Minorities Face Diverse Challenges in Australia’s Mental Health System
When 29-year-old Gautam* sustained life changing injuries in a car accident in 2022, he struggled to communicate his needs, ask for medical advice and provide detailed answers to medical questions. Despite having an excellent grasp of English, his injuries and pain management regime, left him struggling to describe his pain, injuries and trauma.
Gautam is one of nearly half a million Indian born, or Indian descendants living in Victoria. Like nearly a third of Victorians, Gautham’s first language and cultural values are poorly understood by health care practitioners, both in a hospital setting and in rehabilitation and recovery.
Gautam’s biggest challenges came when treating the ongoing psychological impacts of living through a near-death experience. While patients are provided with a professionally trained interpreter during their hospital stay, ongoing, Gautam relied on family and friends to assist.
“A few months post-surgery, I began to suffer panic attacks. I found myself experiencing depression and anxiety for the first time, so I had no experience managing the symptoms. Despite attending rehab, I still struggle to find the right English words sometimes. Even when they’re quite simple.” Said Gautam.
While Gautam was one of the lucky ones, finding Clinical Psychologists Jennifer Sankaran, an Indian born expert in Trauma and PTSD psychology, who spoke his language and understood his family challenges, the outcome is not the same for all minority patients seeking help.
Cultural and Family Values
Gautam was raised in a family that expected stoicism, fortitude and resilience. His reluctance to share his declining mental health with family and friends meant he needed to seek professional help.
“I couldn’t exactly take my brother or mother to interpret at the psychologist’s office. I found speaking about my symptoms impossible, in my first language, let alone in English. I lasted two sessions with my first psychologist.”
Gautam’s mental health declined significantly, and family and friends felt powerless to offer help.
“Our family has no experience of men suffering mental health problems. We don’t discuss it so we have no resources or learned experience for helping” he said.
Gautam’s experience is not unique. Post-trauma, speakers of English as a second language generally experience poorer mental and physical outcomes, increased risks of complications, reduced ongoing quality of life, increased health care costs and greater risk of social isolation.
“Recovering from a traumatic experience highlights the challenges that speakers of a language other than English face, but the lesson comes at the most vulnerable time in that person’s life. Finding the right psychologist, who understands not only language but the cultural implications of the traumatic event, is key to a successful recovery,” said Indian born, Fitzroy Psychologist, Jennifer Sankaran, Co-Author of Indian Understanding of Positive Psychotherapy, International Journal of Psycho-social Research, Vo. 3(1), 131-34.
Bilingual Psychologists Not Enough
Specialists, Clinical Psychologists with a focus on the correct methodology for the patient’s needs delivers the best mental health outcomes. While it may be possible to find a bilingual psychologist in Melbourne, locating one with the right specialist skillset will determine the outcome of the therapy. Treating patients who’ve undergone acute trauma, resulting PTSD, lifestyle changes, anxiety and depression may require specialist Acceptance and Commitment Therapist. The patient however, may respond better to a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. The choice of psychologists impacts the outcomes of therapy.
Choosing the right psychologist goes beyond language
While increased funding, further cultural training for both mental health professionals and interpreters and ongoing recruitment in minority communities will improve the outcomes for minorities seeking mental health care, navigating the current system successfully starts with:
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Gather resources from health agencies, including bilingual therapists near you.
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Seek recommendations from peers, family and friends.
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Research the psychological approach that best suits your situation and personality
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Research psychology clinics that offer multiple therapists across different approaches
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Persevere, even if your first choice doesn’t work out.
Seeking mental health care is the only way to improve your situation. Even imperfect mental health care can have a positive impact.
*Names and details changed to protect patient privacy.
