The Black Race and their Paradoxical Outlook On Mental Health

In the article “Healing for Mental Illness Can Take More Than Faith
by Erica Ayisi speaks of how the Black race is more likely to actually report the status of their mental health for Depression , PTSD,ADHD,ADD and suicide. In addition poverty,genetics and homelessness and other environmental factors like crime also weighs on their psychological health. The paradox here is although the black community is more likely to report their mental health when in distress they do not get treatment because it is perceived as something only white people do. The reason behind this is because seeking help to them would be selfish and due to the history of the Black race we historically have not been taught or programed or rather it has not been normalized that it is okay to focus on ourselves. The majority of the Black race instead of seeking treatment would try to look towards whatever faith they follow and try to pray away the illness. Although this only causes even more damaged to the already weakened state of the community’s psychological health.

The issue here is although the Black community is aware their mental state is unhealthy they do not get the treatment they need do to how treatment is perceived. The stigma around receiving help for mental illness in the community is hindering their excellence,this is because most mental illnesses are genetic and if the parents with mental illness believe this false perception the child who may have the illness or another will not seek treatment this becomes a stigma that is believed by multiple generations now.