Mental Health as a Punjabi

I’m Tavleen, a freshman intending to major in MCB. I am a practicing Sikh and currently live with my family in New Delhi, India. Growing up in a Punjabi household was a very colorful experience for me. I feel that the warmth and zest of the Punjabi community is ubiquitous no matter where one is in the world.

However, one public health issue within the Punjabi community I would like to focus on through my work with BPSHI is mental health challenges and disorders faced by old and young alike. I have seen many members in my own family keep silent and negate these issues as “nothing” and have had quite tough times, probably due to the conservative stigma built around it.

My aim is to try to dismantle this notion and bring people to have a more open dialogue in identifying and learning how to battle such challenges.