The Influence of Poverty and Tradition on Latin Women’s Mental Health Latina women are faced with countless adversities as a result of their socioeconomic conditions and are forced to endure the illnesses that are incurred. Mental illnesses in particular are being kept in silence within the Latino community as it is frowned upon to discuss one’s problems with others. This is due to a deeply rooted tradition where privacy is honored, any form complications are sacred, and these are all kept within one’s household. The stigma behind mental health and seeking treatment is so stigmatized that many do not seek help or even a diagnosis. Remedying this stigma would involve constant education of mental illness and providing knowledge on resources …show more content…
Regardless of these obligations, these women are taught to not speak about their issues and do not seek out the necessary help out of tradition. Thus, their mental health suffers as a result of being denied and/or being ignorant to the public services available to them. Low-income, Latina women are face with countless obstacles. These obstacles include lack of education, inadequate housing, unsatisfactory income, childcare, marital issues, and social issues. It is noted, “…lifetime prevalence rates of affective disorders among Hispanic women, aged 45 to 64, were higher than black or white women… Hispanic women were the least likely to report symptoms…” (Gil, 1996, p. 151). This may be due to the vast difference in life experiences and circumstances faced by women of poverty. Thus, making them more susceptible to mental illnesses. “According to the U.S. 1994 Census, Hispanic women… are also less likely to be married and graduate from high school. They receive lower wages, have higher rates of unemployment, are more likely to be living below poverty levels, and are more likely to be the sole head of larger than average households” …show more content…
These mental health concerns are attributable to the long-standing tradition that Latina women should not speak about their problems to anyone, regardless of their relationship. Poverty coupled with a secret vow of silence make Latina women more susceptible to diagnosable mental diseases like depression and anxiety. Latina women who may possess a mental illness not only refuse to talk about it, they do not seek out proper treatment. In the Latino community, mental illness is either ignored or negatively sanctioned. It is almost taboo to discuss having any sort of mental illness since many consider it to be a phase or issue of a different nature. The stigma held against mental illness is so strong because it may affect their social standing. “Low income and less educated individuals are more likely to express concern about the reactions of friends and family if they got help for psychiatric problems” (Alvidrez, 1999, p. 517). Speaking about one’s problems is sanctioned enough with the Latino community; however, speaking to a stranger and potentially having an actual mental disease confirmed is far more insidious. It is considered to be an extreme violation of long standing traditions. According to Alvidrez’s (1999) study, “only 12 (6.6%) of women said that friends or family would be upset if they sought help for personal or emotional problems…in the belief that
In Marisol’s case, it is critical that she addresses her substance abuse issues first and foremost, as she has been abusing substances for a very long time for only being 25-years-old. According to Guerrero, Marsh, Khachikian, Amaro, and Vega (2013), the experience of Latina’s in treatment are often reported as negative, due to a multitude of factors, including issues related to access, cultural sensitivity, and overall treatment facility and procedural quality. To further exacerbate these issues, treatment models, especially at inpatient facilities, fail to distinguish clients and provide truly tailored and individualized programs, largely in part due to an over-reliance on groups that are predominately outnumbered by White clients (Guerrero, Marsh, Khachikian, Amaro, & Vega, 2013). Specific issues, such as that of acculturation, gender norms and roles, as well as family involvement that broadly differentiate amongst clients, are rarely
The Latino community, from immigrating to United States born Latinos are often known to be depressed. Depression is a medical illness that causes a constant feeling of sadness and lack of interest, it affects how the person feels, behaves and thinks. Many Latinos rely on their extended family, community, traditional healers, or churches for help during a health crisis. As a result, many Latinos with mental illnesses often go without professional mental treatment. But why is it that Latinos are so reluctant to receiving help? Sheila Dichoso states that, “there are only 29 Latino mental-health professionals for every 100,000 Latinos in the United States, compared to 173 non-Hispanic white providers
These religious and spiritual influences play a major role in the Hispanics health, illness and daily life. In much a similar manner, the Native American Indian family adopts the cultural beliefs to associate with illness and health. They believe that a person’s state of exists when he or she exists in harmony with nature and sickness occurs when an imbalance between the natural or supernatural forces and the sick individual exists (Askim-Lovseth & Aldana, 2010). Traditional health believes and practices involving healing ceremonies and rituals restore balance when illness happens. “These can be conducted by their traditional medicine men or women, who are thought to have compelling powers, the ability to read minds, and know-how in concocting medicine, drugs and poisons.” For the white young family, the cultural belief of invincibility and youth are the driving force behind health prevention (Askim-Lovseth & Aldana, 2010). “Focus on the temporary is regularised, while thinking about health is assigned to an adult person where family accountabilities pertain.” Protecting against illness or disease does not feature into their daily lives. Disease or illness is something that is insubstantial and distant, and unimaginable to their young, resilient bodies and thus irrelevant (Edelman & Mandle, 2010).
Culturally, individuals belonging to the Hispanic population are more prone to develop PTSD, this often attributed to the fact that the individuals belonging to the Hispanic population are more likely to experiences trauma (Fierros and Smith, 2006). There are a few cultural characteristics among the Hispanic population that affect Jonie's abilities to cope with her PTSD. According to Fierros and Smith, socioculturally Hispanics support fatalistic beliefs (events are inevitable and beyond their control), have a tendency to normalize stress, and underreport distress, and have diminishing resources (2006).
