The stigma around mental health in the Latino community has been a grave reality in the past decades. It has been affecting individuals who cannot talk to anyone due to it. Even though the Latino community has come a long way in recognizing mental health as a struggle, we still need to openly discuss its importance.
The Latino community, living as a minority in the US, faces complex culturally pervasive challenges that make them more prone to mental health struggles. Beyond that, the language barrier and lack of access prevent Latinos from prioritizing their mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Latinos suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse the most.
While prioritizing mental health, the first step is the hardest and scariest but all of us have to start somewhere, right? The good news is that there are a lot of initiatives to help our Latino fellas struggling with their mental health.
Let us discuss these initiatives and some tips for Latinos struggling in terms of mental health.
1. Find a Therapist
This one is the most crucial when struggling with mental health. However, it is important to consider a therapist who shares the same cultural background as you. For example, a white male therapist might not understand an immigrant Latina’s struggles as well as another Latina can. You can find one by asking around, searching the internet, or asking your insurance.
However, there are a lot of dedicated platforms to connect you with culturally competent therapists. One notable platform is Therapy for Latinx. It is like a Yelp, but for therapists who specialize in Latinx therapy. It has options for both online and in-person therapists. So, you need a really good internet for online therapies, like Optimum, for smooth sessions. Even if you run into a problem, you can always contact Optimum servicio al cliente español for immediate assistance.
2. Improve Your Lifestyle
Lifestyle is a significant contributor to mental health challenges. Sleeping late, using too much phone, eating junk, etc., are just some of the factors that can cause us to suffer more. There is a sea of resources available for improving our lifestyles. You can listen to podcasts, read books, or take courses.
It starts with setting and following a 7 to 8-hour sleep schedule, eating balanced foods, limiting exposure to social media, and adopting healthy habits. However, there is still so much more you can do, from exercising to reading books. You can start by reading Atomic Habits by James Clear to learn about improving your habits and ditching the bad ones.
3. Practice Self Care
This is something you will have to do selfishly. Latinos have to face barriers like wage gaps and discrimination, which makes their working conditions tougher than others. This makes it exceedingly hard to take out time for yourself. We get it. However, prioritizing yourself is a crucial step for improving your mental health.
You can start by taking small chunks for yourself out of your routine. If you like coffee, you can sit down and exclusively enjoy it without doing anything else. Taking long showers and putting effort into how you dress up are also important. Don’t forget to regularly meet your friends, even if you have to do it during your lunch hours.
4. Keep Talking About It
This is a difficult one, especially if you have family members who are anti-therapy. But being vocal about mental health is the only way to highlight its importance. Moreover, talking about it will make them see how it is not a monster, but rather a normal human condition.
You can start by easing into the conversations with your family and friends. Making it relatable to their experiences and turning it into a reciprocal thing also helps. It’s a good idea to treat it like an engine that needs regular oiling. Keep oiling (talking about it) so that it can be normalized for them too. Plus who knows, you might compel someone silently suffering to seek help too.
5. Find a Way to Manage Stress
Stress is a major factor in our rapidly deteriorating mental health, and yet, it is a major part of life in modern times. Due to rare options of avoiding it completely, therefore the next possible solution is to manage it. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to manage stress. All you need to do is find the trigger and then discover which method of de-stressing suits you.
For some people, taking a walk helps them de-stress, while for others cooking or spending time with friends is the way to go. For you, it can be knitting, planting, yoga, or any other healthy activity that does not involve spending hours on a screen.
6. Practice Gratitude
This is just to focus on the good in life as sometimes we tend to overlook our blessings. You can start by daily journaling and mentioning things you are grateful for. These can be big or small, but it is important to note them down every day.
Another way to practice gratitude is by saying out loud all the good things that happen to you every day. You can also follow the four A’s of gratitude.
- Appreciation: Appreciating what you have and thanking every person who does something for you.
- Approval: Praising every accomplishment, no matter how big or small.
- Admiration: Admiring others and your own efforts.
- Attention: Paying attention to even the smallest of things that are in your life.
Prioritizing mental health while being a Latino is not easy. There are going to be a lot of road blockers you will have to fight. Thanking the heavens for the sea of helpful resources out there. From in-person and online therapies to recreational activities, there is a lot that one can do to prioritize their mental health while being a Latino.