Mental Health In The Black Community

by Aurea Castro April 23, 2022

Mental Health in the Black Community

The stigma surrounding mental health is very serious and dangerous, especially within black communities. Black people have been depicted as supernaturally strong and able to endure more than the average person and years of this false depiction has not only framed the way society views us but how we view ourselves as well.

Within black communities, there has been little to no discussion on mental health until recently. Mental health issues within black communities have been seen as a “luxury” only white people can afford to have. We have been conditioned to believe that we don't have the “luxury” to have problems because we have to work twice as hard to get by and ten times harder to be successful, there's no time to take care of ourselves. We have been conditioned to push through our hardships and illnesses since we were brought here and it's still embedded in our subconscious to this day.

Recently mental health has become a serious topic of conversation within various communities including the Black Community. The black community's youth and medical community has been doing a great job at bringing awareness to mental health and mental disorders/illnesses within the black community, allowing it to become more common in conversations within black communities. There are hundreds of years of trauma that have shaped who we are today and current issues that have a major impact on our community and I think we are at a great start to healing and learning how to correctly manage our mental health problems.

Personal Research

When it comes to discussing mental health it's important to be careful and sensitive with your approach to avoid offending or triggering a mental health disorder/illness. While doing research I decided to come up with my questions to ask some people that are close to me to get to know them better and to get a better understanding of their mental health and their thoughts on mental health within black communities. The questions listed below are the questions that I ask 4 different black individuals (their answers can be found at the end of this article).

Prompts

Have you ever experienced any mental health issues? If so, what?

Do you have a Mental Health disorder/illness?

Do you know anyone you’re close to that has a mental health disorder/illness?

How have you managed or worked through your bad days?

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about mental health?

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about your mental health?

When did you first become aware of the importance of your mental health?

Do you support therapy/counseling?

Do you find mental health disorders/illnesses to be common within black communities?

Do you think therapy should be more common and accessible for black youth?

What do you think contributes to the Mental health disorder within black communities?

How well do you think the black community handles mental health disorders and difficulties?

How would you like the black community to handle it?

What are 5 things that always bring you joy?

Growing up in the hood there wasn't much discussion around the importance of health, let alone mental health. When I was growing up I struggled a lot with my mental health and avoided discussing it with my family and friends due to the stigma surrounding people with mental health disorders/illness. It wasn't until my last two years of high school that I started to understand the true importance of taking care of my mental health and addressing the root of the problem and my triggers. For the majority of my life, I have suffered from Depression and Anxiety. When I was younger I thought I was wrong to be feeling sad, or anxious, or any other “negative” feeling and I felt like I was the only person going through these feelings and feeling this way, however, I now know better. Mental health disorders such as Depression and Anxiety are very common, but within the Black community, adults are more than 20% more likely to experience mental illness(Addressing Mental Health in the Black Community. By Thomas A. Vance, PhD. Columbia University Department of Physiatry. Published February 8, 2019). Within the past few years black youth have been experiencing mental health disorders at a much higher rate, however, there has been a much lower rate of mental health service providers. Personally, it was very difficult trying to find a mental health service provided that was not only affordable but also nearby and looked like me. There are very few providers within the neighborhoods of those that require the most help and even fewer providers that are black and affordable.

Mental Health Issues/ Disorders are often ignored, frowned upon, or simply untreated for various reasons within the black community. A few things that lead to these things are the negative stigmas surrounding mental health, the lack of knowledge and awareness, the lack of health support in general, and the lack of funds/insurance to pay for the survivors. Within lower-income black communities, there is often a higher percentage without health insurance which is also a factor to consider when it comes to being able to afford the services that are needed. “...the Black community, in particular, is at significantly increased risk of developing a mental health issue due to historical, economic, social, political influences that systemically expose the Black community to factors known to be damaging to psychological and physical health,” however, they have the least resources. (Addressing Mental Health in the Black Community. By Thomas A. Vance, Ph.D. Columbia University Department of Physiatry. Published February 8,2019).

Experiencing years of oppression, genocide, dehumanization, and inequality in a country that was built by you but against you can do a lot to one's self-esteem, and another mental and emotional state overall. “Mental health is, after all, more than depression, anxiety, or a bipolar disorder diagnosis. It is your overall emotional and mental wellbeing, including both positive and negative elements.” ( Stigma Regarding Mental Illness among People of Color. National Council for Behavioral Health. July 8, 2019) The black community has experienced more emotional and mental damage over the last 400 years than any other community, yet we still lack some of the essential services to help heal and rebuild our community.

While talking to other black people about their mental health experiences and beliefs, I concluded that a majority of black communities do not have enough services or awareness for Mental Health, and a lot that we know about mental health is filled with negative misinformation. While the black community has come far in bringing awareness to the importance of Mental Health and begun shattering the negative stigmas around mental health in the black community, we still have a lot to work on as individuals. A majority of the people that I spoke with would like to have a healthier conversation with their family members surrounding the topic of mental health, and be able to have a safe space to bring up the topic without feeling, less than, weak, or even “crazy”. One way we can do this is just by allowing ourselves to be open to new information and to share it with those around us. We can also be open to listening to those who experience mental health disorders/ illnesses and take them seriously. If you have a family member, friend, or someone close to you struggling with their mental health and particularly a Mental Illness, I’d highly suggest just simply listening to them, without judgment and unsolicited advice, and continue doing your research on the various forms of mental health disorders and illnesses: what they look like, how they can form and how they can be managed and/or treated. Below I have a few tips on relieving some of the effects of mental health disorders/ illnesses as well as a list of the most common types of mental disorders.

