How Culture and Environment Influence Behavioral Health
Posted by Improving Lives Counseling | Articles
Society continually feeds the notion that culture and environment affect the brain and strongly contribute to one’s successes or failures. Culture contributes to functional subsystems in the brain that might not otherwise exist and research shows culture influences brain functioning, however, environment, language, social, economic, and biological factors along with language have a much bigger impact. Bullying, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, emotional disorders, ADHD, and developmental disorders are not limited to any specific culture or environment. Improving Lives Counseling Services provides the mental health assessment, therapy, and treatment needed for children, adolescents, and adults, irrespective of culture or environment. We know that left untreated in children, these disorders negatively affect performance in school and development of relationships, and some of them have the diagnosis ODD, a behavior disorder in which a child displays a pattern of irritable, hostile, and defiant behaviors.
Culture and environment are often the culprits leading to malnutrition and physical illness; however, chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and behavioral orders can be caused by divorce, coercion within the family unit, failed or unhealthy discipline, low self-esteem, poor attitudes and – believed by many – chemicals, cleaning products, and furnishings found within the home. No population, ethnic group, community, culture, or environment is exempt from behavior disorders. Regardless of biology, heredity, or genes, we are each individual in our total makeup. The earlier a behavioral disorder is diagnosed, the more likely the child or adult suffering from it can be treated.
Because poverty is often the culprit linking impoverished inner city and poor rural communities to behavioral disorders, Improving Lives Counseling Services accepts SoonerCare, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority’s Medicaid Program. Improving Lives Counseling Services recently joined Barter Exchange, accepting barter dollars for certain services. We also accept most insurances. Don’t allow culture or environment to keep you from getting the help you need. Live the life you were meant to live – wherever it might be. Improving Lives Counseling Services is here for you. Call us.
