The Importance Of Healing The Black Community Through Focusing On Mental Health

Taking a deep-dive into the discussion of mental health within the black community

Mental health: Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Historically

Mental health is a topic that is often not spoken of within our community. For black people, it is seen as a taboo issue and it is not brought up as much as it needs to be brought up. Admittedly, in black households parents don’t bring up mental wellbeing as much as physical wellbeing, these two are not perceived to carry the same weight within our community. This has caused us, black people, to subconsciously suppress our feelings and neglect our mental health. This is proven to be unhealthy, as it lets people suffer in silence.

Why is mental health not spoken about within our community?

Within the black community, there is this prevalent negative stigma around mental health. In the black community having the conversations that discuss our pains and struggles and how these obstacles impact our lives daily is usually uncomfortable and new for our people. Being at a loss for words when one starts spewing out their issues has proven to be a touchy subject. People’s responses usually consistent of “ Oh just pray about it.” or “ you’re strong, you’ll definitely get through it.” Honestly, we need more than these responses sometimes just listening attentively is better and far more effective.

Our youth is taught to deal with their problems on their own and not to discuss their feelings otherwise they will appear as “weak” and “soft”. The implication of this kind of environment culturally, only enforces the idea that we are supposed to bottle up our pain and it denormalises the opportunity for us to share their emotions. Furthermore, from generation to generation this cycle continues and consequently, we can never heal. The negative stigma that surrounds mental health within our community is a roadblock from us being able to heal.

The impact of not bringing up mental health within our community

Hurt people, hurt people.

I have met several people who have come forward saying that they can’t bring up their issues to their families at any cost because it is unordinary for them to open the discussions where they can vocalise their pain. As a result, wounds forever stay open; denying us the chance for recovery. Without the opportunity to heal we make our situations worse and our pain soon impacts our day to day life and our treatment to others, we can see ourselves taking out our pain onto others unintentionally.

After years of caging our emotions, they will eventually be reflective in our daily actions. By never addressing how we feel we ignore and suppress things that are severely bothering us, we bottle up our pain and pretend that it is non-existent; when deep down our pain remains.

Inside our homes, we are expected to continue performing well in school and to continue to get high grades, we are expected to put up a mask of happiness when in reality inside we are suffering in silence. Moreover, our minds and hearts continue to bask in a pool of unsolved emotions and this goes on to translate how we treat our teachers, our peers and the stranger in the grocery store. Suppressing our emotions will not get us anywhere.

Normalising seeking help within the black community

Our mental health should be viewed just as equally as our physical health.

If you were to fracture your hand you would go see a doctor, right? If you don’t your bones won’t heal and you’ll be in constant pain. The same rationale should be applied to our mental health. Talking to someone or seeing a therapist or psychologist isn’t weak and it certainly does not define your strength. And no, you are not “crazy”.

Were you aware that research suggests that the adult Black community is 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems, such as Major Depressive Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder? Additionally, Black emerging adults (ages 18–25) also experience higher rates of mental health problems and lower rates of mental health service utilization compared to White emerging adults, and older Black adults.

The words anxiety and depression can spark fear within us, and that is normal because we do not bring up these two words have not been normalised in our homes from generation to generation and we need to break that habit, NOW. We, as a community, to recognise that mental health ordinary and it does not need to be perceived as something negative because it is not always our fault. Numerous factors contribute to our emotional wellbeing such as; home and social environments, personal situations and genetics.

Research shows that exposure to violence, incarceration, and involvement in the foster care system can increase the chances of developing a mental illness.

As a community, let us do better and let us be mindful of how we react to people who are suffering silently. In times like this, we need to support one another and not contribute to stopping our close ones from seeking help. It is okay to not be okay and it is okay to ask for help. Let us heal and grow together.