In The Community
The conversation around mental health has changed drastically in recent years with the rise of awareness and education. For example, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it has contributed tremendously to the progress. However, in the Latino community, some stigma remains, and it’s reflected in the way Latinos tend to discuss mental health issues. Views on mental health vary among Latinos; some view mental health issues or illnesses as a weakness or personal failure, some experience shame and keep things quiet, and some are actively afraid of being labeled as “crazy.”
While the importance of mental health is increasingly recognized as integral to overall health, the way we talk about it in the Latino community still needs some work. Many factors contribute to mental health issues and disorders, including psychological, biological, environmental, and even socioeconomic factors. This is why, though they may vary in nature and level of severity, we all experience mental health challenges at one point or another. It’s part of the human experience.
Mental illness affects every demographic and a 2023 study revealed that “one out of every two people in the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime.” In the U.S., almost 22% of Latinos reported a mental illness according to the 2021 NSDUH Annual National Report. Moreover, NoStigmas reported that nearly 17.7% of Latinos suffer from depression during their lifetime. Latinos are no strangers to mental health issues, but openly talking about them is not the norm.
As Latinos, whether we’re going through a hard time, have experienced trauma, or live with a mental health disorder, breaking the silence is essential in helping the community break away from the stigma around mental health. Moreover, it’s not just about breaking the silence, it’s also about changing the language we use when it comes to mental health. This is how we can contribute to a more understanding and supportive community.
Destigmatizing the language about mental health in the Latino community
Language is powerful because it influences how we perceive things and the attitudes we adopt about any given topic. This is why the way mental health is discussed within Latino culture needs to change. More often than not, people who struggle with mental health issues are labeled as “crazy,” “unbalanced,” “unstable,” and even “lazy.” All of these words have negative connotations and they perpetuate stigma around mental health, causing shame for many. This kind of language also perpetuates the culture of silence, which prevents Latinos from asking for help or even discussing their issues.
Being more inclusive and respectful can go a long way in making our friends, family members, and other people around us in the community feel safe about seeking support. While strides have been made in education around mental health, most Latinos are still misinformed about it. For example, many still believe that psychological therapy is reserved for people who are “crazy,” but that’s just not the case.
Therapy provides support to unpack and resolve trauma, examine experiences that have marked us, navigate difficult situations or life transitions, learn interpersonal skills, and more. Essentially, it provides a safe space for the betterment of our mental and emotional health. Just as our bodies need regular check-ups, so do our minds, and that’s what therapy is for. However, for Latinos, therapy means there’s something deeply wrong and it’s often seen as a last resort rather than a resource.
Changing the way we talk about mental health issues and solutions like therapy or even medication, which is also viewed as a negative in the Latino community, can make a difference for all. Destigmatizing the language about mental health requires us to stop using the usual, negative terms, be more mindful about our choice of words, and kindly correct others. It also requires us to talk more openly about mental health and encourage education not only in ourselves but also in our inner circles.
Other barriers affecting Latino mental health
The way we talk about mental health as Latinos is not the only thing keeping the stigma alive in the community. Gender role expectations contribute to it as well, with Latino men feeling pressured to embody strength and dominance (machismo), while Latina women may internalize beliefs of self-sacrifice and independence (marianismo), deterring them from seeking help. Additionally, the notion of keeping "family business" private further inhibits open discussions about mental health within the community.
A general lack of education and awareness regarding mental health issues in the Latino community leads to difficulty in recognizing when support is needed and understanding the benefits of treatment. Moreover, a significant portion of Latin Americans face financial constraints and lack adequate insurance coverage, making mental health care unaffordable or inaccessible. This issue is exacerbated by challenges in finding culturally sensitive providers, especially for those who require Spanish-speaking professionals.
Immigration status further complicates access to care, leaving many individuals with undiagnosed and untreated mental illnesses. The scarcity of mental health providers who understand the cultural nuances of the Latino community is another barrier to accessing effective care. Not to mention that religious beliefs can also be a hurdle, with some Latinos believing that the power of faith is an effective replacement for professional therapy.
Addressing these barriers requires comprehensive efforts and a systemic change, but we can start with our inner circles and communities by supporting mental health initiatives aimed at Latinos, changing the way we talk about mental health, encouraging conversations about mental health within Latino friend groups, families, and communities at large, sharing mental health resources, and educating ourselves and others.
