Mind over Brain Matter

Event Description:

In recent years, mental health care has been a topic of concern, and advances in research have shown various health disparities contributing to its rise. Although increased awareness of these issues has encouraged people to seek treatment, the presence of stigma has been a significant hindrance to gaining additional support. Our “Mind over Brain Matter” program will unify the discussion of scientific research, higher education, and mental health.

Our overarching goal is to raise awareness of mental health and how neural mechanisms are affected in psychiatric illnesses. More importantly, we aim to underline the impact of research in understanding the brain mechanisms, treatment, and healthcare disparities.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about one in every five individuals in the United States suffers from a mental disorder; sadly, less than half obtain treatment. Perceptions of mental health impact a person’s capacity to recognize symptoms and willingness to seek and engage in care. Hispanics with lower socioeconomic status are less likely to seek health care and report behavioral health issues due to the cultural stigma associated with mental health disorders.

Therefore, our proposed program will target students from the University of Texas at El Paso, a Hispanic serving institute bordering the city of Juarez, Mexico. Although the university has long been recognized as a research serving institute, there remains a poor understanding of the neural mechanisms contributing to mental health at the public level of El Paso, Texas. Moreover, as a culturally diverse population, various stigmas surround mental health, its treatment, the general knowledge of these disorders, and how scientific research glues this together.

Alternate Description: Spanish

La atención de la salud mental ha sido un tema de preocupación y los avances en la investigación han mostrado varias disparidades de salud que contribuyen a su aumento. Aunque una mayor conciencia de estos problemas ha alentado a las personas a buscar tratamiento, la presencia del estigma ha sido un obstáculo importante para obtener apoyo adicional. Nuestro programa “Mind over Brain Matter” unificará la discusión de la investigación científica. Nuestro objetivo es crear conciencia sobre la salud mental y cómo los mecanismos neuronales se ven afectados en las enfermedades psiquiátricas.