Mental illness is not small, temporary, or easy to overcome. It is a silent, relentless battle that many people fight every day.

Namaskar, and good afternoon everyone.

My name is Yanu, and I am truly honored to be here today. Through my training in New

Hampshire School, I had the opportunity to support individuals living with HIV and STI illness, as

well as assist women experiencing violence. These experiences strengthened my commitment

to serving and supporting our community.

I now continue that journey as a Youth Coordinator at OHRC. Today, I would like to speak about

a topic that is very close to my heart — mental health awareness in our community.

Mental Health Awareness In Our Community

Mental illness is not small, temporary, or easy to overcome. It is a silent, relentless battle that

many people fight every day. Depression is not just sadness - it is constant negative thoughts,

emotional exhaustion, and a darkness that slowly takes over everything. It is losing interest in

life, wanting to be alone, and struggling to care for your own body and well-being.

It is heartbreaking to see our brothers, sisters, elders, teachers, doctors, leaders, and

hardworking individuals from Nepal and Bhutan who once held respected positions through

years of dedication and sacrifice now struggling in new land.

Back home, they were educators, professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Today,

because of language barriers, re-education requirements, chronic illness, caring for autistic

children, sick parents, addiction issues among youth, and economic pressures, many are

working in warehouses, hotels, hospitals, and other labor-intensive jobs just to survive.

There is dignity in all work, but the pain comes from losing identity, status, dreams and long -

held goals. They appear strong for their children and families, smile in public, carry responsibility

silently, but inside, many are hurting.

Many of us remember life in refugee camps. We remember homes that were not strong enough

to protect us from rain and wind, the scarcity of food at the dinner table, and the long lines at

water taps that only ran at certain times. We remember using kerosene lamps only for a few

hours, just enough to study or do housework. We remember the shortage of health clinics, the

lack of proper education about health and well-being, We remember uncertainty - not knowing

what tomorrow would bring. Even in Bhutan, at least families had homes and land. But in the

camps, life was survival.

Our grandparents, parents, brothers, and sisters endured years of instability and fear. That

trauma does not disappear just because we now live in a great nation like America. The worry,

insecurity, and survival mindset often follow us.

According to CDC reports (2009 - 2012), suicide rates in the Bhutanese refugee community

were approximately 21-24 per 100,000 people, nearly double the U. S. average at that time.

Many of the cases involved men under 50, often within one to two years of arrival, witheconomic hardship being a major factor. These are not just numbers but these are fathers,

sons, brothers, friends, who left us by struggling alone.

Our elders were raised to hide pain, they were taught to endure silently. Mental illness is often

buried deep inside due to; Stigma, isolation, loneliness, language barriers, low trust in

counseling, fear of judgment. Meanwhile, younger generations born here are more open about

emotions, this creates a generation gap in how we talk about feelings. But mental illness is not a

weakness, it is not shameful, it is not something to ignore.

Since then, I have started working as a part of OHRC and being Youth Coordinator, I have been

learning a lot. The hardship that our leaders are still doing here to protect our culture and

religions is indelible.

By being aware of all these things happening in our community, i have few things to say that

might change our community’s way of thinking and way of living. We have built beautiful temples

together through unity and faith. Let us now use these sacred spaces not only for worship, but

also for healing.

Here are some steps we can take as a community:

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Create Satsang and Bhajan gathering

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Reach out to local and state level for resources

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Volunteers support teams

Train community volunteers to:

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Check in on isolated elders

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Visit families facing hardship

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Connect people to professional help when needed

Youth - parents dialogues

Organize open discussions to bridge the generation gap, help parents understand mental health

language used by youth, and help youth understand their parents’ sacrifices. Let us combine

available medical treatment and community support for an efficient outcome. Encourage

seeking professional help while also providing cultural and spiritual support. Both can work

together, normalizing conversation about mental health.

Let’s make it acceptable to say; “I am not okay.

”

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“I need help.

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“I feel overwhelmed.

”

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No one should suffer alone. This temple belongs to all of us. This community belongs to all of

us. Let us use our faith, unity, and compassion to ensure that no one - no elder, no parent, no

youth - has to suffer silently.

We survived displacements. We survived camps. We survived starting over. Now, let us learn

not just to survive - but to h