It is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month; a month dedicated to raising awareness about the mental health of minorities in this country. As someone who works in the field of social services, I wanted to share with you all some info and a personal story of mine, as I

Am currently training for this in my job.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reports that racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. are less likely to have access to mental health services, less likely to use community mental health services....

...More likely to use emergency departments, and more likely to receive lower quality care. Poor mental health care access and quality of care contribute to poor mental health outcomes, including suicide, among racial and ethnic minority populations. As a Latino, I can tell...

...You that a stigma certainly exists amongst our culture when it comes to mental health. Growing up, these issues were typically brushed under the rug, and many in my community would say that people who had mental health issues were “doing for attention,” or were “crazy....”

I personally struggle with anxiety and a moderate form of OCD. When I was formally diagnosed last year, my family didn’t know how to react. I was told that I was fine, and that I was overthinking. However, that wasn’t the case. It took time, but after educating my family..

On the issue, they began to understand, and luckily, things are different now. I get that this may not be the situation available for many, but just know that there is help out there. People are out there, whether it’s a professional therapist, doctor, psychologist, etc...

Who will listen and hear you out. YOU are not alone in your struggle and you never will be. Seek help, and defy the existing stigma. I was fortunate to have the eventual support of my family, and I know many are not as lucky, which is why I advocate for those who don’t...

Have that luck that I do. If you or someone you know needs help, reach out before it’s too late.

For more information, please visit https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/content.aspx?ID=9447