MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY

Talking about mental health is a taboo that plagues our entire society. The quieter we are, the worse the issue gets. Yet in recent years we’ve finally started to talk about the importance of mental health. Many brave people and even celebrities have shared their stories with the world. While this is wonderful representation for many mentally ill people, I’ve noticed the lack of black voices. As an African American teenager who suffers with both mental and physical illnesses, I’ve experienced the “cold shoulder” that my community gives to those who have mental issues.

While many blacks ignore the problem of mental health, they don’t recognize how prevalent it is. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population.” Since we are at such a higher rate for being mentally ill, you’d think think we would do more to help support and diminish the problem. This problem is too big for us to idly stand by while our brothers and sisters remain untreated. A large amount of those struggling suffer from things such as ADHD or major depression. When parents or family shame you into keeping these things a secret, we see more windows of opportunity, to speak out, close. “Black adults are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than adult whites,” explains Mental Health America. Those feelings, combined with the fear of speaking out can quickly evolve into disorders like major depression, which many blacks suffer from as well.

In 2013 a study was conducted by Ward, Wiltshire, Detry, and Brown (1). The study focused on African American men and women’s attitudes towards mental illnesses, along with how they deal with those problems. 30% of participants reported having or being treated for a mental illness. Yet in general the participants weren’t willing to acknowledge psychological problems. To make it worse, participants were apprehensive about reaching out for professional aid. The obvious fear of finding help stems from horrible stigmas in the community. Some believe that admitting you need help is a sign of weakness. Being vulnerable is a deep rooted taboo among blacks. I mean our ancestors dealt with being beaten and lynched every day, how dare we let our feelings get to us. This belief that poor mental health stems from having negative feelings is also a large issue. The science behind illnesses such as depression or anxiety is widely ignored. Excuses are constantly made to pretend this evidence is falsified so the population can continue to turn a blind eye to the mentally ill community. Symptoms of ADHD will be chalked up to a child who is easily distracted. Those with anxiety are viewed as simply being nervous wrecks.

We know that blacks are very prone to having mental illnesses, but why? Like most of our troubles, it stems from racism. The way our community is disadvantaged ties directly to difficult situations. Homelessness, poverty, and direct racism are factors that increase the chances of being diagnosed. We also have a large lack of resources . In our communities, finding facilities to help treat our psychological problems is rare. Leading us to have to travel to find a doctor who can offer guidance. But when our therapists don’t look like us how can we truly confide in them? A survey conducted by the APA in 2014 found, “African Americans make up less than 2% of APA members.” This lack of diversity explains the reports of blacks experiencing micro-aggressions or racism from those supposed to make us feel better. Even if we had facilities with unbiased doctors, our wealth disparities are much harder to conquer. The Agency for Healthcare research and Quality reported, “15.9% of Black/African Americans versus 11.1% of white Americans were still uninsured in 2014.” This poses a challenge for those who require medical care and prescription drugs as well.

For those of us who are black and mentally ill, this burden is one we will have to struggle with for a long time. That is, unless we create change. It’s hard but we have to pave the way for our younger and future family members. That means taking the time to have those serious conversations with our family. While we may be viewed as “crazy” or “dramatic”, we can work together to educate those who lack the ability to understand by themselves. Sometimes, we need help and when we do, we deserve the same opportunities as everyone else. Black people are incredibly strong people but we have to remember that we are not invincible.

(1) Ward, E. C., Wiltshire, J. C., Detry, M. A., & Brown, R. L. (2013). African American men and women's attitude toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and preferred coping behaviors. Nursing Research, 62(3), 185-194. doi:10.1097/NNR.0b013e31827bf533