4 Ways To Over Come Obstacles With Mental Health In The Latinx Community
Growing up we have always been told that we need to be strong and created this stigma for us that being anything less than okay was frowned upon. We feel as though if we are alone because there are many barriers that are hard to overcome. It is important that we educate ourselves and find resources that we can use to help us break the stigma around mental health.
I am here to let you know that it is okay to not be okay and list some ways that can help us over come obstacles that we feel as a Latino/a may seem impossible to over come.
- Language Barrier
Often times as a Spanish speaker we feel as if it is impossible to receive the help that we need from professionals to help us because of the language barrier. As there are more medical professionals that are starting to speak Spanish, they may not necessarily understand the cultural issue behind mental health in the Latinx community. Even though it is hard to take that first step to go out and talk to a professional it is important to recognize that their are professionals who speak Spanish locally that can help guide us.
2. Cultural Background
Each cultural background is unique and different from what we eat to how we think. Our cultural background is one that is sometimes hard to explain to others when touching on subjects such as mental health. We fear that we will be viewed as “weak” or “locos,” Spanish for “crazy” if we admit to having a mental health problem. As someone who is apart of the Latinx community we must not keep contributing to the stigma in our culture, instead we should promote mental health awareness. Coming together will make it easier for us to reach out and talk to one another so that we are no longer feeling alone and can gain the courage to seek professional help.
Having mental health issues can come at a young age, Latino high school males and females are just as likely or more likely to report suicidal thinking than non-Latino students. The earlier we are able to recognize this the better for not only us but those around us as well it will be.
3. Recognizing your mental health and educating yourself
It is important to recognize that the Latinx community does not have much background with mental health conditions. In school it may be something that is covered over briefly but this is why it is so important that we educate ourselves on the different conditions that are out there. It has been reported that the Latinx community with a mental health concern are twice as likely to consult a PCP rather than a mental health provider. Since they may not know what a panic attack is they will simply claim symptoms such as chest pains or shortness of breath that are similar to thoes when having a panic attack. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has great resources that can be used to educate yourself on mental health. Even if you feel you do not have any problems with your personal mental health, it never hurts to read over it so that you are able to educate others in the community along with yourself.
Aquí hay un enlace en el que puede realizar una prueba sobre su salud mental. Después de la prueba, se le proporcionará información, recursos y herramientas que puede usar y llevar a su proveedor para recibir más ayuda e información.
4. “La ropa sucia se lava en la casa”
This is a saying in Spanish that is similar in English to, “dont air your dirty laundry in public”. The Latinx community tends to be very private and would much rather not talk about their issues that are going on at home, in public. Since we were young we have been taught to not say certain things when we are out in public and all it took was for our mothers to give us the “look” and we knew instantly that we needed to sit quiet. I believe that this is why so many of us are afraid to seek help because we fear that talking to a professional means that we are letting our problems be known and our privacy will be invaded.
Seeking mental health treatment does not mean we are going to loose our privacy. All information is confidential and stays between you and your provider. It is also important to recognize that mental health professionals understand what you are going through and will listen without any judegment.
Mental health is not an easy subject to talk about especially in the Latinx Community. If you are someone or know of someone who feels that they need to seek professional help don't feel helpless there are a lot of resources out there for you. Remember that you are not alone. Si caes siete veces, levantate ocho!
