The psychology group hopes to increase mental health care for Muslim Americans

Salman Shaheen Ahmed still remembers the day a family member was beaten up at a high school in the Washington, D.C., area just because he believed he was Muslim.

Ahmed is used to security guards at airports scrutinizing him more thoroughly than others because of his name and beard.

Merranda McLaughlin has a close Muslim friend who wears a head covering. And she can’t forget the day her friend was shopping in Miami and a woman pointed at her and called her a terrorist in Spanish.

These are just a few examples of Islamophobia — the dislike, fear, and prejudice against Islam or Muslims — that is rampant in the United States. Hate crimes against Muslims in America have continued unabated, peaking a few years after the September 11 attacks and around the 2016 election. And the stress over this prejudice is affecting the mental health of Muslim Americans.

Studies show that there are Muslim Americans. High anxiety and depression From other minority groups, and it can be twice as well They are more likely to commit suicide. than other religious groups. However, Muslims are often shunned from mental health services, and a new study from the University of Miami’s College of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology sheds more light on this phenomenon.

“We hear negative talk about Muslims in America and how Islam is un-American, which is harmful to Muslims, even if they are not physically harmed,” said McLaughlin, a clinical psychology graduate student in the group. “We’ve learned that Muslim Americans are at higher risk for mental health problems because of the high levels of Islamophobia and discrimination they’ve experienced in the US.”

That’s why Ahmed, McLaughlin and psychology professor Amy Weissman started De Mamani. The Muslim American Project. Through this collaboration, the trio hopes to conduct research that will expand their knowledge of the unique psychological needs of the Muslim American community, as well as raise awareness of the benefits of mental health services and interventions available to them.

“Muslims often lack knowledge about mental health, and there are stigmas surrounding mental illness in society. So they are less likely to ask for help. Coupled with the discrimination they face, this puts those suffering from mental health issues at greater risk,” said Ahmed, a graduate student in clinical psychology who grew up Muslim.

The group has already published five studies on the topic. And this fall, they’re launching a series of virtual therapy sessions tailored to Muslims across Florida. Because Weissman de Mamani has been developing culturally informed treatment for people living with schizophrenia, the group is adapting her model to help Muslims struggling with more common mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety. They are currently contacting mosques and Muslim American groups across the state and hope to begin meetings in the next few weeks.

“We know from research that ethnic minorities are more likely to drop out of treatment, so we ask questions to explore what’s most important to each person during culturally informed treatment,” said Weissman de Mamani, co-director of the study. Division in the psychology department. “And studies show that culturally informed therapy outperforms traditional psychiatric models by helping individuals in a more personalized way.”

Recently, the group Journal of Counseling and Clinical PsychologyA nationwide survey of 350 Muslim Americans. One of the main findings was that Muslims who believe Islamophobia is high in the United States experience greater psychological distress and are less likely to seek mental health services.

“There’s a cultural mistrust between many Muslims and American society today, so many Muslims who are discriminated against may not want to seek help from any authority—whether it’s law enforcement or psychological help—because they feel they’re taking a risk by putting themselves out there,” Ahmed said.

For Muslim Americans who do not seek mental health help, easily accessible community-based services and treatment from a Muslim therapist or someone of the same race may lead them to seek treatment, the study found.

“Unfortunately, despite the fact that Muslims interact with health professionals, many psychotherapists in the United States are unfamiliar with Islamic practices and may struggle to properly integrate traditional and Islamic beliefs in their therapy sessions,” McLaughlin said. “That’s why we ask about these preferences before treatment and assign clients to treatment groups that can best meet their needs.”

The group found that Muslims who immigrate to America often have better mental health than Muslims who were born in this country. Another study found that people who convert to Islam are often More vulnerable Mental health challenges related to their faith compared to people who grew up Muslim.

Ahmed explored “spiritual bypass,” or spiritual beliefs and practices, to avoid seeking psychological help. Praying more and being more religious can help one overcome emotional pain or illness, a common belief among some Muslims. While many seek help from their local imam or spiritual guide, these leaders often lack the mental health training needed to guide someone through a crisis.

“It is important to use religion and spirituality to deal with your problems. However, using it when you need mental health care may reduce those benefits for your mental health,” Ahmed said, citing research published by the team. Psychology of religion and spirituality.

Along with the therapy sessions the group will soon begin offering, Ahmed plans to visit mosques and Muslim American groups throughout Florida as part of his dissertation. It provides educational presentations about the psychological challenges faced by this population, highlights the strengths held by Muslim communities to address these challenges, and shares resources for finding help.

“We want to increase the knowledge and care of mental health in the Muslim community because there is a great need at this time,” Ahmed. “We hope that through our efforts, Muslims will become more open to medicine and the improved treatments available to them.

All three hope their efforts will help curb the continuing problems many Muslims face in isolation.

“We want to dispel the idea that psychotherapy is incompatible with Islam, and the broader goal is to see if we can provide interventions to reduce suicide and anxiety in this community,” said Weissman de Mamani.