Magical Thoughts: Culture And Mental-Health Practice In A Changing Oaxaca

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

In the Mexican culture treats physical and mental illnesses as one. They consider emotional, spiritual, social and physical factors are contributors to disease (Santana & Santa, 2005). These illness measures as a social crisis affect the entire group.

Latino culture sees mental illness as weakness (Abdullah & Brown, 2001). This becomes a barrier since Latinos fear the stigma associated with mental health treatment (Vega, Rodriguez and Ang, 2010). According to Dr balbaskdjfdks, “Latinos usually seek help when the problem has reached a head and feel they have no other choice.” (personal communication). She also reported that “Latinos face many barriers to seeking mental health services. They fear the stigma associated with going to a mental health provider. They lack the insurance to get treatment. They also lack the knowledge for seeking mental health treatment.” (personal communication) According to one study, the most commonly reported barriers were lack of awareness of available mental health services, lack of knowledge, and lack of awareness of location of services (Aguilar-Gaxiola, Zelexny, Garcia, Edmondson, Alejo-Garcia, & Vega, 2002). According to the same study 58% of participants did not know where to obtain mental health services. Research shows that a key factor in seeking treatment is knowledge of where to find it (Ortega and Alegria,

The author of this essay is a university student. In this particular essay, the author explains Mexican culture from a medical point of view. The topics that are covered in this essay are all related to health and medicine. The introduction of Mexico is discussed in detail followed by how Mexican’s understand death and birth. The author also mentions about how this particular group defines health and sickness. It is also discussed about what this cultural group does to maintain wellness. The author also throws light upon the causes that the Mexican’s think are responsible for illness. Another thing that is described in this essay is about how the healers of this society heal the people belonging to this society. Lastly, the author has explained about how an occupational therapist should deliver care to an individual belonging to Mexican culture.

3. Differences in values and beliefs define a person's choice for mental and physical health care. “Because health care is a cultural construct, arising from beliefs about the nature of disease and the human body, cultural issues are actually central in the delivery of health services treatment and preventive interventions” (Office of Minority Health, 2005, p. 6). It is important to acknowledge that Esmeralda fits into two categories of minority because Esmeralda is a Latina. It is important to know that Hispanic women are less likely to make full use of many social services even when they are provided to them. Hispanics normally are family oriented and that means Esmeralda will probably want to involve her family in any treatment program she

Instead of seeking mental health services for emotional or psychological concern, Latinos tend to seek medical care services from a physician. Both (Gelman, 2005; Bedoya, 2014; Organista, 1995) portray Latinos favoring mental health services through primary care than a mental health care setting. Many Latinos misinterpret physical symptoms as a medical illness when, in fact, it may be due to psychological condition. It is not uncommon for Latinos to mainly present mental issues as physical complaints (González-Prendes, Hindo, & Pardo, 2011, p. 380). Similarly Kanter et al. (2008) states, “Depression in Latino immigrants with low acculturation often is characterized somatic complaints with less awareness and identification of psychological symptoms”

Although about 450 million people in the world currently are suffering from a mental illness, many untreated, the topic still remains taboo in modern society (Mental Health). For years, people with mental illnesses have been shut away or institutionalized, and despite cultural progression in many areas, mental illnesses are still shamed and rarely brought to light outside of the psychiatric community. The many different forms in which mental illness can occur are incredibly prevalent in the world today, and there is a substantial debate about the way that they should be handled. Some people are of the opinion that mental illness is merely a variance in perception and that it either can be fixed through therapy or should not be treated at

The ideal way to deal with depression is to talk through it, one has to be open to a therapist or anyone who is qualified to take care of mental health. Yet in some subcultures in the United States, talking about one's feelings are almost taboo, take for example, the Hispanic/Latino culture. Where men must be men and not dare talk about their feelings, and where women must keep quiet about their mouths shut. According to Eudardo Colon, “The lack of validated assessment tools for depression in Hispanics may explain why they are least likely to be diagnosed and treated for depression” (“Diabetes and depression in the Hispanic/Latino community”). Clearly, this shows that Hispanic people tend to have less tools to help themselves realize that

The Latino culture takes a more monistic approach to the mind-body problem. This may affect the ways in which depression is experienced and expressed. For example, studies have found that Latinos are more likely to express psychological distress in somatic terms such as lack of energy, sleep disturbances, and body aches (Martinez Tyson, Castaneda, Porter, Quiroz, & Carrion, 2011). Additionally, studies find that Latinos are more likely to take a holistic approach to healing as evidenced by the principle of “mente sana en cuerpo sano y alma sana’ (healthy mind in healthy body and healthy soul) which communicates the strong connection between mind, body, and soul (Comas-Diaz, 2006). This suggests that a purely physical approach to therapy may not be well-received by the Latino client, and is supported by studies showing Latino patients feel apprehensive towards being treated with anti-depressants even when they have positive attitudes towards receiving treatment for depression (Cabassa, Lester, & Zayas, 2007). Understanding the client’s perception of the self is important in diagnosing and treating depression. Therefore, an effective therapist must be able to understand and incorporate the client’s worldview throughout the therapeutic process.

The Shaman is defined by a person who can mediate between the natural and supernatural world, can foretell the future, and most importantly, can ‘magically’ cure illnesses and injuries. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was known throughout the Native American culture as this Shaman, or medicine man. He used illogical means to cure the Native American illnesses that ended up saving his life. “We did our healing by making the sign of the cross on the sick persons, breathing on them, saying the Lord’s prayer and a Hail Mary” (124). The surviving Spaniards used these methods in order to survive, but they did not know what they were doing. A typical Shaman uses metaphysical means of healing, which is exactly what the Spaniards did in order to stay alive.

Studies have shown that the population with Mexican origins presents lower rates of admission in hospitals specializing in mental health. These results have raised discussions on whether the lower number of Mexican-Americans admitted to these hospitals is due to a lower occurrence of mental disorders or to a lower number of individuals making use of this type of services. Others find that one of the factors that stop Hispanic immigrants from reporting mental health problems and seeking professional help to solve them is the difficulty to communicate in the English language. Generally, For Mexican immigrants, there are indications that individuals’ risk of mental health could be different than

Curanderismo is based on a set of values, underlying beliefs, often unconscious, notions of disease causation and cure. Curanderismo is syncretic and holistic; it is a mixture of beliefs derived from Aztec, Spanish, spiritualistic, homeopathic and modern, “scientific” medicine. (Maudro). The Curanderismo is a folk healer with the ability to both diagnose illness and provide therapeutic, psychological realm as well as the supernatural realm. They are also able to link the positive spirits in healing patients.

“…the ability of practitioners to identify, intervene and treat mental health complaints in ways that recognise the central role that culture plays in unwellness.”

As a team, we can plan and organize a variety of activities to help other teachers feel immersed in this experience as well. We can host a dinner where the team and families from Oaxaca make and share traditional foods from Oaxaca. Teachers would have a festive dinner with music and time to talk with the team about their cultural experience in Oaxaca. Teachers would have an opportunity to look at the artifacts that each team member brought for their school or classroom from Oaxaca. The team would also present their learning experience through a Power Point Presentation, videos, and pictures. Teachers would be presented with a packet of information about Oaxaca, which would include copies of pictures and music from Oaxaca to use in the classroom.

Justification/Why should we listen?: For years, mental health has had a stigma surrounding it. In different cultures and religions, mental illnesses were thought to be a punishment or a demonic possession. Currently, the taboo has not gone away and people are still suffering. More often times than not, people are underdiagnosed, dismissed, or the stigma creates too much societal pressure to say anything.