Mexican: Alcoholism

In response to a question posed about increasing alcoholism and drug abuse rates among Mexican immigrants, Leticia Alanis, Director of La Unión, an organization in Sunset Park, Brooklyn that works on fixing the unjust immigration system through comprehensive reform, commented that she doesn’t pay attention to that issue or enjoy talking about it because substance dependency is a common stereotype held about Mexican-Americans. “It is a problem though,” Alanis said. When the group of CITYtermers met with councilwomen Sarah M. González, she explicated that alcoholism is increasing here among immigrants; it is an issue which stems from the traumatic adversities which come with immigrating to America.

Studies suggest that the increasing rates of substance abuse and psychiatric disorders are a result of the “Americanization” process. As immigrants undergo acculturation, “drinking levels among Latinos more closely approximate those of the mainstream culture,” wrote William A. Vega in an article titled, “Co-Occurring Alcohol, Drug, and Other Psychiatric Disorders Among Mexican-Origin People in the United States.” That is, the US and Mexico boast differing cultures around alcohol. When Mexicans come to The United States, they encounter conflicting ideals. According to this article, the typical Mexican consumes alcohol less frequently but in greater quantities than the typical American. This episodic practice was dubbed “fiesta drinking.” Guzzling alcohol in American culture is done more casually and frequently. Thus, acculturation, or the integration of the two cultures, leads Mexican immigrants to drink at the frequency seen commonly in America but in the same quantity as they were used to in their home country.

Another factor which contributes to the rise of alcohol dependency among this group of immigrants is the difficulty of assimilation without psychological ramifications. Cultural barriers and societal behaviors leave immigrants feeling ostracized by the community they populate. Immigrants feel lonely, especially those that came here alone, or without their families. Mental health problems such as depression is a pertinent issue among immigrants, especially undocumented ones; the struggles to make a life for oneself while enduring the harsh realities of being undocumented have lasting pernicious effects. Thus articles like “Acculturation and Alcohol Use: Drinking Patterns and Problems among Anglo and Mexican American Male Drinkers,” argue that immigrants depend on alcohol as an escape strategy, a way to cope with their tough lives in America.

“The migration methodology should be more humane, less traumatic, so people wouldn’t have to depend on substances to make their lives worthwhile,” said Alanis. “I think we should look at the human aspect of everything. People are very resilient despite the hardship they have to go through making their lives as best they can. The group of people that rely on alcohol is really a minority, they are the people without any support systems,” Alanis continued. “There needs to be a solution.”

Overall, it is hard to come to conclusions about this topic without making generalizations or offending people like Leticia Alanis. On Saturday, at about 2 pm, Kyra, Joelle, and Linne were wandering through Spanish Harlem, or El Barrio, when they came across a small group of men on the sidewalk. After a short conversation, the three women could conclude that the men were Mexican immigrants, spoke very little English, and were noticeably inebriated. They were standing outside of a small pub-like building which housed another 15 Mexican men inside, all working on 40 ounce bottles of Corona beer. They began beckoning at the three girls to come inside, but Joelle, Linne, and Kyra wisely elected to decline the offer. This was only one personal observance of a relationship between Mexican immigrants and alcohol consumption, but after reading multiple reports of studies done, we can conclude it is not solitary.

What we do know is that alcoholism rates increase for any group of people facing harsh adversity. It makes sense why immigrants to America would latch onto substances as a means of coping in a situation, such as making a life for oneself and one’s family, which may appear hopeless. “When a person has a problem like alcoholism , the whole family is affected,” said Alanis. Substance abuse is a sad reality among populations of minority groups today, and often there isn’t much help out there. Stereotypes and ethnic stigma are to blame for this. A possible solution is increasing empathy for these people, helping them to increase their self-identification, so they believe in themselves and do not give up and turn to the bottle, which is what the three girls regrettable witnessed on Saturday.