User:Avillalobostovar/sandbox

Mental Health
To further study the underlying health effects of the machismo culture, it has been found that individuals with this mentality have higher levels of stress and depression. To explain machismo culture, it is seen as the set of beliefs and expectations regarding the role of men in society. The stigma behind mental health leads for individuals to think that they have to "get it together" because they have to be strong to take care of their family. According to Martinez, "Overtly displaying emotion reveals weakness, which contradicts real (Latino) manhood; thus, creating a barrier leading many Latino men not to acknowledge depression." Growing up in an environment where the machismo mentality is strongly present has clear negative effects. Men are not allowed to freely express their emotions and problems without being seen as weak and unable to care for themselves and for their family. Feelings of shame for wanting to talk to a medical professional and bringing light to the topic outside of the family also come along with this mentality.

The pressure of living to these standards where gender roles are strongly enforced and can result in backlash if not met, can result in individuals having these increased levels of stress and depression. Additionally, the more traditional implications of machismo such as hostility, sexism, dominance, and emotional restrictiveness is associated with anxiety. These studies have also found that both non-Hispanic Whites and Mexican American men will report these high levels of stress and anxiety if they have been exposed to these masculine ideologies.

To help individuals cope with the effects of stress, depression, and anxiety, in some cultures, individuals would seek help from professionals such as therapists or psychologists. However in the machismo culture, seeking medical attention for mental health support is frowned upon. Typically in Mexican culture (and in other Latin American countries), there is a reliance on religious and herbal medicinal practices to overcome a lot of illnesses, whether they be physical or mental illnesses. With this, many individuals are often told that they should rely on God and their religious faith.

Effects on Women
Machismo does not only affect men themselves, but it also affects the women in these men's lives. Given that the machismo culture is the set of beliefs and expectation regarding the role of men in society, women also have a set of expectations in society (known is "marianismo"). Girls are taught to cook and clean at a young age because the older women in their lives tell them they must know these things in order to avoid making their future husbands angry and to avoid becoming victims of physical violence. Due to the idea that men are the head of the household, it creates an environment where women are to listen and do what their husband tells them. It creates a toxic environment where women are subject to violence if they do not follow through with what is said. The violence against women is constantly increasing, with there being around 4,000 femicides in Latin America. If not addressed, these numbers will continue to increase, and more and more men will be able to get away with the crimes that they have committed.