What's On Your Mind

The goal of this visual novel is to educate and provide resources and support for teenagers experiencing symptoms of depression.

    The issue:

    Depression is a serious mental health condition. It can negatively affect the way one acts, feels, and thinks. According to the  National Institute of Mental Health, 3.2 million American teenagers had at least 1 major depressive episode in the past year. From 2005 to 2017, major depression in teens has risen from 8.7 percent to 13.2 percent, a total increase of 52 percent. According to the  National Alliance on Mental Illness, Asian American teenage girls have the highest rates of depressive symptoms of any gender or racial/ethnic group. The commonness of depression in my peer group is alarming. The goal of my project is to guide Asian American teenage girls on how to unmask the negative stereotypes surrounding depression, learn how to recognize its symptoms, and discover healthy ways to cope with it. “Breaking the Silence: A Study of Depression Among Asian American Women”, a study sponsored by The National Asian Women’s Health Organization, found when Asian American women have experiences with depression in their family, they stay silent because of their Asian cultures and negative stigma that would be placed on them and/or their family. Furthermore, teenage Asian Americans have greater risks of suicide. While Asian American males have a 7 percent chance of attempting suicide, 15 percent of Asian American teenage girls have reported attempting suicide at least once. This is 30 percent higher than the suicide rates of white female students. The fear and silence surrounding mental health in the Asian American community promotes a disconnect between teenage girls and their mental state. I hope this project that brings light to how Asian American teenage girls can identify, cope, and live with depression.