Sure, I know about Britney Spears‘ fast track down the self-destruction path. It’s hard not to know. When I turn on the TV, she makes the evening news (that’s in addition to tabloid “news” magazines littering our stations). When I wait to checkout at the grocers, her image graces the tabloid magazine decking the “impulse-buy” aisles. I’m not a groupie by any means, although I admit I enjoyed her early boppity-songs like “Baby One More Time” and “Oops I Did It Again”. However, I find “Piece of Me” is one of Spears’ most candid work to date.

The images and words for “Piece of Me” far surpasses an initial, weak attempt with the images in Spears’ music video “Everytime”. “Piece of Me” shows us that how much of what Spears was and has become is as much a reflection of our society as the choices Spears has made as an individual.

What kind of mental state of mind can I expect from a person whose “adoring” public and paparazzi treat her as their property with full rights to worship as an object while at the same time laugh, gawk, and sneer at her? That’s in addition to “set-up situations” Spears alluded to in “Piece of Me”: “I’m Mrs. ‘You want a piece of me?’ Tryin’ and pissin’ me off / Well get in line with the paparazzi / Who’s flippin’ me off / Hopin’ I’ll resort to some havoc / End up settlin’ in court”.

I’d be amazed if she DIDN’T descend down the spiral of destruction.

So here’s to another celebrity who our society relishes in building up to tear down in public spectacles. Who opportunists drools over. Who false friends swarms around… And from whom photographers and tabloid journalists earn their keep for another day.

This past week’s Post Secret had a postcard that said, “My pastor always talks about how if people would find God they wouldn’t need pills. I’m bipolar but took his advice. My pastor is an idiot!!”

An email follow-up to the postcard said, “Sometimes, God answers by giving us the tools to take care of ourselves.” This also generated a flurry of comments about the postcard on the forum.

Amen.

(P.S. For the sake of objectivity, the pastor may be talking about using recreational drugs as an escape from God or from the self, and not necessarily medical conditions requiring medical intervention like bipolar disorder. However, this postcard shows how important it is to include disclaimers and exceptions when you are preaching to a group of people.)

Recently John asked me about some resources relating to Asians and bipolar disorder. John further says, “I don’t think psychotherapy is prevalent, valued or even understood in Asian cultures.”

John’s observation is unfortunately correct. Although compared with 10 years ago, there is some increased awareness of mental health issues including depression and bipolar disorder among Asian cultures, mental illness is still in large “dealt” through denial and shame. Recently, in Taiwan and Hong Kong, for example, there had been suicides amongst some celebrities, which in turn casts some light on the issues of depression and suicide. In Japan there has been high suicide rates among young people.

However, from my own observation, mental health remains rarely talked about or well understood in Asian cultures. I hope that with the globalization of information, some of the progress we’ve made in the West relating to social perception of mental health can connect with people in other cultures.

Here are some info I’ve shared with John via email (and some I newly added since emailing him) that you may find useful:

Asians and Bipolar disorder - John Mcman’s article

DJ Chuang’s page of resources (not necessarily specific to Asians, but has good references) on bipolar disorder; sometimes written from a religious perspective.

Depression and Minorities - health provider article

japan mental health

NAAPIMHA (might be good to call them and ask for specific resources)

Asian-American mental health

Health: Asians Get Depressed, Too

From my own website: Asian Students, Depression, and Suicide: Begin with the Parents!

Not specific to Asians, but a good backgrounder is the Usernet FAQ List. Here is the index for alt.support FAQ’s.

A troubling piece I found on the Wall Street Journal: “In China, Controversial Brain Surgery for Mental Illness”