Some Latinos view mental illness as a sign of weakness. Most believe it's best to keep quiet about their personal issues. Many are afraid to be labeled as “loco,” which is Spanish for “crazy.”
Many fear to face humility and not accepted by their community, because many Latinos view people who have mental illnesses as an outsider. Many people in the Latino community are uneducated in the subject of Mental Health, which is why the subject is so taboo. Many Latinos see mental health as the flu thinking it will go away and everything will go back to normal.
Understanding Culture
The Latino population is an extremely diverse community that has a semi-large ethnic minority group in California. 37.6% of people from California are classified as Hispanic. Latinos suffer from the same mental health issues the rest of the country faces, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, etc, their ability to cope with these mental illnesses differ drastically.
Latinos are less likely to seek mental health help and less likely to have access to mental health care. Americans are 60% more likely to reach out for mental health treatment, unlike the Hispanic population. The fear of deportation can prevent undocumented citizens from seeking help. Language barriers are another significant factor that plays a role in why Latinos are less likely to seek Mental Health Care. Many medical professionals tend to say they speak “some” Spanish and fail to produce sufficient translation. A large number of Latinos work low wage jobs that don’t provide health insurance.
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