Mental Health in the Latinx Community
August 13, 2018
Gordita’s Way will be hosting ‘Giveaway: A Self-Care Day.’ Subscribe to the blog and comment for your chance to win!
¡Feliz Lunes mi gente linda! Please do not forget to practice self-care! I’m here to motivate you and in the process, I’m desperately trying to motivate myself. A couple of weeks back, the Gordita’s Way blog titled “Heart without Borders: Corazón sin Fronteras” talked about hitting a slump, losing motivation, & the consequences of burnout. I’m here to tell you that it is possible to find that work-life balance; but I’d be lying to you if I said it was easy!
Today’s blog will highlight Mental Health and its significance in the Latinx community. Stay tuned for the Gordita’s Way August series “¿Salud mental, que cosa eso?” For 25 years and counting, I have been trying to navigate my mental health as a powerful Latina who’s been told, “Pero niña, therapy/terapia, todo eso, es para los blancos.” Growing up, I thought mental health services were only available to white people. I associated mental health with something we had to just “deal with” because “somos fuertes.” We are strong! We don’t need therapy; I mean after all, how do I trust a stranger that doesn’t know anything about us? Lies! ¡Mentiras! Everyone can use some therapy in their lives! Therapy provides an outlet for individuals to understand themselves, improve relationships, communicate effectively & unravel past traumas that affect us today. Therapy can save lives and I’m so happy to see Latinx folks discussing & bringing awareness about mental health through comedic paradoxes, YouTube videos, motivational speeches, blogs, etc.
Y’all, I perpetuated so many negative stereotypes when it came to mental health. Latinx people have not been taught about mental health and the benefits of therapy and self-care practices. It is a very taboo subject in the Latinx community.“Hush hush,” there are just some things we do not talk about with our familias! Grateful for intergenerational breakthroughs, my young Latinx generation is not only starting to wake up, but they are speaking up and sharing their personal stories! Salud mental is too deep to decipher in one blog; therefore, I will start by posting self-care hacks. These hacks will serve as feasible tools to overcome emotional barriers and successfully cope with the everyday stressors of life. I want to hear from you all! Stay tuned, the most creative self-care hack wins a prize, which I will announce on my next blog, Monday August 20th! Comment below and post your personal self-care hacks. I will repost to help my audience incorporate self-care tactics into their everyday routines.
Winners can only be eligible if they are following & and are subscribed to the movement!
- Monday August 20th Gordita’s Way will announce winners & prizes!
- Monday August 27th Gordita’s Way will dive deeper into mental health in the Latinx Community!
¿Mental health/ mental, que cosa eso?
What is mental health? It refers to our cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It affects the way we think, feel, and behave. It is rooted in a mix of balanced or unbalanced emotions. If we do not attend to our mental state of being, it can affect our relationships, work spaces, and day-to-day interactions. My family has a history of mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, & many others. Today, I’ll be focusing on self-care hacks. Incorporating simple self-care techniques can positively impact our mental state of being and communication efforts. Self-care hacks include physical exercise, meditation, dance, pampering, therapy, writing, etc. Any intentional means to make yourself happy is a self-care hack.
I’ll be highlighting a few including:
- Indulging in self-care
- The importance of taking a mental health day
- Booking that therapy appointment!
1. Pampering yourself: Indulging in self-care
“Look good feel good!”
Indulging in Self-Care– Pampering: Look beautiful, feel beautiful inside & out!
Self-Care: Deliberate activities to take care of our mental, emotional & physical well-being. It has proven to alleviate stress and anxiety in our lives.
In order to pamper myself, I am collaborating with Ms. V at RK Salon to empower women to be their best selves. Kill the game, own that confidence, & nurture the soul. Don’t forget to follow Ms. V on IG @v__doll. If you say my name, Felicita or Gordita’s Way, you will get 20% off of any service!
Ms V. has the talent to make you look and feel amazing. Those hands of magic made me feel just fabulous last week. I enjoy deconstructing beauty standards and lifting up women spiritually and mentally! Beauty is so much more than what you see on the outside. Your character and mental health are components of one’s self that should be constantly nurtured & uplifted. Together, Ms V and I are on a mission to make you ladies look and feel better. Don’t forget to stop by RK Salon!
Importance of taking a mental health Day!
Feeling tense? Stressed from work, life, failed relationships, adulting, etc.? Do you feel like temporarily running away from responsibility? Pick a day and time to genuinely enjoy yourself and the company that surrounds you.
Go on a boat ride with a friend! Mi gente, find whatever uplifts your spirits & makes YOU happy! For me, that was an amazing boat ride with Pamela! Downtown Chicago summer days should be spent with the people you love. Laugh the day away & dance like nobody’s watching! Did I mention the tickets were $7 bucks each on Groupon? Pamela and I had a fabulous time for his belated birthday bash. Amazing skyline, awesome music, crazy dancing, & laughter! Sometimes you just need to laugh! Raise those spirits by making time for yourself, have fun in the process, and yes– you can do it for the low low!
2. Mental Health Day! Boat rides with great company!
Booking a therapy appointment
After immense procrastination and anxiety, I finally decided to go to my doctor and get a referral to see a therapist. As a Latina, I still battle with this internally. We’ve all had family drama, witnessed and partaken in trauma, and we are expected to hold everything in. My mamita says, “Habla con Dios.” Talk to God, they said. “No tienes que hablar con ningún profesional” they said. “Si podemos salir adelante a pesar de todo, then everything is good,” they said. Sure, we have come this far without therapy, but it is an essential tool to help us better understand ourselves & cope with life. It’s not just about getting by, it’s about thriving! Mi gente, it’s okay to not have it all together. It’s okay to need help. Therapy is essential for everyone. I’m fearful about unveiling the past; however, I know it will positively impact my relationships immensely, and help me get through some internal battles. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but if I see more of my Latinx folks taking mental health to the forefront, there’s no saying what else we can do!
As a latinx person, I can attest to the fact that we are proud, we are strong, and we are hard-headed!! ¡Ay, esa cabeza dura! Next blog will be digging deeper into why mental health matters, how it affects the Latinx Community, & cultural misunderstandings. Hold your breath because it’s going to get deep!