“Mental health is not a luxury but a necessity”, we have all heard this sentence at least once in our lives, but have we really had and in-depth thought about it? For a broken arm we rush to the emergencies and yet, when faced with mental health challenges, one is told to “man-up” or “bottle-up”. How can we be expected to participate in society if our mental health cannot take it anymore?
Mental health affects how we think, feel and act. A healthy mind is important at every stage in life.
On 19 June 2021, the Young Queer Alliance (YQA) organized its second Mental Health Focus Group facilitated by Mrs. Elodie Mariette, a health psychologist from Canada via the Zoom platform. The participants joined us both on our premises and online in the strict accordance with the prevailing sanitary protocols. The theme was: “Stress and burnout among LGBTQ people.”
During the focus group, the facilitator shared that minority stress is a unique stressor felt by sexual minorities due to their gender identity or sexual orientation. It may be caused by poor social support, low socioeconomic status, prejudice and discrimination. The Psychologist gave participants tips on how to handle and redirect stress. They have learnt that their mental state and themselves were not a burden to society.
At the end of the session, participants shared their experiences and what they learnt during the session. They felt a ‘joie de vivre’ after an open-hearted conversation about their feelings.
Young Queer Alliance
Subscribe
