By Stamatina Notaras
In recent years, I’ve noticed a shift in how society approaches mental health. Conversations once hidden in the shadows are now in the spotlight, bringing mental health to the forefront. But the journey towards this has been long, difficult, and often met with resistance — one that can sometimes feel like we’re taking two steps forward, one step back.
It wasn’t long ago that I overheard someone say, “For someone to go and see a psychologist, it means there’s something wrong with them.” So yes, while we have come far, there’s still a long way to go.
And while playing the blame game is easy — especially with popular psychology encouraging us to point the fingers at our parents — I challenge you to consider the context instead. When discussing mental health, I often think about those raised in a less forgiving era than us — one where the resources we have today were unheard of, and childhood was often marked by adversity. Add cultural expectations to the mix, and you get the stoic mentality so regularly associated with the older Greek generations.
To explore this generational disconnect further, I spoke with a Brisbane-based psychiatrist about how our views on mental health are shaped by the environment we grew up in and the values of the country we call home. The challenges of growing up in a safe, stable country differ greatly from those raised in one marred by war. But when it comes to mental health, my goal isn’t to compare struggles — only to better understand the ‘why.’
When examining how Greek Australians approach mental health, history plays a crucial role.
“Many of our grandparents and parents migrated after severe and traumatic hardships in their homeland. As a result, there has been considerable — yet unspoken — transgenerational trauma. Our grandparents arrived in Australia with nothing, often in poverty, and encountered the scourge of racism, discrimination, and the “tyranny of distance” from their families and homeland,” the psychiatrist says.
Growing up in a Greek community, with my grandparents being a constant presence in my life, I came to realise that the disconnect on mental health wasn’t about ignorance. It wasn’t a case of out of sight, out of mind — it was about the drastic contrast between their struggles and ours. Put simply, it’s not that they don’t care; it’s that they are navigating unfamiliar territory.
“In my clinical experience, younger Greek Australians’ attitudes generally align with those of the younger Australian community. However, they are also influenced by the cultural beliefs of older generations. For families rooted in traditional Greek values, parental and grandparental attitudes remain significant,” he adds.
Another major factor shaping mental health perceptions across generations is stigma.
“Stigmatisation remains a significant factor within the general Australian community and especially within the Greek community. The use of stigmatising psychiatric or psychological terms in daily discourse — often with prejudicial and judgmental tones — is a major barrier to progress,” he says.
“There is, in my opinion, a very poor understanding of the role of psychiatry and psychology in the community. Yet, despite this, younger Greeks are more open to seeking help.”
The way I see it, each generation holds a piece of the puzzle. We learn from the ones before us, and those afterwards learn from us. All I can say is, the openness to talk about it is a feat that should always be chased, and one of great importance.
“Almost every unaddressed psychiatric or psychological issue has knock on effects for that person and their family,” the psychiatrist adds. Although we may never live in a society where everyone shares the same experiences, respect and understanding are always a good place to start.
