As a Peruvian psychologist and assistant professor at UConn Health, Dr. Rocio Chang is advising Latinos in Connecticut on how to manage their mental health amid the ongoing news coverage of family separation and federal immigration crackdown.
“Before, it was conceived that only people who actually experienced these events are the ones that might be impacted by it,” Chang said. “Now science tells us that it can also be for people who are witnessing, who are listening, who are being exposed again and again to traumatic experiences.”
To understand why, Chang said we have to go inside the brain. According to Chang, our amygdala, an alarm center in the brain, becomes sensitive after a traumatic event happens. So, any noise or reminder of what happened during that event can trigger that alarm center.
When the amygdala is triggered, Chang said it releases hormones such as adrenaline into the body, making the individual focus on surviving any moment that may be perceived as life-threatening, even if it’s seen through a screen.
“Our amygdala keeps on telling us that there is danger when there is none. That doesn't stop the hormones to be produced again and again. So then there is this sensation that there is something wrong [or] very confusing when you know you are probably not,” Chang said.
This heightened stress and anxiety can impact daily life, Chang said. According to her, it’s time to consider seeking professional mental health support when at least two areas of life are being affected, such as school, work, or social life.
How to broach the topic
However, addressing these kinds of mental health issues can sometimes be tricky in a Latino household, Chang said.
“Many of our traditional Latino cultures believe that it's about feeling weak, not being strong enough, not having willpower to deal with it,” Chang said.
Chang said one way to approach the topic with Latinos who have this mentality is to educate them of the physical symptoms that can come with mental health conditions.
“You can see that a person who feels anxious is not making up when their palms are sweating, when they do have problems breathing, when their heart is racing,” Chang said.
In helping others understand the physical symptoms, Chang said it can be easier to emphasize the seriousness of mental health.
“Mental health is as important as physical health,” Chang said. “It's also as important as spiritual health, social health and many other domains that make us feel good about who we are.”
If those Latino family members are not receptive to that kind of conversation, Chang says connecting with the local community is a helpful route to take.
Finding connection with the church
“Hispanics, by nature, are very faith oriented, because we come from a background that faith is very emphasized in our lives. Whether we practice or not, it's always there,” said Juan Miguel Betancourt, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford from Puerto Rico.
According to Betancourt, Hispanic young people sometimes stop going to church, but as they get older, they may find their way back.
“That actually helps a lot with mental health, because when you have support of, first, God, in your relationship with him, and then a community that is supportive [where] you know that you belong, both in faith and also in cultural background, then things look much better in that sense,” Betancourt said.
That doesn’t mean therapy and medication may not be the answer for some, Betancourt said. Processing a situation with a spiritual leader can even lead to that extra support, he said.
“It’s a service that we bring our community indirectly, because we work first with the spirit, but also our priests, and spiritual directors, are trained to discern when professional help in the mental health realm actually is needed,” Betancourt said.
Having that connection to the community through the church can be the very thing that helps a young Latino become more open about finding the help they need, Betancourt said.
“So a relationship of trust is built,” Betancourt said. “That's a way that the young person can find some support, encouragement, affirmation, accompaniment, and then help.”
If a young Hispanic is looking to go back to church, Betancourt said it can be helpful to ease any nerves by asking a friend or family member who goes, since many Hispanic-led churches have been vocal about being open to all.
“Especially in these times that we’re living that are so challenging,” Betancourt said, “I'm sure that that young person that is coming to church will be more than willing to say, ‘Hey, well, let's go this coming Sunday.'”
