Opinion: Historical trauma affecting Indian Country today

Thursday, April 28, 2011  

"About 85% of Native People nationally have mental health issues such as anxiety-panic attacks, depression, and anger- violence issues. We as Native People must ask ourselves - "Why?"

According Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart, Ph.D. " Five hundred years of conquest death cultural deprivation, and mistreatment have left North American native populations with unresolved grief about their history, which must be openly discussed if it is going to be resolved."

Medical anthropologist Spero Manson, Ph.D.,: "What Native people living today experience counts more than what happened to their ancestors. Trauma is also associated with risk for and high rates of onset and poor control of diabetes, asthma,and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."

Whether it is government commodities on the reservation or the food you buy in the super market or fast food restaurants, all of it has high quantities of sugar. Sugar contributes directly to diabetes, obesity and alcoholism, which in turn contributes to the mental health issues; anxiety-panic attacks, depression and anger-violence issues. They in turn manifest into cardio-vascular problems, strokes and heart attacks. All of these are directly linked and inter-connected as being the biggest killers of Native People in Indian Country."

Get the Story:
Mike Raccoon Eyes Kinney: INDIAN COUNTRY'S HISTORICAL TRAUMA AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OF THE 21ST CENTURY (Indymedia 4/28)