A human needs to be out of survival mode before they can truly focus on recovery, because the prolonged toxic stress of homelessness is an ongoing trauma.
Letter from the Editor
Welcome to our new format - Topic of the Quarter, for our first theme we will be exploring the link between homelessness and behavioral health. The reason I started here was two fold. Homelessness is on the rise, with the decline in affordable housing options and the economic upheaval brought on by COVID 19, and the stigma surrounding it in both personal attitudes and public policy is rampant and unchallenged in our day to day lives. It is also deeply personal in both my past experiences with housing insecurity and my professional career working in housing services.
‘Trauma upon trauma’: Asian Americans say mental health has suffered amid COVID-19, anti-Asian violence
“Since moving to the United States at 15, Ok Kyung Kim says she has felt free, like she always had more than enough of what she needed. But the pandemic and the Georgia shootings changed that, she says.
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“I’m an Asian elderly who live in the U.S.A., but, yes, I’m afraid of to go out and have a shopping and go outside, so I still I have some worries, so not totally free, and I don’t feel safe anymore in this community.””
Amid attacks, Asian Americans challenge traditions that discourage speaking out, seeking therapy
Although the numbers of Asians experiencing anxiety and depression is rising, Asians in the United States access mental health care at half the rate of other racial groups, according to a 2019 study published by the American Psychiatric Association.
This study cites “feelings of shame, stigmatization, and an unwillingness to burden others” as reasons Asian immigrants and Asian Americans did not seek out therapy.
Rise in Asian American Discrimination and Violence During COVID Is Causing Mental Health Crisis
“Stigma toward seeking mental healthcare, or even expressing emotions, is significant among Asian American cultures, Hsu said. Asian Americans are three times less likely to seek mental healthcare than white Americans, according to data collected in 2012 from the National Latino and Asian American Study.”
Alternatives to Calling the Police for Domestic Violence Survivors
“Currently, the only widely funded education programs targeting perpetrators of domestic violence are so-called “batterer intervention programs.” These programs are typically overseen by county probation departments, and men attend because they’re required to by court order.
The forced nature of the programs and the association with the legal system mean that men who attend feel stigmatized, Philpart said. There is little evidence that these programs work to change men’s behavior or keep victims safe, and it’s been shown that many men fail to complete the program because there is so little accountability.”
Firms told to look out for domestic abuse signs
"Employers "have a duty" to support staff who suffer domestic abuse but few have adequate policies in place, the government says.
It said bosses were in a unique position to help but a "lack of awareness and stigma" held them back.
Calls to domestic abuse services have surged in the pandemic as couples spend more time at home.
Business Minister Paul Scully said employers could be a "bridge between a worker and the support they need"."
Dual Services Needed for Domestic Violence and Opioid Use, Researchers Say
“There’s already so much stigma around opioid use and partner violence and when you pair that with living in a rural area where everyone knows everyone, women describe not wanting to go to the clinics,” Campbell says....As IPV and OUD loom on rural communities, Stone suggests people educate themselves about stigma. “If you want to learn more, victim advocacy organizations are amazing. Find one in your community to see if they’re running an education event,” she recommends. “If you don’t feel like it’s a personal issue for you, it’s an issue for your community. We need all the resources in our community to be strong and healthy.”
Stigma Impacts Domestic Violence Survivors
According to clinician Sara Grady, stigma negatively impacts the willingness of victims of domestic violence to reach out for help. She underscores that it is "so important to share information about the prevalence of domestic violence because of the stigma that can exist around being a domestic violence victim. In addition, victims commonly experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and complex trauma as a result of their domestic violence."
A Veteran's View On Mental Health
In this interview with Spectrum News, Patrick Welch shares his experiences with PTSD as a child and Vietnam War veteran. He describes feeling isolated after returning to civilian life, and how peer support from Vietnam Veterans of America gave him “a home,” helped to break the stigma of mental illness, and empowered him to advocate for and support other veterans experiencing mental health issues.
Click the title to view the full interview from Spectrum News. The interview was part of Spectrum News’ #IAm1in5 series, which seeks to fight the stigma of mental illness by sharing local stories.