“Desi” is a word used to describe the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent. There are many cultural differences between the “desi” and “western” culture when it comes to Mental Health & Wellbeing.
There are a number of issues that affect people from this culture due to a different mindset and values. These can range from traditional values that can often been seen as backward and restricting.
The western culture often fails to recognise the differences and tries to treat people from a desi culture in the same way. There can be a lot of confusion around why traditional western techniques are not adopted or used.
For this reason a better understanding of desi culture and the challenges it faces, need to be addressed by the west.
Cultural conditioning leads to people hiding negative emotions and feelings. When people have mental health problems others tend to back away and isolate them.
Here are a few of the challenges faced:
- Encouraged to keep relations with toxic family and friends
- Thinking mental health issues aren’t real
- Not setting boundaries
- Accepting poor treatment from others
- Worrying what others will say in the community
- Asking unnecessary questions that cause mental strain
- Saying bad things about good people “nindia chugli”
- Forcing beliefs on others (especially religious or superstitious)
- Being forced to take sides in relationships within the family
- Being pressured into doing things you don’t want to do, because you must listen
- Manipulation/guilt tripping for selfish reasons
- Being labelled when you’re not acting “normal”