Latinos have a strong culture, as well as a religious culture. Some believe many problems may be fixed with prayer as well as with traditional healers (Alegria et al. 2008a; Berenzon-Gorn 2006; Espin 1987 as cited in Lorenzo-Blanco, & Delva, 2012). They have a lot of faith in religious ceremonies and home remedies before seeking professional help. Latinos seek help with family members before anyone professional (Bermúdez, Kirkpatrick, Hecker, & Torres-Robles, 2010). Latinos most of the time have a big family size, and are always really close. Seeking help with family members, they believe will be more help if the family member has had a similar situation, and they believe their advice can help. Although Latinos don’t always seek professional help, they prefer family therapy (Szapocznik et al. 1989 as cited in Bermúdez, Kirkpatrick, Hecker, & Torres-Robles, 2010). Some prefer to work out their issue together as a family. Overall, when Latinos ask for help, they go to priests, psychiatrists, counselor, and therapists (Bermúdez, Kirkpatrick, Hecker, & Torres-Robles, 2010).
Mental health is a taboo topic that causes people to feel uneasy when brought up in a conversation. Whether if it is due to the unwillingness to admit there is an issue internally, or the inability to seek proper treatment due to the lack of proper resources, people shy away from the topic. Most choose to bottle up their emotions and cope with unhealthy behaviors and habits. Whitney L. Duncan discusses the problem in “Psicoeducación The Land of Magical Thoughts: Culture and Mental-Health Practice in a Changing Oaxaca.” Although her article
CULTURALLY ADAPTED ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY FOR TREATING DEPRESSION AMONG LATINO ADULTS by Lucerito E. Ruiz Ramirez, M.S. A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Psychology UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE College of Arts and Sciences Psychology Department Month and year dissertation is completed Copyright © (year submitted) Lucerito E. Ruiz Ramirez All Rights Reserved CULTURALLY ADAPTED ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY FOR TREATING DEPRESSION AMONG LATINO ADULTS by Lucerito E. Ruiz Ramirez, M.S. has been approved Month and year of dissertation defense DISSERTATION COMMITTEE ___________________________________________, Committee Chair Jerry L. Kernes, Ph.D. ___________________________________________, Committee Member Ngoc Bui, Ph.D. ___________________________________________, Committee Member Jennifer C. S. Chen, Psy. D. ACCEPTED: ___________________________________________, Psy. D. Program Chair Jerry L. Kernes, Ph.D. ________________________________________________________ PENDING, Ph.D.
Hispanic households, it particularly does well in showcasing the immense difficulty that women of the
Mental health is an issue that, in some cases, is a topic that is swept under the carpet as if it has some kind of insignificance, especially within the Latin American community. According to the 2010 census, “17.8% of the U.S population is estimated to be Latino or Hispanic of those, over 15% had a diagnosable mental illness in the past year. That is over 8.9 million people” (“Latino/Hispanic Communities...” , 2016). The Latino American community has been known to suffer from various mental health conditions such as “general anxiety disorder, major depression, PTSD, alcoholism, and high rates of suicide attempts in Latina high school girls” (“Latino Mental Health”, 2011). Now, if mental illness and health issues are so prevalent within this community why is it being ignored?
Due to a clinicians’ lack of understanding of Hispanic culture, feelings of alienation can result from the patient. Family and social structures are different in Hispanic culture, whereas “professional help may not be sought due to Hispanics considering substance abuse a family problem” (Reif, Horgan & Ritter, 2008). In Hispanic culture it is perceived that family issues remain in the family, thus outside help is frowned upon. When treating clients from this population, clinicians need to include the whole family in the treatment plan and to respect family
There are a number of cultural issues to consider when counseling a student who is Hispanic. A traditional Hispanic family is a close-knit group. The father is the head of the household and the mother is responsible for the home. He also may act as the final disciplinarian of the children. In Isabella’s case, her father has been deported. Given the uncertainty associated with deportation, the family unit is going through a very stressful time. If the father was the sole provider of the family, the family may enter into discussions about returning to Mexico. This may be one of the main reasons for Isabella’s anxiety.
Documentation status can affect almost every aspect of care. An undocumented patient has the fear of deportation and this ongoing threat leads to less participation in health care safety nets. They are often exploited in their workplace, compensated poorly and may stress out a lot in searching for work on a daily basis. Facing the distressing separation from family and the fear of being deported can lead to severe mood disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder. Most foreign-born Latinos speak Spanish and less than one-fourth is fluent in English. The language barrier affects the
While stigma may not necessarily be a cause of a person’s mental disorder, it can certainly contribute to the complication and perpetuation of their illness. The effect of stigma goes well beyond just the patient and provides a commentary on society’s overall level of intolerance of those who are considered different from the majority. By recognizing the level of stigma that exists, perhaps we can alter that behavior and gravitate towards a more productive attitude towards mental illness.
In the United States, the Latino American population has risen by over 40% within the past decade and accounts for over 17.1% of the Nations society. In 2050, the Latino Community is expected to make up nearly one-fourth of the population and 2/3 of the U.S. Hispanics are from the Mexican-American Subgroup. In the United States, there has been extensive research examining the prevalence of varying psychiatric disorders among the Latino Hispanic Communities. There are many deeply rooted and socioeconomic factors that may contribute to the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of psychiatric disorders. Example factors, such as reception of immigrations, history of immigration, experiences involving discrimination, and strength of an ethnic community, are just to name a few. Due to the expansion of the Latino and Hispanic minorities in the United States, this has become a major challenge for today’s healthcare system.
It is estimated that 43.5 million Americans, adults 18 or older, live with mental illness. This number represents 18.1% of all U.S. adults (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Stigma toward those who are seen as different have existed for as long as civilization itself, with the stigma for mental illness being one of the most prominent and long lasting that society has had to face throughout its ages (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012). Increased understanding and awareness for those individuals suffering from mental illness is necessary for us to overcome the impacts stigma has on our society.