Latinos Shun Help for Mental Health Problems

Latinos Shun Help for Mental Health Problems

(October 21, 2007) -- MODESTO, Calif. -- When her sister Olga was diagnosed at age 13 with paranoid schizophrenia, Celedina Valenzuela, a life skills counselor at Turning Point in Modesto, wishes her sister could have received the help she needed much earlier in life and in the years that followed.

"The main problem was that my parents were in denial about my sister's mental health," said Valenzuela. "They refused to believe their daughter could have some sort of mental health illness; instead, they believed she had been 'embrujada' (bewitched by evil spirits)."

Her parents also believed in "curanderos," considered by many to be a type of shaman or medium capable of healing and getting rid of evil spirits. Other family members even took her to Chihuahua, Mexico, to seek this kind of help, said Valenzuela, despite her expressed forewarning that her sister was suffering from a mental illness, not a curse.

"The end result is that my sister Olga never received proper treatment for her mental illness -- though abnormalities were noticeable even in her early childhood years," said the counselor.

When Olga was a young child, there were some early signs that something was not right.

"As a baby, she didn't cry or express emotion. She was light-skinned and when she was 18 months old she had convulsions. She was taken to the emergency room two times a week and had to be put in ice water to bring her temperature down," said Valenzuela.

To add to the confusion, she said, "Doctors did not tell (her mother, Enriqueta) that it could be a mental illness. My mother protected her so much, she did not want to acknowledge this kind of illness."

When Olga was 13, the family received a call from the school informing them that she was acting very strange, said Valenzuela. She had jumped up on top of a table and begun acting strangely, according to school officials; they thought she was under the influence of drugs. It was shortly after this incident that Olga was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

Her mother continued to take care of Olga, although she still refused to acknowledge her daughter's mental illness.

According to Jorge A. Barragán, Psy.D., Psychological Assistant, Latinos are hesitant about seeking professional help with regards to mental illness and this can be attributed to several cultural and social factors.

"Latinos generally adopt a collectivistic world view, one that emphasizes family welfare over individual welfare. Collectivistic societies also encourage emotional and instrumental interdependence. Therefore, we typically resolve personal and family problems within the immediate or extended family. Actually, discussing such matters outside the family network is generally considered inappropriate," stated Dr. Barragán. "We also tend to attribute the control of life events to God or other supernatural forces. Consequently, a person's mental illnesses might be attributed to 'brujería' (witchcraft) or 'Castigos de Dios' (punishment by God). Hence many of us do not seek appropriate treatment due to the stigma attached to these psychiatric illnesses."

Many years later, when Olga was 32, a major event was about to change her life and the lives of the family.

Her mother was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease -- the family was devastated. After her mother's death, Valenzuela made the choice to care for Olga, the youngest of four siblings.

One of Valenzuela's main concerns in caring for her sister was the lack of Olga's personal independence.

"Olga was not integrated into the community -- she had been spoiled by my mother and other family members and that made it more difficult to teach her independence and personal responsibilities," said Valenzuela. "I tried to integrate her into the community, taking her to the theater, teaching her about life from my own experiences and teaching her responsibilities."

Caring for her sister came at a high price. In addition to losing her job, Valenzuela eventually lost her home because she could no longer make the house payments, and she lost the close relationship she had had with her daughter, who was unable to tolerate Olga.

"I sacrificed much to help my sister; there were hardships and struggles," she said.

One of the first organizations Valenzuela contacted for help was the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

During the five and a half years Valenzuela took care of Olga, progress was made. Olga became more independent; she was able to get around on public transportation and follow up on appointments. She lost a lot of weight -- from 397 pounds to 135 -- and she learned that it was okay to disagree with others.

Currently, Olga lives with her brother in New Mexico and Valenzuela stays in contact with her.

"Awareness of the support systems is a good place to start," noted Valenzuela, who would like others to know that help is available if they or a family member is suffering from some form of mental illness.

Dr. Barragán recommends that people seek help if they need it. "Although cultural and social factors contribute to this problem, I believe that misinformation or the lack of information is the biggest obstacle in our willingness to seek help. Many of us have misconceptions about the causes and treatment of mental illnesses."

For more information on mental health issues, visit MayoClinic.com, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, and the National Institute of Mental Health.

By: Ramiro Asencio
Source: Vida en el Valle

Last updated: 10/07

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Latinos Shun Help for Mental Health Problems