Introduction:Mental health struggles are universal, yet in South Asian communities, they have often been dismissed, minimized, or misunderstood. Over the years, media portrayals of mental health issues in South Asian women have played a significant role in either reinforcing or challenging these cultural taboos. However, when mental health is portrayed as “normal” or as something that South Asian women are simply expected to endure, it raises concerns about how these issues are perceived and handled within the community. While these portrayals can make mental health issues more relatable, they also risk normalizing distress and dismissing the need for intervention or healing. 1. The “Normalizing” of Mental Health Struggles in Media:Media…