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Mental Health

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Mental wellness is something that is often overlooked when looking at health issues. Perhaps because mental illnesses are simply not as concrete as physical illnesses, they are often not taken as seriously. Contrary to this popular belief, mental illnesses are actual diseases that must be treated as seriously as a physical disease, such as cancer or heart disease.

This page looks at common mental health concerns that Latinas face, while also examining why these illnesses are prevalent and what can be done to reduce them. Please use the links below to navigate to the section you would like to view.

 

 

Eating Disorders

What is an eating disorder?

An eating disorder is essentially a pattern of eating and/or not eating so extreme that it disturbs an individual’s physical and mental well-being. Eating disorders are also accompanied by a distorted self body image, or wrongly believing one is extremely obese.

The two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and intensely pursuing thinness. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodes of binge eating (consuming large quantities of food in a short period of time) and purging (by vomiting abusing laxatives, or excessive exercise). [1]

If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or someone you know, please visit Helpguide.org.

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Eating Disorders & Latinas: Debunking the Myth

It is a common myth that Latinas are somehow immune to eating disorders. This myth is encouraged by the popular belief that Latino culture is more accepting of diverse body size. While this may have been true in the past, it certainly is not true today. Latinas are equally as likely to experience an eating disorder as women of other races. [2]

The myth that anorexia-nervosa and bulimia nervosa are “white girl’s diseases” can be extremely harmful to the Latina community. The perpetuation of this myth could prevent some Latinas from seeking help because they simply do not believe they can have an eating disorder. Furthermore, there is a great deal of prejudice among medical professionals Many still adhere to the myth that only white women develop eating disorders, and therefore many Latinas and other women of color must suffer in silence.

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Depression

depression

What is depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that is characterized by intense sadness, feelings hopelessness and worthlessness, withdrawal from others, poor appetite, insomnia, lack of energy and crying spells. It is estimated that over 10 million Americans experience clinical depression, with women being two times more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression. [3]

If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or someone you know, please visit Helpguide.org.

Depression & Latinas

For Americans, the two of the top predictors of depression are being female and being Latino. [4] The most likely reason for this is the demographic of the Latina population. Two other top predictors of depression are poverty and youth. Because the Latino population is one of the youngest in the U.S., and the poverty rate for Latinos is over double what it is for whites [5], it makes sense that more Latinas would be diagnosed with depression.

While everyone expresses depression differently, Latinas are more likely to complain of bodily aches and pains that do not respond to medical treatment. [6] It is often the case that Latinas and other ethnic minorities express psychological symptoms in a physical way. This is perhaps because Latino culture is even less accepting of mental illnesses being actual illnesses that require serious medical treatment. A physical ailment is something that is concrete and can be treated. As such, many Latinas express their psychological symptoms physically.

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Making Changes:

Why do these disparities exist?

How can we promote mental wellness?

Acculturation

For Latinos, acculturation is the process through which Latinos adapt to and/or borrow traits from American culture. Acculturation occurs after living in the United States for an extended period of time, and curiously, it is also accompanied by a reduction in physical and mental wellness. Among Latinas, eating disorders have been found to be related to acculturation. One study of Latina college students found that prevalence of bulimic symptoms correlated to adherence to mainstream American values. [7]

Acculturation is a big problem simply because it cannot be erased. When someone from one culture is placed into another, it is natural instinct to try to adapt to that new culture. Acculturation is not the problem that needs to be addressed; it is rather the culture itself. Since the task of completely remodeling American culture is difficult, if not impossible, the most effective approach is to make changes at a personal level. This can be done through improving access to health care for Latinas and educating the community.

Access to Care

Latinos are less likely to receive care for depression than other ethnic groups, and they even less likely to receive quality care. [8] This could be due to many reasons, including lack of health insurance or proper facilities.On top of this, many health insurance plans only cover visits to a primary care physician, not a psychologist. For more information of the issue of health insurance, please see the following page: Access to Health Care.

The lack of proper mental health care facilities for Latinos is a big problem. Latinos are also twice as likely to seek treatment for a psychological problem in a non-mental health care facility, such as with a primary care physician or a religious organization. [9] These facilities are often unable to provide proper mental health care due to a lack of proper training in recognizing and treating mental illness.

Cultural acknowledgement through education

The most important way we can promote mental wellness is by changing the public's understanding of mental illness. It must be recognized that mental illnesses are serious diseases that require medical intervention. This is required not only of the Latino community, but of the American public as well. It is absolutely essential that Latinas not feel ashamed or embarrassed for seeking treatment of a psychological problem.

Cultural acknowledgement of mental illness is not something that will come about quickly. It will take a great deal of time and effort from both the public and the medical community. The most important way cultural acknowledgement can be achieved is through education.

The first step in improving the mental health of the Latina community is through education. Many Latinas are suffering in silence simply because they don’t realize that what they are experiencing is a medical illness. Furthermore, many Latinas feel ashamed The most effective measure in treating eating disorders and depression is prevention, and the most effective prevention is education. [10]

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