Paging Dr. Internet, we need a diagnosis. In this series, Mashable examines the online world’s influence on our health and prescribes new ways forward.
If you’ve spent time on Instagram in the past couple of years, you’ve likely encountered Instagram therapy — motivational quotations and educational content developed by therapists and delivered in aesthetically pleasing posts.
Recently,
Latinx individuals show similar vulnerabilities to mental illness as the general population, but they face disparities in treatment. According to a
Overcoming barriers to care
While mental healthcare remains stigmatized in the United States, the stigma is more pronounced in the Latinx community. This community is diverse, but many members share similar values,
Latinx therapists, like Kelly Rodriguez, are using social media accounts to overcome this. Rodriguez is a licensed marriage and family therapist and perinatal mental health certified professional based in Southern California. She runs
Stigma is rooted in either getting the wrong information or not having the correct sources of information, Rodriguez said.
“What we don’t know, we don’t understand and it’s scary. It’s easier to say I don’t believe in [therapy] because I don’t understand it, and reject it,” she added.
One of her more popular posts is a bilingual list of
Similarly, Juriana Hernandez, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Santa Clarita, California, created the account
“A lot of people think that therapy is for white people or the privileged and not for everyone else,” Hernandez said. She’s using her posts to debunk this assumption, focusing on relationships and narcissistic abuse in particular.
“A lot of people think that therapy is for white people or the privileged and not for everyone else.”
Besides stigma, a language barrier may prevent Latinx individuals from getting care, or they may simply want to work with someone who looks like them, speaks like them, and understands their culture. An overwhelming majority —
Finally, as NAMI explains, some in Latinx communities may not get treatment because they
“Sometimes people don’t know that what they’re experiencing is a mental health challenge,” Hernandez said. “They just might think there’s something wrong with them.”
Hernandez validates followers’ experiences and shows that they’re not alone in their struggles. For example, her
Avoiding misinformation risks
Therapy content on social media can be helpful, but there are risks. For example, posts are
Rodriguez, for example, keeps her content simple to avoid bringing up triggering topics that require nuance and more in-depth discussion. Her posts that get the most attention include practical, specific advice, such as
Another concern is that people who post about mental health, such as coaches or wellness enthusiasts, are easily confused with licensed professionals making similar content. When unqualified individuals share information and followers confuse them for credentialed experts, misinformation occurs as the content is understood as legitimate. Generally this content appears as vague, feel-good advice with no supporting context or specific recommendations. The danger lies in the fact that followers aren’t getting the support they may need, whether because the posts themselves are unhelpful or because they’re getting a false sense that the content is enough to support their mental health.
Compared to
“I like to remind people: Be mindful of who you follow. Do your research. Google those you follow to be sure they’re who they say they are. And be mindful of terminology because therapy, counseling, coaching, psychiatry, etc. mean different things,” Hernandez said. To illustrate, mental health counselors
Extending support beyond social media
Instagram therapy by and for Latinx individuals offers unique benefits to improving mental health access. In Hernandez’s experience, people first find her Instagram, then go to her website to learn more, and eventually call to set up further care. If she’s not the right fit for them or if they’re not in California, where she is licensed, she uses the Instagram account
As founder Adriana Alejandre described in a statement, Latinx Therapy is not just an Instagram account, but also “a multimedia community that destigmatizes mental health myths, provides education to eliminate taboos of therapy, and advocates to combat mental health stigmas.” More specifically, it provides a national directory of Latinx therapists and support for mental health professionals of color. It bridges online engagement and real-life support.
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Alejandre is a trauma therapist and activist, bringing both backgrounds to Latinx Therapy. “Our platforms exist to encourage anyone who wants to heal to know that they can heal with a provider of color, and that if they want to choose to build a career within the field of psychology, that they are not alone and we will support them,” she said. Beyond care, the network is empowering Latinx individuals to become providers themselves. Latinx Therapy offers
With more Latinx therapists comes a better ability to reflect the diverse background of the Latinx community, something Hernandez sees the benefit of firsthand in her practice and through @_amortherapy_.
“How do we break these patterns and change generations? It’s through social media. It has negative aspects, but if you use it in a way that can provide information to a lot of people it can be very effective and very helpful,” Hernandez said.
If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, Crisis Text Line provides free, confidential support 24/7. Text CRISIS to 741741 to be connected to a crisis counselor. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Here is
Marissa Cruz Lemar is a writer and health communications consultant. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post and Insider, among others. Follow her on Twitter: @mcruzmissile