Hispanic Heritage Month: Casting Light on Mental Health in the Latino Community

Key Points

• Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize both the successes and difficulties faced by Hispanic individuals in the U.S.
• While some Hispanic individuals may identify as Latinx, these terms are not interchangeable.
• Latino communities deserve access to culturally competent mental health services.

Every year between September 15th and October 15th, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated to honor the accomplishments of millions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans and their contributions—in the United States and beyond.

However, the effort to acknowledge Hispanic Americans must also include raising awareness of the mental health issues that affect these individuals and their communities. Their unique and intricately complex American experiences have much to teach us, and their needs should not be ignored.

Fortunately, culturally specific mental health resources are becoming more accessible, which could benefit members of the diverse Hispanic community. While individuals can identify as both Hispanic and Latinx, it is important to note that Hispanic refers to Spanish-speaking people from Spanish-speaking countries, while Latinx generally refers to individuals from Latin America, such as Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Diverse Cultural Backgrounds

Culture and community can be intricate in the Latinx community for various reasons. According to the Pew Research Center, in the 2020 census, more than 20 million Latinx individuals identified with more than one race, a significant increase from the 3 million who did so a decade prior, which may reflect changes in the census form.

Celia Mion-Araoz, LMHC, a licensed mental health counselor and coordinator of quality assurance and quality improvement at Community Health of South Florida's behavioral health department who identifies as Hispanic, shares, "I have grown up around Cubans in this country struggling to provide for themselves and also for the families they left behind in Cuba."

Ana De La Cruz, LMFT, a licensed relationship therapist who identifies as Hispanic, says, "I was born in Guatemala and my ancestors were from Spain. Spanish is spoken by most of my family, and my culture and customs have been preserved at home. Even though I was born in the U.S., I have always been part of a large Hispanic family."

Ana Ortiz Lugo, PsyD, HSP, a clinical psychologist at MindPath Care Centers, a Community Psychiatry Practice, who identifies as Latina, remarks, "I believe the Latinx community has come a long way."

Strong Family Connections

De La Cruz asserts, "One of my community's greatest strengths is the family unit. The Hispanic community places a strong emphasis on keeping the family together, and family extends beyond just parents, siblings, and children to include abuela (grandmother), abuelo (grandfather), tio/a (uncle/aunt), primo (cousin), and in-laws (aunt Juanita who married uncle Juan). Family is a significant component of the Hispanic community, serving as a resource for the well-being of all its members."

Ana De La Cruz, LMFT The Hispanic community places a strong emphasis on keeping the family together, and family extends beyond just parents, siblings, and children to include abuela (grandmother), abuelo (grandfather), tio/a (uncle/aunt), primo (cousin), and in-laws. — Ana De La Cruz, LMFT

Mion-Araoz shared similar sentiments, reflecting on the difficulty of being relatively safe while your family members back home anxiously await anything from the U.S. "Despite these challenges, the Cuban community in the U.S. continues to work hard, make progress, give back to their community, and hope for the best," she says.

Experiences of Struggle

Ortiz Lugo states, "Every day is a challenge when you decide to leave your family, friends, climate, and food far behind in pursuit of a better future. The first generation of immigrants faces significant obstacles, such as not having work permits and being unfamiliar with the language. The aspect of acculturation that defines who I am, where I live, how I appear, and so on is a significant struggle for first-generation immigrants."

De La Cruz also pointed out how people who do not speak English well can face discrimination, and even if someone speaks English but has an accent, they may be perceived as less intelligent, affecting opportunities and contributing to isolation and depression. "Hispanics are incredibly resilient people. No matter what, they continue to move forward; they are very resilient in difficult situations," she says.

Navigating Different Languages

According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of Latinx individuals were proficient in English, up from only 59% in 2000.

Mion-Araoz explains, "Even in Miami, where there is a significant Hispanic and Latinx population, we still face discrimination for speaking a different language. The language issue is something that my family and I have struggled with the most. Even though we speak English fluently, there are times when others hear us speaking Spanish and are offended."

For others, language can be a barrier within families. De La Cruz explained how many elderly members of her community were never able to learn English, while the younger generation was not being taught Spanish.

Ortiz Lugo observes, "As a therapist, when I first started working in the States, I found it very interesting that children of first-generation immigrants refuse to speak Spanish to their parents or at home or even in therapy."

Immigration Challenges

According to the Pew Research Center, in 2019, 80% of Latinx individuals residing in the country were U.S. citizens, up from 74% in 2010.

Mion-Araoz says, "One of the main challenges undocumented immigrants face is fear—fear of not being able to work, fear of being separated from their families, and fear of being deported back to a country they may have fled due to violence or poverty. I am grateful to work at a facility that provides health and mental health care, helping to relieve the stress of this fear for undocumented immigrants who contribute significantly to our economy and community."

Celia Mion-Araoz, LMHC One of the main challenges undocumented immigrants face is fear—fear of not being able to work, fear of being separated from their families, and fear of being deported back to a country they may have fled due to violence or poverty. — Celia Mion-Araoz, LMHC

De La Cruz echoed this feedback, exploring the challenge of the lack of a clear path to naturalization, as many undocumented immigrants will die undocumented because there is no law that allows them to become "legal" without having to return to their country of origin for 10 years.

"It is heartbreaking to see many of their children, who were born here, married here, and have children of their own, unable to help their parents become legal immigrants because there is no law that allows a child to petition for their undocumented parents without them leaving the country for ten years," she says.

Barriers to Care

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), only about 34% of Hispanic/Latinx adults with mental illness receive treatment annually, which is less than the average US rate of 45%.

De La Cruz explained how stigma can be an obstacle to accessing mental health support within the Hispanic community. "I encourage my community to continue breaking the bias against mental health services. Let's continue to work hard to normalize that it's okay to seek assistance. Asking for help will help us flourish rather than just survive," she says.

Ana Ortiz Lugo, PsyD, HSP Latinx tend to express their mental illness through somatization, such as headaches or other types of pain or discomfort. I believe my community still needs to overcome the stigma associated with mental illness. — Ana Ortiz Lugo, PsyD, HSP

Ortiz Lugo adds, "They may struggle to find someone who can speak to them and grasp where they come from. Additionally, Latinx tend to express their mental illness through somatization, such as headaches or other types of pain or discomfort. I believe my community still needs to overcome the stigma associated with mental illness. Continuing to provide education on prevention and sharing more information in general within the communities is very important."

Factors of Resilience

Ortiz Lugo states, "While preparing to become a clinical psychologist at the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico, I used the assessments created by Jose J. Bauermeister to evaluate ADHD and ADD. Leida Matias, a pioneer in developing evaluations for children and adolescents, is also a mentor and an exceptional psychometrics professor."

Mion-Araoz says, "Fortunately, being in Miami, I am surrounded by many mental health professionals who have influenced my professional life. Throughout my career in mental health, many of the mentors I have sought guidance from have been Hispanics and Latinx, members of my community. I have relied on them for assistance, and they have always been dependable resources. Our families and friends provide a source of support for one another, enabling us to manage life stressors and provide resources to address mental health difficulties."

Challenges During COVID-19

De La Cruz says, "At the start of the pandemic, there was a