Native American Mental Health Essay

There are many cultural and traditional factors that should be considered in understanding the current Native American youth suicide crisis. Cultural preferences for care and historical traumas play a role in depression as well as in the perception of illness and treatment choices. (Borowsky et al, 1999) Native American’s view of health traditionally signifies a holistic perspective in which mental health is regarded as a part of the overall health and well-being of an individual. (Borowsky et al, 1999) In addition, a huge disparity exists in accessing mental health care among Native Americans driven by cultural insensitivities and barriers to care formed by the present mental health system for Native Americans. Native American youth are also stricken with a community-wide grief over the loss of their

(Shaughnessy et al, 2004) Historical trauma is defined as the legacy of social and cultural suffering associated with the harmful governmental policies enforced on Native American communities. (Borowsky et al, 1999) Decades of injustices and discrimination, including the spread of diseases, loss of land, betrayal of treaties, the reservation system, the mistreatment and cultural annihilation of the boarding school era, as well as federal assimilation policies, have greatly contributed to the historical trauma and generational grief experienced by Native Americans. (Borowsky et al, 1999) The impact of the trauma is extensive as it affects not only the victim but their family, friends, and community. Research among several reservations revealed that a significant portion of Native American adolescents had persistent thoughts of historical losses. (Shaughnessy et al, 2004) According to Shaughnessy, for many participants, the impression of historical trauma on their communities was extremely