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If you’re new to journaling, it can feel daunting staring at a blank page, unsure what to write or how to begin the first sentence. It's a common feeling, but don't let it stop you from trying this powerful practice. Journaling has been studied extensively and has been shown to have a range of benefits for our mental health. Here are 10 reasons why you should try this self-care practice to find inner peace:
It will give your mental health a boost
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Journaling is a therapeutic outlet that’s often used to manage mental health issues like depression and anxiety. When you write about your thoughts and emotions, you externalize them and it allows you to gain perspective and clarity. This process can help you identify negative thought patterns and triggers, empowering you to challenge and reframe them. Moreover, journaling provides a safe space to express yourself freely, without fear of judgment from anyone. Dumping your feelings and thoughts on a page can be very cathartic, and it’s better than the alternative of letting them spiral out of control.
It can boost your immune function
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The connection between journaling and immune function may take you by surprise, but research supports it. Chronic stress is known to weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. By reducing stress levels, journaling indirectly enhances immune function. When you write about your feelings and experiences, you’re letting go of all those bottled-up emotions and the tension that goes with them. It’s an effective form of stress relief and it also encourages mindfulness, which has also been linked to a stronger immune response.
It helps you cultivate gratitude
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Gratitude journaling is all about reflecting on the things you’re thankful for in life, which often go over everyone’s heads because we’re distracted by everything going on around us. By focusing on the positive aspects of your life, you will be able to shift your perspective from scarcity to abundance, which may help you feel more content. Gratitude journaling also promotes self-awareness by encouraging you to pay attention to the present moment and appreciate the little things. Over time, this practice can rewire your brain for positivity, helping you adopt a more optimistic outlook that will serve you much better than a negative one.
It can help you process trauma
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Journaling can be a powerful tool for processing and healing from traumatic events. When you write about your experiences, thoughts, and feelings, it helps you make sense of what happened and how it affected you. This is a process that allows you to externalize and organize your thoughts, making them more manageable and less overwhelming. Through regular journaling, you can gain insight into your trauma, identify coping strategies, and ultimately, facilitate healing and recovery.
It can help you enhance your memory function
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Studies have shown that writing things down makes them easier to remember. That’s because writing engages cognitive processes that can enhance memory function. Journaling requires active engagement with the information, so it’s a great way to commit things to your long-term memory, making them easier to remember later on. Moreover, journaling promotes introspection, which can help strengthen the connections between different memories. Over time, journaling can make your memory sharper, which will help you remember not just experiences for longer, but also details and information.
It can help you develop your emotional intelligence
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Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. This is an essential life skill we’re not taught in school, and it helps us develop our own well-being and also have healthier interpersonal skills. Journaling can help you develop emotional intelligence by promoting self-awareness, self-reflection, and empathy. When you write about your thoughts and feelings, you become more attuned to your emotional state, allowing you to identify and regulate your emotions more effectively. This, in turn, will help you develop insight into the thoughts and feelings of other people. It will make social interactions easier to navigate and help you build stronger relationships.
It will help you achieve your goals
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Another great thing about journaling is that it can help you set and achieve your goals. The most important part of goal-setting is making sure your intentions are clear and drawing a plan of action for what needs to be done. Achieving our goals is a process that requires several steps and using journaling to regularly reflect on your progress, celebrate your successes, and identify areas for improvement will help you stay on track. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so whether you have personal, professional, or academic goals, journaling can help you achieve them.
It’s a great way to practice self-discipline and accountability
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Consistent journaling requires discipline and commitment, which can translate into other areas of your life. When you set aside time each day to write in your journal, you’re establishing a routine that reinforces self-discipline. Journaling isn’t something you have to do because someone else gave you the task. You’re doing it for yourself because you know it can help you feel better, think better, and strengthen your mind. It’s one of those habits that encourage accountability and encourage more personal growth than you realize.
It can help you develop your sense of self-confidence
For women, celebrating and loudly acknowledging our successes is often discouraged. We’re taught to believe that when women do it, it’s boastful and when men do it, it’s confident. Well, it can be difficult to unlearn that and embrace your self-confidence, but journaling is a powerful tool. In your journal, you can be as boastful as you want about your accomplishments and become more confident in expressing your admiration for yourself. It also allows you to reflect on your setbacks, identifying the things you’ve learned in the process and how much further you still have to go. By regularly doing this, you will cultivate a sense of pride that will be easier to express in other ways, build your overall confidence, and become more sure of your self-worth.
