Rising Above Depression: An Asian American's Journey

In “Spiritual Milestone” the writer describes his life as an Asian American and the difficulties that he has faced not only with his identity but with his battle with depression. The more compelling story is his rise above the disease and his tremendous success in the world of academia and in his community. Not realizing that he actually had depression, he worked diligently to overcome the stigma attached to his ethnicity, and at the same time, ended up discovering that he was suffering from “the common cold of mental illness: depression”.

Being a self motivated learner, the author was able to diagnose himself by reading and studying about depression. He sought immediate help from a professional to help deal with the symptoms of the disease, and in the meantime, continued his studies and his struggle to become more than a stereotype. The different therapies the writer endured were cognitive therapy, interpersonal therapy, and behavioral therapy. These three therapies prescribed by his psychologist helped him to recognize and deal with his feelings so that he could have a clear path to success.

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While the author does not go into too much detail describing the suffering he endured from his depression, he does mention sleepless nights, anxiety, self medication, and lethargy. He knew these symptoms were a sign of something much deeper and also that they would hinder his future success, so he sought help immediately. The author’s purpose was to inform readers of the symptoms of depression and to encourage those who suffer from it to take action and seek the help necessary to make life as fulfilling as possible.