Locura Research Paper

There are many negative stigmas in regards to seeking treatment for mental illness. Is it possible that people around the world choose to not seek treatment due to these stigmas? Or does one’s cultural beliefs keep them from seeking treatment as well? Negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have a mental health condition is common in America and countries around the globe. The stigma does not only pertain to the people who suffer from the mental illness but those who provide the treatment as well. Psychiatry is criticized for it’s a medicalization of normal behavior. As well as its lack of cultural competency ultimately leading to misdiagnosis of minority patients. With the recent change in global demographics,

One reason that explains why immigrants do not seek help is the language barrier that immigrants struggle with. The fact that “mental health treatment relies on direct verbal communication rather than objective tests as for physical illness …” (Kim et al., 2011, p.104) makes it really difficult for immigrants with low English proficiency levels to accurately describe their symptoms to a doctor further isolating them without receiving professional help. Many cultures also consider mental health issues “taboo” and might not have direct translations for such issues. (Simich, 2010, p.20). Another factor is the stigma that many cultures attach to mental health issues. In some cultures, being open about mental health struggles can lead to “social isolation and social sanctions” (Chaze, Thomson, George, & Guruge, 2015, p.96) Many immigrants are also used to seeing mental health issues as a weakness and fear not being able to trust anyone with their issues (Chaze et al., 2015, p.96). Low levels of English proficiency and the stigma that is attached to mental health are two of the many causes of low levels of mental health literacy among the immigrant population. Mental health literacy can be defined as “the ability to seek information, learn, appraise, make decisions, communicate information, prevent diseases and promote individual, family and community health” (Simich, 2010, p.17). The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, as cited by Simich (2010) “has identified immigrants as a priority group for mental health literacy interventions”

Generally speaking individuals view the symptoms of mental illness as being experienced and expressed in the same fashion across all cultures. They believe that a set channel of symptom expression is the same for every individual regardless of culture or ethnicity. Recent research into cultural expression of symptomatology has revealed that not every culture experiences mental illness in much the same way. In fact research has revealed that culture plays a large role in how mental illness is viewed and experienced (Wong, 2010).

Imagine waking up to an alien-like creature sucking the blood out of animals in the dens next to the house. The terrifying creature has just killed every last animal on the farm, and would have killed every human if they were not inside. This is the story that some Puerto Ricans tell to describe the mysterious Chupacabra. These stories are very intriguing and make a great horror story, but they are not entirely true. El Chupacabra is one of many mysterious creatures that has been extensively research and determined to be entirely fake. Chupacabras haven been integrated into many cultures, but most people do not know the facts about chupacabra research.

Lewis Howard Latimer was born September 4th 1848, in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He was famous because his contribution to the creation and patenting of the light bulb and other inventions such as the telephone. He was the youngest of four children and born to George and Rebecca Latimer. Six years before he was born Lewis Latimer’s father George Latimer was captured in Boston as a fugitive. He was defended and eventually he was able to purchase freedom with help from a local minister. Then he began starting a family with Rebecca in a close by town called Chelsea. A small amount of time after the Dred Scott decision during 1875 George Latimer disappeared. After his father was gone Lewis Latimer worked to help his family. Then at 16 lied to work at the US Navy during the civil war he came back because of an honorable discharge, he accepted a job at a patent office.

Every culture is different, and are unique by their beliefs, values, remedies, and many people live by that, many people believe in all these topics, and many people also think that everything is a lie. The most common customs of Zacatecas are the Festivals, Festivals, and Fairs of Zacatecas. The main festivals in Zacatecas are the religious ones that are celebrated in each one of the municipalities in honor to the patron of the place, also the regional celebrations, in the capital of the state the celebrations are celebrated in the month of September, being day 8 when The Virgin of Patronage is also commemorated. There are also various events in the fair 's cultural and artistic facilities, such as bullfights, Palenque, exhibitions, dances, horse races and gastronomic exhibitions. Also, there are

Mental health is a state of psychological well-being. According to World Health Organization (WHO) mental health includes "subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, intergenerational dependence, and self-actualization of one's intellectual and emotional potential, among others." (Organization, WHO 2001) However, cultural differences, race, ethnicity, personal background, subjective assessment, and socioeconomic status all affect how mental health is defined. This variation in definitions of mental health between different sects of our society further causes drift in methods of treatment, and may cause the burden of mental health to be greater on some cultures.

