Depression can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at anytime. For Honduran immigrant Marco Antonio Muñoz death by suicide was a response to the emptiness and hopelessness he felt when his wife and child were ripped away from him.
The 39-year-old father took his own life while held in a Texas detention facility weeks after the Trump administration launched a harsh crackdown of unauthorized crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. Antonio was so desperate, that he chose to face death rather than a life without his family.
Suicide impacts Latinxs of all ages, identities and backgrounds. For some of our men, mental health can be compounded due to cultural attitudes that dictate los hombres no lloran, and discourages them from expressing stress, depression or emotions.
Studies show that:
*Poor communication and taking action seeking help can keep some Latinxs from recovering from mental illness.
*Few Latinxs with a depressive episode seek help, partially due to lack of health insurance and Latinx health professionals.
*Depression among Latinas is higher, at 46%, than Latinos, with 19.6%.
There is no shame in living with mental illness. keep an eye on warning signs for when a loved one needs medical attention, and help them seek the treatment they need.
