do really care.”
*Name has been changed to protect privacy.
15 June
Calling all future change-makers!
Applications are now open for the Mental Health Foundation's third mentored incubator programme, POD (Point of Difference).
We’re looking for young people aged 17–24, who want to make a real difference in helping to end mental illness discrimination.
Through mentoring, workshops and awesome industry contacts, we’ll help you to turn your creative ideas into action and develop your own leadership skills. It’s also an opportunity to connect with like-minded people.
Applications can be for individual or group work and there’s no such thing as one type of creativity. We’re keen on anything from visual arts, videos and websites to drama, writing or other out-of-the-box ideas.
If mentoring is your thing, we’re also keen to hear from you!
Applications close, Friday, 30 June. Successful applicants will be announced on Monday, 10 July.
To find out more and to apply, visit www.pod.org.nz or contact Margaret Lockhart on 09 623 4810 or pod "at" mentalhealth.org.nz
12 June
Shutting down discrimination
Being an inaugural Like Minds, Like Mine ‘PODder’ is a very exciting opportunity according to Kirsten Wong.
“I’ve had periods in my life when I’ve felt depressed and anxious, as well as a life threatening situation in my early twenties which affected me mentally and emotionally. Reflecting back now, how I processed things during those times were not healthy and it wasn’t a good situation to be in,” the 23-year-old Chinese New Zealander explains.
Kirsten has since completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (University of Auckland) with Honours (from Massey University); worked as a support worker with adults and teenagers dealing with mental health issues, and volunteered with Youthline.
Her combined experiences attracted Kirsten to the POD project, which she stumbled across on the Mental Health Foundation’s Facebook page.
“I liked the idea of moulding a project around an original idea that could bring about social change,” she says. “I believe everyone deserves the support and opportunity to be the best they can be, and that no one should experience stigma and rejection within their communities.”
Capoeira a model for social inclusion
Now, for the first time in her life she is flexing her creative muscle and using her knowledge of Capoeira – a Brazilian martial art she practices – to address mental health discrimination and social exclusion.
“Capoeira has a rich history, is of cultural significance, and is a fabulous model for holistic wellbeing and social inclusion,” Kirsten explains. “It is a non-judgemental community and I’ve found many international examples of Capoeira being used to create safe spaces for people.
“Research supports Capoeira as an innovative way to help young people deal with their anger and also to feel they are part of a group. I want to host an event as a way to introduce my ideas and messages, but I’m still working through all the details.”
Kirsten says the beauty of Capoeira is that it has no boundaries – it is open to everyone regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.
One voice among many
Feeling alone and excluded has an impact on young people’s wellbeing and Kirsten sees herself as one voice among many others wanting to achieve the same thing – freeing young people from mental health discrimination.
“Some of the major sources of discrimination towards young people can come from their peers and their families,” she says.
“I want them to know about places they can feel supported; places where they can belong; places [like Capoeira groups] where discrimination is not acceptable, it is shut down. I want to take away their burden of being judged every day for their experience of mental distress.”
That’s why she believes projects like POD are crucial.
“POD has been a great learning process and reaffirms that I [and my fellow PODders] can help young people. On a personal level it’s also helping me explore who I am, what my values are and how I can support other people by sharing my own stories and experiences.”
