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Saturday, May 7, 2016

By David Cooper


Unlike the few African American celebrities and other public figures that are faced with medical trauma, mental health continues to silently take the lives of many black people. According to statistics, black people are more likely to be faced by these conditions unlike other individuals. This has raised a lot of concern and many individuals are now looking closely towards this predicament. In connection to this, the following is an article on black mental health.

There is a certain research which revealed that a majority of the young black Americans, especially those who are highly educated, are less likely to seek medical attention concerning their mental states unlike their white counterparts. This research further goes to say that these individuals of color are also more likely to engage themselves in situations where they are susceptible to this illness.

A growing increase in poverty and the lack of jobs in the African American community is one of the leading contributors to them suffering in silence. Also, culture is another main factor as from time in memorial, medics have assumed that it is normal for the blacks to suffer from conditions such as these hence more often than not; they are always reluctant to offer them any kind of help.

The health care system has also been accused of being oblivious towards patients of color who suffer from mental illness, especially when it comes to children. This is especially the case where the clinicians in the hospital are all white. These young ones continue to suffer in silence, with no one to lend them a helping hand. This is why most of them end up, committing suicide, due to the feeling of negligence.

This can be traced all the way from the olden days, during the slavery period. From these early days, the African Americans learn to make suffering be part and parcel of their everyday life. In those days, one was given worse treatment when they were discovered to be suffering from mental illness. This instilled fear in most slaves, making them suffer in silence so that they may not be killed or abused.

In the current world, this stigma is also present. This is more common in African Americans who have made it in life and earned a decent job. These individuals still claim to be subjects of discrimination after all this time. They, therefore, fear that making their condition public may worsen the situation by making them lose their job.

When it comes to the broader picture, it is evident that people who travel from one country to another are more prone to acquiring mental illness. This is a common scenario for the black community, who move to the white nations in search of a better life. Children are even more affected as they have more interaction opportunities with the society.

In conclusion, the black community should be educated on the fact that there is nothing to be ashamed about when one has a mental condition. They are also supposed to be educated on the fact that everyone is faced with problems at some point in their lives, and it is only when they seek treatment that they can be helped.




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