Do you know some ways you can relieve mental health issues?

Eat healthy food
Meditate, helps decrease depression and anxiety
Stretch/Yoga, helps decrease depression and anxiety
Exercise, helps decrease depression and anxiety
Avoid Smoking, Drinking, and Drugs
Surround yourself with loving people
Vent to a supportive figure: Friends, Family, Mentor, Teacher.
Get plenty of Sleep/Rest (9hrs)
Disconnect from negativity
Unplug from your electronics
Educate yourself on mental illnesses
Talk to a professional: Therapist, Counselor, Psychologist
Medication, if necessary and from a licensed professional

There are many different types of mental disorders. Some common ones include

Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias
Mood Disorders, including Depression, bipolar disorder, and others
Eating disorders
Personality disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia
Dementia, Huntington's disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc.

Q&A

Have you ever experienced any mental health issues? If so, what?

Yes, Anxiety, Depression, Manic, and Panic Attacks

Do you have a Mental Health disorder/illness?

Bipolar II Disorder, General Anxiety, PTSD, and an Eating Disorder (ARFID)

Do you know anyone you’re close to that has a mental health disorder/illness?

How have you managed or worked through your bad days?

Therapy, meditation, medication, music, sleep, showers, crying, alcohol, weed, distractions, and educating myself

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about mental health?

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about your mental health?

My friends but not my family

When did you first become aware of the importance of your mental health?

When I was 17

When did you begin having mental health issues?

Around 12, my depression started
Around 16, I started to have anxiety

Do you support therapy/counseling?

Do you find mental health disorders/illnesses to be common within black communities?

Yes, It's just not talked about

Do you think therapy should be more common and accessible for black youth?

Definitely

What do you think contributes to the Mental health disorder within black communities?

The negative stigma surrounding it in the communities, the fact that we are in a country that hates us and was set up for our oppressor's success and our downfall. All of the effects of systemic racism

How well do you think the black community handles mental health disorders and difficulties? And why?

Not well at all
Due to our history and our teachings

How would you like the black community to handle it?

needs to be a topic in all families and taken as important as physical health

What are 5 things that always bring you joy?

Cute animal videos
A Romcoms
Hanging out with Friends
Free stuff/Sales
Shopping

Have you ever experienced any mental health issues? If so, what?

Yes, Depression, ADD

Do you have a Mental Health disorder/illness?

Do you know anyone you’re close to that has a mental health disorder/illness?

Yes, gf has depression and anxiety

How have you managed or worked through your bad days?

Pick something to do with a sense of fulfillment, worked out

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about mental health?

Sometimes

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about your mental health?

Sometimes

When did you first become aware of the importance of your mental health?

When I was a teenager

Do you support therapy/counseling?

Do you find mental health disorders/illnesses to be common within black communities?

Do you think therapy should be more common and accessible for black youth?

What do you think contributes to the Mental health disorder within black communities?

Trauma that they have been put through throughout their lives. Death of family, lifestyle,

How well do you think the black community handles mental health disorders and difficulties? And Why?

Not very well, a lot choose to ignore it or brush it off like it's not a problem.
Because of generational issues, told us to keep pushing, and aren't allowed to feel weak

How would you like the black community to handle it?

Start embracing the situations and moving forward to start using therapy as a helpful tool and not see it as a crutch or weakness.

What are 5 things that always bring you joy?

Children
Family
Girlfriend
Wrestling
Art

Have you ever experienced any mental health issues? If so, what?

Yes, panic attacks when thinking about childhood with father

Do you have a Mental Health disorder/illness?

No, not that aware

Do you know anyone you’re close to that has a mental health disorder/illness?

Sister and friend.

How have you managed or worked through your bad days?

Prayer, talking to friends, sleep

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about mental health?

Friends yes, family no

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about your mental health?

Not really

When did you first become aware of the importance of your mental health?

In high school, it became more of a topic of conversation

Do you support therapy/counseling?

Do you find mental health disorders/illnesses to be common within black communities?

Do you think therapy should be more common and accessible for black youth?

Yes and should be talked about more when younger

What do you think contributes to the Mental health disorder within black communities?

Broken families, sure

How well do you think the black community handles mental health disorders and difficulties?

Not the best, because it's not talked about but getting better

How would you like the black community to handle it?

Talk about it more and allow black youth to have therapy and be able to talk about it. Encourage it within the youth and males.

What are 5 things that always bring you joy?

Food
Jesus
Friends
Shopping
Reading

Have you ever experienced any mental health issues? If so, what?

Had an anxiety attack once, sometimes feel depressed

Do you have a Mental Health disorder/illness?

No, haven't been diagnosed

Do you know anyone you’re close to that has a mental health disorder/illness?

Uncle and his wife has PTSD and memory loss and Friends

How have you managed or worked through your bad days?

Listen to music and watch movies, sometimes paint, social media

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about mental health?

Yes if it's ever brought up

Do you feel comfortable talking to your friends and or family about your mental health?

Friends yes, family not so much

When did you first become aware of the importance of your mental health?

When got to college, didn't realize the issues until got to college

Do you support therapy/counseling?

Do you find mental health disorders/illnesses to be common within black communities?

Yes for sure, many people deny that they have it. A lot of black people don’t believe that it can happen to them. People in the black community think if you have mental health issues you're crazy.