{"id":184676,"date":"2021-10-11T10:00:44","date_gmt":"2021-10-11T02:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=184676"},"modified":"2021-10-08T23:49:05","modified_gmt":"2021-10-08T15:49:05","slug":"interview-with-minal-mahtani-ocdahk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-minal-mahtani-ocdahk\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMental health needs to be part of the curriculum at schools.\u201d We chat with Minal Mahtani from OCDAHK on changing the mental health paradigm"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you ran multiple health tests and came back positive for an anxiety disorder<\/a> or depression<\/a>. You\u2019re desperate to lift the heaviness off your chest but the expense and the scarcity of counselling<\/a> puts you off. Fear not, Minal Mahtani, founder and CEO of OCD and Anxiety Support Hong Kong<\/a> (OCDAHK) has been a pillar of strength to many facing mental health adversities.<\/p>\n

What is OCDAHK?<\/h3>\n

OCD & Anxiety Support HK is a registered charity in Hong Kong dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with mental health problems. By providing free support groups and affordable counselling, OCDAHK builds a sense of community where OCD and AD sufferers have a voice to express how they feel and reduce the stigma associated with such disorders in Asia. They also provide mental health education to schools, health clinics, workspaces, and disadvantaged communities to raise community awareness.<\/p>\n

Knowing how rare it can be to find free support groups conducted in English in Hong Kong, this NGO has an outsize impact.<\/p>\n

Sit down, take a deep breath, and tune in to our chat with Minal Mahtani<\/h2>\n

What inspired you to pursue psychology and launch OCD & Anxiety Support Hong Kong?<\/h3>\n

I was always interested in the human mind and learning more about what makes people tick. Why do people think and behave the way they do? I pursued psychology to be able to connect with others on a more personal level. In fact, my degree helped me pinpoint what I was feeling when struggling with anxiety \u2013 it was like a case study on myself.<\/p>\n

I started OCD and Anxiety Support Hong Kong in 2014 and offered support group meetings to sufferers of mental health disorders, specifically OCD and anxiety. I launched this NGO after battling an anxiety disorder myself in my late 20s \u2013 it was extremely challenging, I never thought I\u2019d get through it. Simple, everyday activities were so tough to do.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by OCD & Anxiety Support HK (@ocdahk)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n