Don’t Call Me Crazy: Mental Health in the Black Community

Mental illness in the black community is real. By no means am I a therapist or psychologist but over the years I’ve meet people who I really believe have mental health issues. They are high functioning so, they appear mentally stable at first glance but as you get to know them better you start to see things that are off. To them it’s normal but from the outside looking in you can tell something is wrong. It saddens my heart because how do you tell a friend or someone you care about that they need to seek help without offending them? Unfortunately, you can’t. Most people hear the words mental illness and automatically think you’re calling them crazy. When you think about it who really wants to be called crazy?

Contrary to popular belief, having a mental illness does not mean you are crazy. Just as the name implies, it’s an illness which can affect your thinking, mood and/or behavior. It can affect your ability to relate to others and function in normal everyday environments. Some common mental health disorders among black people include major depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and schizophrenia. Just like most illnesses, with the right treatment some mental illnesses are reversible or at least manageable.

Let’s face it, black people have a deep rooted traumatic past that has been passed down from generation to generation, so on some level we all have mental health issues to address. Stress and mood swings are things that we all experience but at high levels it is toxic. Since stress is normal it maybe difficult to determine if you are exhibiting regular behavior or if you are experiencing signs of mental illness. It can appear to be similar and there is really no self assessment you can take to really know if you are suffering from a mental illness or not, but there are signs you can look out for that should prompt you to seek medical care.
• Excessive worrying or fear
• Feeling helpless or hopeless
• Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or “lows
• Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
• Pulling away from people and wanting to be alone all the time
• Eating or sleeping too much or too little
• Difficulty perceiving reality including, delusions or hallucinations
• Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality
• New found or increase use of alcohol, drugs etc.
• Thinking of harming yourself or others
• Feeling numb or like nothing matters
• Having unexplained aches and pains
• Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head
• Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
• Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
• Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school

Self-awareness and honesty is vital when trying to decipher if you may have mental health issues and need to seek professional help. It is important to remember mental illness is not your fault, it can be hereditary, caused by childhood trauma or intergenerational trauma. While it’s not your fault that you have a mental illness, it is left up to you to seek treatment so you can get better and live a less stressful life.

I often hear the ignorant comment that therapy is for white people. No, therapy is for people who need it and right now black people are 20% more likely to suffer from mental health issues (Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health). This is largely due to us experiencing intergenerational trauma and the systematic barriers built in the urban environment most of us grow up in. The crowded overpopulated and crime ridden areas we live in; the financial burdens and struggles to make ends meet ; the things we are exposed to at a young age; the lack of two family households; and most importantly the systematic barriers that black and brown people face from the government, authorities and even in the workplace. Life is hard to live in general, but life with these additional stressors is even harder and can cause mental health issues. It’s difficult to cope, but because we are black and naturally have higher levels of resilience we are expected to be strong and get through it alone. Wrong, just because we find the strength to keep functioning doesn’t mean we don’t need to seek help. Seeking help can be the difference between surviving and living. It will help you get out of those dark places, so you can better manage everyday life.

While black people are 20% more likely to suffer from mental illness, we are also 25% less likely to seek mental care(Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health). We are reluctant to discuss mental illness and seek treatment or counseling because of the shame and stigma associated with having such conditions. Many black people, especially black men, look at mental illness as a character flaw or a sign of weakness. This sense of shame or embarrassment results in us not seeking medical care but trying to battle it on our own. Another factor that holds us back from seeking treatment is the medical industry. Historically, we experience unique and considerable challenges in accessing health care services. We experience conscious and unconscious bias relating to misdiagnoses and inadequate treatment, as well as health professionals who lack the cultural competence to care for people of color, which creates distrust and prevents us from seeking or staying in treatment. While this is understandable we must not let it stop us from seeking medical care that can make us better. This only means instead of avoiding it, we must do more research and read more reviews before choosing a doctor or therapist. It is important find a practitioner who is culturally competent. Cultural competence is when a practitioner can recognize and understand the role of the client’s culture and their ability to adapt the treatment to meet the client’s needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to find a practitioner that looks like you but you do need to find a practitioner that is empathetic and understanding to your unique experience, so they can properly help you. Finding help can be difficult and frustrating but it is important to do research and ask necessary questions when choosing a practitioner that is right for you.

Living at the intersection of intergenerational trauma and social oppression can result in the development of mental health issues. This is one of the underlining reasons as to why black people are more likely to suffer from mental illness compared to their white counterparts. It is important that we bring awareness to the topic, so that we can be more comfortable discussing and acknowledging when we need to seek medical treatment. Having a mental illness and going without treatment can be detrimental to our well being. When seeking medical attention we must do our research and find a practitioner who can help us while considering cultural factors. It is not easy and can be time consuming but it is necessary. We often concentrate on our physical health but we also need to pay attention to our mental health. It is equally as important.

If you are experiencing at least 3 or more of the mental illness signs listed in this blog post, please don’t feel ashamed or afraid to seek treatment. And if you know someone who exhibits mental illness signs be brave enough to bring up the conversation, it may lead to them seeking treatment. Below is a list of resources focus on mental illness in the black community. Utilize the information or pass it along to someone who may need it.

Therapy for Black Girls: Dr. Joy Harden Bradford

Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls. So often the stigma surrounding mental health issues and therapy prevent Black women from taking the step of seeing a therapist. They developed the space to present mental health topics in a way that feels more accessible and relevant.

https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/

Therapy For Black Men: Vladimire Calixte

TherapyForBlackMen.org is a directory to help men of color in their search for a therapist. Using the directory, men can search by therapist location and specialization. Men will also find a wide range of resources aimed at helping them in their search for a multi-culturally competent therapist.

www.therapyforblackmen.org/

Reflections Of Me by Kirsty Latoya

Reflections of Me is an art and poetry book by 27-year-old emerging artist Kirsty Latoya, from South London. The book is made up of four sections – mental health, identity, womanhood and love. The images are accompanied by original poems from the artist.

http://www.kirzart.com/

Depressed While Black

Depressed While Black is a blog that helps those in the African-American community with mental health issues, particularly depression. This blog is shattering the stigma behind seeking help for your depression with events, posts, books and videos.

http://www.depressedwhileblack.com/

African American Therapists

AfricanAmericanTherapists.com is the 1st, largest and oldest directory of therapists of color. You can find black therapist, counselors, psychologist and more…

www.africanamericantherapists.com/#sthash.6p511Wat.dpbs

The Black Girl Healing Project

A relatively new podcast on the block, this self-help audio show is hosted by Jennifer Sterling, a holistic nutritionist who speaks on anxiety, depression, and more. Not only providing resources related to traditional therapy solutions; Sterling is also an advocate of unconventional methods such as dance and movement therapy, visual art therapy and sleep.

https://www.theblackgirlhealingproject.com/

Black Therapist Network

This is a directory of multicultural Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatrists. Their aim is to raise awareness about mental health and to reduce challenges in accessing mental health services by providing a platform to connect you to a therapist of your choice.

www.blacktherapistnetwork.com

Essence: Considering Therapy? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

This Essence article will give you tips on finding the right therapist for you.

https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/black-women-therapy-facts-everything-to-know/