The Role of Family in Mental Health Support with Dr. Patricia Aguayo 

When you have important decisions to make or your heart feels heavy, who do you call first? Probably someone in your family. It’s also likely that multiple branches of your family tree know what’s going on with you — for better or worse, they’re all in on the chisme, aka the tea. 

In many Latino communities, family is considered the cornerstone of support, and the collective wellbeing of each member is closely intertwined with the overall health of the family unit. Think about that time you were on a phone call with your mom and she was telling you how worried she was about a distant cousin that you don’t even remember.

While we tend to have very connected and supportive families, it can be hard to start a conversation about mental wellbeing topics such as feeling depressed or too anxious. It’s common to get encouragement and great advice, while at the same time, they avoid going into that dark place of talking about our pain and sorrows. However, there are several aspects like openness, communication, values, etc… highlight the importance of family support in mental health. 

To speak more on this subject, we caught up with Dr. Patricia Aguayo, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, who elaborated on the Ad Council’s Love, Your Mind campaign and its mission to help change norms, break down cultural barriers, and inspire individuals to actively take care of their mental health.

“Latino families are usually very connected, they lean on each other for a lot of things. However there’s a lot of taboo around mental health, which I think is one of the key purposes of the [Love, Your Mind] campaign. Normalizing it,” says Aguayo. “Recognizing the inherent strength of familial bonds. For people of Hispanic descent, I think family plays a key role. Involving the whole family in the process of, first of all, opening up about having mental health issues or struggles and then help and support through treatment is very important.”

Fostering an open conversation within the family is of great significance in the fight to break down taboos surrounding our mental health, especially when it comes to being a male figure in the family. It’s a cultural issue that’s come around for generations, Aguayo adds.

“We have the Macho culture,  right?… They have to be strong, the head of the family. So, being vulnerable—in a way— is not regarded as being strong. So, I think that the main [message] behind this campaign is letting them know that being open and accepting of issues, I think, speaks of the resiliency of being really strong. That’s more respectable. In a way, it makes you stronger.”  

In the years that Dr. Aguayo has been certified in Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, she’s seen a lot of improvement towards awareness of psychological well being and the crucial need for information and education, particularly within the Latino community. 

The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly a period in which people opened up even more about being in the struggle bus —but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

“I think we’re beginning to take baby steps. I think the pandemic opened up a lot of pandora boxes. if you wanna call it that, and just put out in the open all of the people who were struggling,” she adds. “Specific to the Latino community, I think we lack a lot of information and education around it. So, I think the campaign and trying to normalize and help educate people is gonna be very important.” 

The pandemic has provided an opportunity for increased introspection and interpersonal connection, promoting an environment where individuals can openly communicate and engage in mutual support. 

So, What would be some practices that individuals working on their mental health can take to find family support?

“First step is acceptance and coming out clean to your family, asking for help. That’s one of the big strengths of the Latino community, the family support.”  Dr. Patricia Aguayo 

Is it okay for family to approach and what would be an example of that approach without being “too intrusive” on someone’s life? What would you say would be some conversation starters?

“Making it a habit within the family, not just with adults, but also with kids. So I call it ‘checking in’,” Aguayo expands on questions and conversation starters that won’t be too intrusive.

“Hey, how are you doing? You’ve been really stressed with school! [or] whatever’s been going on in that person’s life?” 

“How are you doing emotionally?” 

“How are you feeling inside?”

“Hey, things have been really tough for us lately, how are you doing?’” 

“You don’t have to be so strong all the time.” 

“You lost your job… I’ve seen you blue lately. What’s happening?”

4 WAYS TO ENCOURAGE YOURSELF OR SOMEONE TO IMPROVE YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING.

Acknowledge:

• Recognizing the importance of mental well-being begins with acknowledging the existence of any issues. Self-awareness is the first step toward initiating positive change.

Education:

• A fundamental aspect of the Love, Your Mind campaign involves providing accessible resources to facilitate education about mental health. Take advantage of the available materials on the website to empower yourself with knowledge and understanding.

Therapy:

• Seek professional assistance by finding a qualified physician or therapist who can guide you through the process of understanding and addressing your mental health concerns. Therapy offers a structured and supportive environment for personal growth and healing.

Family:

• Family plays a pivotal role in the journey to mental well-being. Initiating conversations about mental health within the family can create a strong support network. Involving family members in the process can lead to a more comprehensive and sustained approach to mental health improvement.

If you or a loved one is struggling this season, visit LoveYourMindToday.org for free, bilingual resources that could help you navigate these difficult times.