Are Immigrants Less Likely to go to Therapy?
In the United States mental health care is commonly overlooked. This is because not all of us have insurance that covers it, think our struggles are not valid or big enough to get help for, or just simply don’t know what the process of getting help entails. All of this aside though, there’s one group of people in the US who are more likely than anyone else to struggle in silence, recent immigrants and their children. But why is this?
According to The National Library of Medicine, there are three main factors that tend to contribute to weariness towards therapy and mental health treatment:
Cultural barriers: Cultural stigma, acculturation (assimilation to the dominant culture in the US), and preference and familiarity in non-clinical treatments
Lack of trust in health care providers: It’s harder for most immigrants to get baseline healthcare as is so they tend to be afraid to use it more than for its most basic uses. Fear of affordability changes, uninsured rates, and miscommunication of understanding are also reasons they’re less likely to utilize benefits. It can also be harder in some states to find services created with immigrants in mind.
English language barriers: While some immigrants speak English fluently, others speak little or none at all. Some immigrants avoid anything medical related at all costs because they have a hard time communicating with healthcare workers and don’t want to be misunderstood or judged. There is a huge lack of bilingual healthcare workers in the US meaning most times immigrants couldn't find a provider who speaks their first language even if they wanted to.
Healthcare and mental healthcare are a basic human right, no matter where you’re from or what language you speak. Finding a provider who resonates with you and can communicate with you efficiently is often easier said than done. But here at Mindplexcity, we’re proud to offer mental health services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. We want to help you thrive. Book your free consultation with Mayra today to see how she can aid you in your mental health journey.