Russian Cultural Profile
Mental Health

"The crux of the mental health issue rests with what is considered normal. Because this varies cross-culturally, behaviors which are perceived as normal in one culture are deemed abnormal in another. This becomes a problem in the United States because of the vast numbers of people from diverse cultures living here. While there are some individuals who would be considered mentally ill in any culture, there are many who are labeled mentally ill because their beliefs or behavior are not consistent with cultural norms. For example, a person who has visions of the dead may be perceived as abnormal, normal or even special, depending on the beliefs of the culture. Health care providers who understand the world view of their patients generally have much more success in treating them." (Source: Galanti, Geri-Ann)

 Providing mental health care to a culturally diverse community is indeed a tremendous challenge. In addition to confronting different conceptions of what is normal, the job of mental health care providers in Utica is often complicated by a language barrier. Many refugees arrive in the United States with substantial psychological baggage, but it is hard for refugees to express how they are feeling to a psychologist when they do not yet know English. Also, as Galanti notes, health care workers also need to be sensitive to the fact that mental illness is highly stigmatized in many cultures. Patients may be reluctant to discuss emotional problems and even more unwilling to visit a mental health care provider.

In Russia, there is a stigma attached to mental illness. Parents with children who are mentally ill are ashamed, and rarely bring their children out in public. Russians are often afraid to seek treatment for mental illness, as people who are diagnosed with mental illness can lose their jobs or be forced into mental institutions.