My parents don't believe in mental health, say I just malas and manja. How to deal?

Sometimes an older relative or family friend they respect can bridge it, my uncle who's a bit more open talked to my dad and it landed better than me trying. Also, faith and mental health aren't opposites, if your family religious, some faith communities now have people trained in both, that combo can reach parents who dismiss 'Western' therapy talk. Meanwhile get support from those who do believe you, including free helplines. Don't shrink yourself to fit their disbelief.

Same boat. What worked slowly with my mak was not arguing about whether mental health real, but just showing up functioning better after I got help. When she saw I was calmer, sleeping better, she came around a bit on her own. Also I stopped expecting her to be my therapist, that was the shift. I got actual support elsewhere and let her just be my mak. It's lonely at first but you build your own support system. Hang in there ya.

This is so common in Malaysian families and it hurts, because you want the people closest to you to get it. A few things I've learned. (1) Your feelings are valid whether or not your parents understand them, their disbelief doesn't make your struggle fake. (2) Many parents from that generation genuinely lack the vocabulary, they grew up where you just tahan and move on, so it's often ignorance, not cruelty. Sometimes framing it in terms they relate to helps, like 'I've been having trouble sleeping and my body feels unwell' lands better than clinical terms. (3) Don't rely only on them for support, build a wider circle, a trusted friend, a counsellor, or helplines like Befrienders 03-76272929. (4) If safe, showing them an article or a doctor's explanation sometimes shifts them, hearing it from an authority. But protect your energy, you can't force understanding. You are not manja and you are not alone, even if home feels that way right now. Please consider talking to a professional who will take you seriously.