CULTURAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
Cultural and Mental Health
It would be prudent to note that culture - which includes various aspects which are inclusive of, but they are not limited to nationality, language, religion, class, and gender - can impact many aspects of mental health (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). Essentially different cultures tend to have different perspectives of mental health. For instance, culture may affect persons view mental illness, therapeutic relationship, and how they seek treatment. In addition, culture can determine how people communicate their mental health issues as well the type of coping strategies they will use. Although culture influences treatment decisions and personal views on mental health, it can also cause discrimination and trauma owing to stigmatization. In this text, I will provide my personal views of mental health based on my culture and upbringing. I will also describe the practices and beliefs of Alaska Natives and how they relate to mental health as well as my own perceptions regarding the said culture.
Mental health affects African Americans in the same way as it does other cultures. However, African Americans are disproportionately affected meaning that there is a higher rate of mental illness in this realm than is the case in other races. Essentially, most black Americans lack access to mental health care that is culturally competent and are likely to receive poor quality care. African Americans, especially women, are at a higher risk for mental illnesses, i.e. as a consequence of rampant victimization and related factors. As I grew up, I observed many children...
In addition, apart from poor access to mental health care, it is important to note that African Americans who present with mental health problems associated with violence tend to be at a higher risk of being incarcerated as compared to...
…from the traditional
healing systems, the Alaska Natives include protective factors in their practices. Protective factors, as the American Psychiatric Association (2017) points out, refers to the belief of
perseverance, adaptability,
identity, and
cultural context. The said factors comprise of respecting all methods of healing, having an enduring heart, the eagerness to advocate for the well-being of the team, and the holistic approaches to life. For instance, to prevent
suicide, the Alaska Natives practiced protective factors which are inclusive of, but they are not limited to; emotional health, connectedness to the
family, and
discussion of problems with friends and families (American Psychiatric Association, 2017). My perceptions of the Alaska Natives in relation to mental health is based on the article by OKeefe et al. (2021) - whereby the authors suggest that both indigenous mental health professionals and Native community mental health workers should be empowered so as to create an ideal system which creates a balance between the two worlds and thus improves the…
