Culture is the integrated patterns of human behaviors, which include actions, beliefs, language, customs, thoughts, and institutions such as religious, social, racial, and ethnic groups. Different cultures hold various beliefs regarding diseases, health, healthcare providers, and treatment. As such, culture has diverse effects on mental health, mentally ill patients, and treatment. Also, culture determines how ethnic and social groups respond to the development of mental health and treatment. Nonetheless, the beliefs and attitudes of individuals in society are shaped by their knowledge on the subject of mental illness (Satcher para 2). The focus of this paper is on factors that the ethnic minority groups of African-Americans use to classify mental illness and distinguish it from other mental related issues such as psychological well-being and treatment. Hence, emotions, stress, perceived causes, treatment seeking behavior and other factors related to mental health are as a result of the culture practiced in a particular society and specific environment.
Emotions and Behavioral Symptoms
Various studies highlight the fact that some behaviors and display of particular emotions are associated with mental illness. So, behaviors such as self-talk, crying, self-laughter and physical issues including headaches, body aches, and escaping are linked to mental instability. Although some theorists claim that all behaviors including problematic ones are learned, the lay individuals in African-American communities perceive such practices as a sign of mental illness. Thus, while the rational explanation for happiness is well-being and health, the society, especially the ethnic minority groups associate it with mental problems. Similarly, emotions such as anger, fear, guilt, pain, helplessness, and anxiety are seen as apparent signs of mental anomalies. Therefore, the understanding and perceptions of issues of mental health in this group use common medical conditions to relate them to mental health. For instance, a cardiac arrest is a medical problem faced by many people; however, minority ethnic groups would connect it to heartbreaks resulting from relationship conflicts.