It can make you more creative
Last but not least, journaling encourages creativity by providing a space for exploration, experimentation, and expression without any limits. If you decide to engage in stream-of-consciousness writing or journaling prompts, you will be able to tap into your subconscious mind and unlock new perspectives. Journaling can also encourage you to be more expressive, build your vocabulary, nurture ideas, connect with yourself, and explore your inner world a lot more in-depth.
Discovering the healing power of journaling can be a transformative journey. Whether you’re going through any kind of hardship or you just want to focus more on your well-being, adopting this practice will add many great benefits to your life.
Despite Latinas in the U.S. leading the charge as the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in 2023 and despite the rise of Bachelor’s Degree attainment among them, Latinas continue to feel the pressure of gender role expectations often imposed within Latino culture. A recent Pew Research Center study has shed light on just how much pressure Latinas in America are under.
The study, conducted through a bilingual National Survey of Latinos, captured the voices of over 5,000 Latino adults, offering invaluable insights into the Latina experience in the U.S. One striking finding reveals that more than half of Latinas feel the weight of dual pressures: the expectation to provide for their families and the drive to succeed in their careers. They often find themselves caught between two cultures, each with a different set of expectations, which can feel like walking a tightrope between tradition and modernity.
The study acknowledges that some Latinas in the U.S. are still brought up with traditional Latino values. Marianismo, the cultural archetype that emphasizes qualities like self-sacrifice and devotion to family in women, is still quite prevalent. Leading 53% of Latinas to feel the pressure to care for children or senior family members, provide financial support to families, or live near them. At the same time, 36% of Latinas feel pressure to achieve academic or professional success.
One of the key insights of the study is that it reveals stark disparities within the Latina community, particularly between U.S.-born people and immigrants. U.S.-born Latinas are more likely to feel the weight of gender expectations and societal pressures, reflecting the influence of acculturation on perceptions of identity and gender roles. Among Latina adults born in the U.S. 66% say they feel pressure to get married and have children, compared to 47% of Latina immigrants who report the same pressure.
The Pew Research Center’s study also revealed that Latina women are more likely to say that sexism is an issue than Latino men because they experience it in many aspects of life, including work, school, and entertainment media like movies, TV, and music. For instance, 52% of Latina women say sexism is a big problem at work, while only 44% of Latino men say the same.
Ultimately, the study confirms many of the nuanced challenges Latina women face in the United States, not just due to cultural expectations, traditional gender roles, and societal stressors, but also due to systemic issues like gender-based discrimination. Even in the face of such issues, Latina women seem to prevail and thrive, contributing greatly not just to their families, but also to society by being productive members of it.
To that point, the study found that “88% of Latinas are either extremely or very satisfied (56%) or somewhat satisfied (32%) with their family life,” and “86% say they are extremely or very happy (43%) or somewhat happy (43%)” with how their lives are going. However, the matter remains nuanced; another Pew Research Center study revealed Latinas perceive both progress and stagnation.
For instance, Latina women show higher rates of educational attainment, with a notable surge in bachelor's degree holders from 16% in 2013 to 23% in 2023. Additionally, more and more Latinas are pursuing graduate degrees. Latinas’ engagement in the workforce has also increased from 65% to 69% in 2023. Economically, Latinas have made strides as well, with a 17% rise in median hourly wage over the last decade, from $16.47 in 2013 to $19.23 in 2023, according to the study.
However, these victories are contrasted by issues that have remained static, like the gender pay gap. The study showed that, in 2013, Latina women earned 89 cents for every dollar a Latino man earned. In 2023, they earned 85 cents for every dollar earned by a Latino man. Moreover, the study shows Latina women still make less than non-Latinas, earning only 77 cents for every dollar in 2023. It’s unsurprising that while half of surveyed Latinas say the situation has improved in the last 10 years and nearly half expect further improvement in the next 10 years, a notable portion, 39%, say that the situation hasn’t changed and 34% say it will remain that way for the next decade.
Shedding light on the complexities of the Latina experience in the U.S. is crucial for policymakers, employers, and communities to develop strategies that support the advancement of Latina women. It’s also proof that though Latina women have come a long way, there’s still much progress to be made.
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