Mission
Mental health is important to all our lives but unfortunately there remains a lot of stigma and ignorance around many mental illnesses. As a result, many people are unable to get the help or support they need, and lose out on relationships, jobs, and, literally, “peace of mind” of living a fulfilled and joyful life. South Asian Mental Health Alliance (SAMHAA) is a new non-profit community network engaging, educating and mobilizing the BC South Asian community around issues related to mental health.
SAMHAA’s mission is to create awareness, foster acceptance, provide links to support & resources, & empower all affected by mental illness. Our vision is a society where health/wellness of the mind, body & spirit are recognized equally, without stigma or stereotypes.
I would be happy to help out in any way.
Has SAMHAA considered bringing in philosophical counsellors, or raising awareness to the options outside of medication that are available to the public? Our South Asian community expands upon the already existent stigma of mental health, and makes it very difficult for youth facing cultural identity crisises to learn to manage what could turn into a double life. Seeing a doctor, unaware of the home situation, would readily diagnose the youth as bipolar, when really, the youth needs help addressing what causes the angst, not the angst itself. I would be happy to volunteer and/or speak at the event :)
HI, my name is David McGrath, and I am a first year Mental Health Nursing Student on placement within the department of Spiritual and Pastoral care based at the Littlemore hospital in Oxford. I have been asked to compile a report regarding the nursing of different faiths, but really to relate it to a mental health setting and to explore if there are any particular stigmas or difficulties within a variety of fatih groups. I am just wandreing if there is any help anyone could be regarding Sikh or Hindu faiths, I have a lot of information on Nursing the particular faiths, but it was just focusing on a Mental Health perspective. This report should be published to the Oxford Health Intranet so that staff members can better treat and care for patients from a variety of faiths. Any help would be Grand. Thankyou, Dave Mcgrath