World We Imagine Part 3

For the Hispanic community, mental health and mental illness are often stigmatized topics causing prolonged hardship in silence. Additionally, the Hispanic community faces unique barriers that challenge access to mental health services which results in reduced help-seeking behaviors. Only 5% percent of psychologists identify as Hispanics that can provide services in Spanish, making them a rare commodity. Poor communication with health care providers is a critical issue because language barriers restrict access to quality care. 

Spanish-speaking Americans are less likely to receive the mental health care that they need. In fact, about 30% of Hispanic people with a mental illness receive treatment compared to 50% of white Americans. It’s so important that a therapist knows the culture and language of their patients. People can better convey their feelings and needs in their primary language and may become frustrated or stop therapy altogether if their therapist doesn’t understand their beliefs and values. 

To address the treatment gap in the Latinx community I would like to create an organization that serves as an online one-stop-shop for bilingual mental health resources. This organization would be called Salud! The online platform for Salud! would offer access to online bilingual therapists, links to bilingual mental health screenings, and also Spanish reading materials about mental illnesses and self-acceptance. Salud! intends to harness the growing potential of online therapy which can help narrow the treatment gap because therapists don’t have to be in the same location as their clients, and it’s increasingly covered by insurers. 

Navigating the mental health care system can be really intimidating for people seeking help for the first time. As an organization, Salud! would also provide patients with guidance for ensuring people are aware of all the resources available to them and how to make use of them. Mental health can be challenging, but finding resources that accommodate people's backgrounds shouldn't be. 

World We Imagine Part 1

When I imagine a better world I think of a place where every individual is aware of the power they have within to view themselves and others without judgment. I believe in the power of self-love. People who truly know and love themselves can't be hateful towards others. So what I'm trying to say is that self-love works as powerfully for the individual as it does for the collective of humanity. 

I have struggled with OCD and anxiety since my earliest childhood memory, but I never took steps toward healing until I was a freshman. When I was a kid, I used to get so frustrated with myself and my thoughts. I internalized a lot of anger and negativity because I did not understand myself, much less accept myself. Unfortunately, mental health was just never a conversation in school or my household when I was growing up, my parents were never educated about it so they didn't know how to identify what I was struggling with. After conducting my own google and Reddit searches, I realized I was not alone and I could receive help. I started going to therapy which was transformative for my life. I started to learn that love is the ultimate healer, and you can't heal what you try to ignore. It's hard to confront the parts of yourself you spent a lot of time pushing down, but the process of doing this brought me a new kind of compassion I had never had for myself. Eventually, I noticed my inner frustration started to lose its edge, and the acceptance I was developing for myself was projecting outwards. Good vibes don't expire, they multiply. 

I would want my contribution to a better world to be some initiative that communicates the power of self-love. I would want this initiative to have a huge focus on making mental health awareness and resources accessible in underserved communities, specifically immigrant or first-generation communities. Maybe this could mean offering resources in people's native language. I know mental health awareness has come a long way which is amazing, but I personally experienced the disparity in my community. I think if more people had the opportunity to be heard and learn to understand themselves, then this would be a small step in the right direction to a more compassionate world.