Talking about mental health needs can be hard and, for Latinx populations, it’s a subject that has long been taboo. But there are efforts to change that and get people the help they need here in Arizona.
Information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website shows that 40.3% of Hispanic people experienced symptoms of depression, compared to 25.3% of white people.
But the conversation has been taboo, especially among Hispanic men.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Latinx populations face many barriers including language, lack of health insurance, and immigration status, just to name a few.
Doctor Martha Muñoz is a Valley psychologist who’s been working to destigmatize mental health needs in the Latino community for years.
“Getting a man here in therapy, for me is a challenge. You know, it’s a challenge,” she said. And she’s seen what can happen when people don’t address their emotional well-being.
Dr. Muñoz explained, “they self-medicate with, you know, drugs or alcohol. So, it’s a lot of addictive behaviors a lot because they don’t address the main problem.”
Dr. Muñoz is hosting free Spanish-language online workshops for anyone to attend, all in hopes of breaking the stigma and working toward a better mental health outlook in the community.
Read more at ABC15.com.
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