Why Does Mental Health Stigma Persist in Mexican-American communities, and What are its Consequences?
Why Does Mental Health Stigma Persist in Mexican-American communities, and What are its Consequences? “Just Don’t Talk About It” This question matters because stigma doesn’t just prevent people from getting help, it shapes how entire communities understand suffering and their own identity. In Mexican-American families, mental health issues are often kept quiet. This silence is shaped by cultural values like familismo, gender roles that define who is allowed to express pain, and generations of lived experience with institutions that often feel unwelcoming or unsafe. My research looked closely at the beliefs, values, and barriers that surround mental health in Mexican-American communities. Stigma is deeply entangled with identity. It’s reinforced by family dynamics, cultural expectations, religious beliefs, and the pressure to appear strong in the face of hardship. In some families, seeking help can feel like betrayal. In others, it simply isn’t spoken of at all. For young adu...