Today’s society consist of a variety of different cultures. Each cultures has their own identity, customs, and beliefs. In my community we have several strong, family oriented cultures. The two that were chosen was the Hispanics community and the Haliwa-Saponi Native American community. It was very interesting to see that while this communities are different they share some strong similarities, such as family ties.

Mental illness is an important topic that is rarely spoken or taught in today’s society. About half of people in the world have a mental health disorder, yet most people don’t know what it really means to have a serious health problem. There are numerous theories on why these disorders happen; additionally, some disorders in the world are still a mystery to the science community and also millions of people share these personal experiences through writing.

She mentions how Lia’s traditional treatment from her parents “ran parallel to her medical course rather than intertwining with it” (Fadiman 2012). She would like medicine to become more bio-culturally inclusive. Citing cases of culturally inclusion are helpful to Fadiman’s argument. A few cases where doctors referred patients to traditional healers are mentioned, like Luis Estevez in the Bronx who would refer Puerto Rican and Dominican patients to a Santeria high priest (Fadiman 2012). Fadiman mentions how this was implemented in Fresno during the 1980’s with the Nationalities Service of Central California. It was a federal grant used to establish “an integrated mental health delivery service utilizing Hmong healers and western mental health providers” (Fadiman 2012). The program was successful and treated 250 patients. In one case, the traditional healer, the txiv neeb, was able to heal a man with a swollen penis. Another case, the txiv neeb was unable to heal his patient with gall bladder problems, but was able to help assist the patient in consenting to surgery. During the mid-1990’s, cross-cultural training emerged slowly in medicine. For example, in 1996, “the American Academy of Family Physicians endorsed a set of “Recommended Core Curriculum Guidelines on Culturally Sensitive and Competent Health Care” (Fadiman 2012). Merced also began implementing

La La Land is a perfect society where nothing goes wrong. Not many make it to this society because you have to travel through the bermuda triangle. Many get lost going through the Bermuda Triangle and some just believe that it’s bogus claim. Yet those who do make it here to this perfect society never want to leave.

“What attracted me to Garciaparra was, is that he wasn’t the typical, prototypical Boston athlete” 8:23

Loreta Velazquez was born in Havana, Cuba on June 26th, 1842. She has a Spanish father and a French-American mother. In 1849, she was shipped from Cuba to New Orleans to live her aunt, she attended Catholic school. There she learned to speak English and eventually married an army officer known as William, she ran away with him and at the age of fourteen. Her and William had three children, all of whom died by the fall of 1860. Loreta distracted herself with the conflict between the North and South, she had the idea of joining her husband in combat. Her husband certainly had doubts but Loreta’s first day as a man included a false mustache, wig and one of William’s suits. William wanted to prove to his wife that men in the camp were demoralizing, so he insisted on a night of visiting bars, saloons, and gambling venues to show her how

The University of Maryland Medical Center states that Herbal Therapy also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, refers to using plant’s, seeds, berries, leaves, barks, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Herbalism has a long tradition of use outside conventional medicine. It is becoming more mainstream as improvements in analysis and quality control, along with advances in clinical research, show the value of herbal medicine in treating and preventing diseases. Herbal medicine is a natural, non-toxic way to treat many conditions of ill-health. It is holistic, meaning it treats the whole person, embracing all levels of an individual: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Herbal medicines are widely preferred by some individuals all

Complementary and Alternative medicine (CAM) consider all forms of therapies outside the field of medical practice. CAM is attracting more attention within the context of health care provision and health sector reform.Use of CAM remains common in developing countries and is increasing knowledge and concern in developed countries.Cultural beliefs and practices often lead self-care, home remedies or consultation with traditional healers particularly in far as in rural and Bedouin communities. (16)