In America, millions of people experience feelings of anxiety, depression, or any other of a wide range of mental and emotional struggles. While literally anyone can experience mental health issues, bicultural people often have many more layers battling against them in this arena.
Racism, prejudices, and xenophobia still exist rampantly in America.
This makes it hard for bicultural people to find their place or “fit in.” Even if someone doesn’t believe in a need to fit in, this can still lurk beneath the surface and stir up trauma. When people feel like they don’t fit in, it can lead to insecurity, stress, and possibly mental illness.
Fortunately, there are ways we can do better and be more understanding of bicultural people and the struggles they go through.
Who Are Bicultural People?
The term bicultural can refer to many different types of people. Basically if you belong to one or more communities, you could consider yourself bicultural.
Multi-ethnic or mixed-race people.
Of course, not all multi-ethnic people look the same or experience the same things. A common term used is “passing,” or “presenting,” which refers to multi-racial people who may not have features or skin tones typically associated with people of their heritage. They may look a certain way but actually identify differently, resulting in part of their cultural heritage being erased.
It’s unfair and inaccurate to assume someone’s ethnicity only on how they look, but multi-racial people often experience it.
Someone adopted by a family of a different ethnicity or cultural heritage.
Someone in this situation might hear that they “don’t look like their family” or are made to feel that they should identify differently. Insidiously, caregivers are assumed to be hired help instead of parents. This can be very difficult when the erasure comes internally from the adopted family. Caregivers may say things like “We raise our kids not to see color,” but the child has NO CHOICE but to “see color,” resulting in conflicted identity development. There is no right or wrong way that a family should look, and pervasive sentiments like these can be incredibly damaging.
Immigrants or first-generation American immigrants.
When people immigrate to the United States, there’s often a culture shock. Even if someone expects a lot of changes, the depth of nuance in differing cultures can be vast. Culture varies by country, community, and through so many factors — so when someone enters a new country, they’re not only bringing their culture somewhere new but simultaneously adjusting to a brand new culture. First and second generation immigrants often experience the feeling of belonging to two worlds, and therefore not fully feeling like we belong anywhere.
How Is Mental Wellness Affected?
Bicultural Americans face challenges that some people never have to consider in their lives. Racism and prejudices are significant, and there are many other things at play too.
Bicultural people may struggle to find their identity in America.
It’s hard to find a balance between a culture you know and one you embrace once you immigrate somewhere new. This dichotomy is difficult internally as you categorize and organize and make sense of everything you’ve known and everything you’re learning. This struggle can be a heavy burden to bear on it’s own, but it becomes even harder when other people are involved.
In America especially, it’s not always easy for bicultural people to be comfortable with their identities because of prejudices. Everyone deserves to not only feel comfortable with their identity but to be able to express and embrace their culture. This is a LOT harder when outside people are shaming an aspect of your cultural identity.
This can lead to a type of impostor syndrome for first-generation Americans. People who feel like they are not “_____” enough for any setting often begin questioning other parts of their identity and hide things about themselves that are not part of the dominant culture. This creates space for internalizing other people’s messages about who they are, and can contribute to some serious self-doubt.
(If you’re interested in joining a program focused on impostor syndrome for first-generation Americans, click here to learn more.)
It may be more difficult for bicultural people to find their community.
It’s very common for bicultural people to struggle to find a community that makes sense for them or gives a true sense of belonging. There’s a lot of pressure to “fit in” in American culture, making it difficult for people who don’t align with one single identity. This may lead to sacrificing parts of your identity to connect with more people.
The problem with “fitting in.”
It’s important to fit in when it comes to finding space to where you belong, but if you’re trying too hard to fit in and it’s not successful, then it might be worth it to consider you’re trying to fit in with the wrong crowd.
Some examples of unsuccessful fitting in include not getting the benefits of belonging, not receiving any emotional support, and having to do emotional labor to make people comfortable with you.
It’s also important to differentiate yourself so you don’t get lost. You don’t want to be erased! The cost of fitting in is often ignoring parts of yourself. While this may make it easier to find community, you can completely lose the parts that make you unique, interesting, and different.
Everyone deserves to feel welcome and safe. Without a community, some people may struggle to find a place where they truly belong. Consequently, this can lead to bicultural people being more prone to mental illness.
Being More Considerate of Mental Health for Bicultural People
If you’re a bicultural American, then you likely know first-hand how hard it can be to find your place and establish your identity. You have to work twice as hard as many other people, and it’s not fair.
But as you continue to grow into your identity, know that you aren’t alone. Even though it may feel like it sometimes, there are resources available. A great way to help you make sense of your struggles and build a safe space is to consider seeking out therapy. A therapist can help you work through your emotions and experiences in a comfortable environment. Furthermore, they may help you find more resources like support groups or communities of people in similar situations.
It’s not easy to navigate a world in which you feel alone, but your goal is to learn that only you define yourself rather than trying to fit into anyone else’s label or box. You can and will find ways to be successful on your terms rather than relying on others - because in the end, that’s what matters most.
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As a bicultural person, it is absolutely possible to connect with more than one identity. If you want to begin figuring out your identity and finding a community, consider contacting a therapist to get started on your journey.
Prospect Therapy is a queer + trans affirming therapy practice based in Long Beach, CA, with a focus on mental health for first-generation, immigrant, and bicultural communities. We continue to provide online therapy for a variety of mental wellness and relationship concerns to clients throughout the state of California. Learn more about how we bring lived experience to our work with LGBTQ+ folks of all ages in our communities by requesting a consultation below.