Hey Rosebud's!
For far too long black men and women have treated mental health disorders as a taboo subject. No one wanted to talk about it or acknowledge that they themselves or anyone in the family has suffered from mental disease. Whether it be mood disorders like depression or bipolar-ism, anxiety, schizophrenia, substance abuse and trauma-related disorders, the topic was generally discussed in a very hush hush manner; if at all. My grandfather (mothers father) refused to acknowledge that my aunt had a problem and needed professional help. His attitude was that there is nothing wrong with her, that the teachers who advised he and my grandmother that she needed help didn't know what they were talking about! Like many before and after him, he swept it under the rug instead of dealing with it and getting her the help she needed at a very young age. How different her life might have been had she gotten the help she needed.
We can't deny that there are other obstacles in the African American community as it relates to mental health as well. Information, resources and accessibility to mental health services has always been an issue. In our communities, because no one talks about these issues, we don't know that there is help available. African Americans have been distrustful (with good reason) of the medical community so we tend to not seek help because of distrust and also because we don't know about the resources available to us!
Faith, culture and traditions also keep us in the dark. A lot of the older generation would say: Just take it to the Lord, you don't need a doctor. Not true! It's ok to rely on your family and friends for support but the help of a professional is a must for effective treatment.
I cannot explain how happy I am to finally see/hear/witness the topic of mental health in the black community being discussed, I think the tide is finally turning! Unfortunately, in our culture a lot of things don't garner the attention they deserve until it is considered "popular" or "trendy". Nevertheless, if the tide is turning regarding the conversations about mental health is due to a celebrity using their platform then so be it! We are driving ourselves crazy in this social media age. So many of us still suffer in silence because we have to be seen as dope, fly, relevant, bosses, bad bitches ( a lot of men fit this Ha! yes this was shady and all kinds of side eye-ish). The need to "show" the world that you have it all together and that you are winning (on-line but not in real life...) keeps us silently suffering.
I am determined to talk about my experiences as I have many and I know that it will help someone. The silence is killing us. Privacy is a wonderful thing but it keeps us all so isolated. I will spend my life being the woman I needed in my darkest times. Everyone doesn't need to know your business: sometimes that listening ear is just there to judge and spread your business all around. We have to have discernment when it comes to who we talk to. I am a huge advocate for seeking professional help. I am also grateful for my support system for answering those 4 am calls.
It is time to turn those dastardly generational curses into GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS. My daughters and son and their daughters and sons will NOT suffer needlessly in silence. They will know that there is always another way. There are resources available and in the words of a very small human that holds my heart "Sharing is Caring"! I have provided two resources below. Happy Healing!!
www.therapyforblackmen.org
`"At the root of this dilemma is the way we view mental health in this country. Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it's still an illness and there should be no distinction" - Michelle Obama
REMEMBER: There are some Roses that still grow in the shade!!