Minority Mental Health

July is now designated as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. (The public education campaign began in June 2008 to highlight the unique struggles with mental illness faced by underrepresented groups in America.) Individuals in marginalized communities not only have a higher risk of physical health disorders, but also mental ones, due to systemic inequities and chronic stress and trauma. They are more likely to tell physicians about the individual symptoms of anxiety or depression, like insomnia or physical pain, and subsequently be treated for them rather than have a mental health issue be diagnosed.

According to Mental Health America, even though they comprise the fastest-growing ethnic or racial grouping in the United States, Asian Americans are least likely to seek mental health services. Stigma can play a major role in the likelihood that a person will access care willingly, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notes that mental health stigmas are common in Asian American, Hispanic and Latinx communities in the United States. Obtaining professional help can conflict with cultural values like interdependence, which maintain that a person’s family and/or community can meet all of his or her needs. For Asian Americans, the “model minority” myth also can complicate pursuing treatment.

An individual’s culture can influence whether he or she chooses to talk solely about physical symptoms or to address emotional ones as well. It can be taboo for some ethnic or racial groups to discuss mental health, furthering the idea that mental illness is shameful and that issues related to it should be kept private. The belief that previous generations endured worse circumstances or traumas and that they should be grateful for the sacrifices which were made for them often prevents children and young adults of color from sharing their struggles. Latinx youth frequently are expected to be “American” at school, but identify with their country of origin at home. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that only 20 percent of Latinxs who experience mental health issues speak to their doctors about the symptoms and that a mere 10 percent seek help from a mental health professional.

Healthcare providers often lack specialized training that would allow them to address different cultural experiences, needs and values. In 2015, 86 percent of America’s licensed psychologists were white and only 5 percent identified as Hispanic. According to the American Psychological Association, less than 6 percent of psychologists in the United States can provide care in Spanish. Research has shown that seeing a mental health care provider who speaks your native language fluently and understands your cultural background has a significant impact on the quality of treatment. Individuals should consider expanding their search for a therapist by visiting https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/about. As a result of the pandemic, telehealth is more accessible and mental health care professionals are allowed to practice throughout the entire state in which they are licensed.

Each ethnic and racial community has unique needs; and financial concerns (including a lack of health insurance), language barriers, transportation issues and relying on faith rather than seeking therapy all can prevent black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) from receiving necessary treatment. Everyone has mental health and rather than being a personal failing or weakness, mental illnesses are diagnosable and treatable conditions. Primary care physicians frequently can provide an initial mental health assessment and a referral to a therapist if needed. Information also can be located at findtreatment.samhsa.gov and the National Treatment Referral Helpline [800-662-HELP (4357)]. #BIPOCMentalHealthMonth