Preview

Mental Health In The African-American Community

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2485 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Mental Health In The African-American Community
Mental Health in the African American Community

Introduction African Americans, can also be referred as the Afro Americans or the Black Americans, are the residents and citizen of the Unites States who have their roots linked to at least the partial ancestry of the native population of Sub-Saharan Africa. They are also the direct descendants of enslaved Africans that were within the boundaries of the present day United States. Most of the African Americas are the descendants from West Africa, while others may also the immigrant from various regions of the west, including, Africa, Caribbean, South American or Central American Nations. In the United States, African Americans are considered the single biggest racial minority. The history
…show more content…
Between all these years, there were a number of issue and problems that this particular community has faced, including slavery, racial discrimination, reconstruction, participation in the military conflicts of America, development of the Afro-American community and the Civil Right Movement. Racial discrimination is one of the most sensitive issues, considered in the present day American society (Belgrave, Allison, 2009, pp. 121-127). A number of agencies and programs are operational ensuring the protection of the rights of minorities. However, there are some schools of thought that claim the suppression of their rights in the present day society, on the basis of racial discrimination. We will consider the current policies and trends that are prevalent in the country for the protection and prevention of such issues and identify …show more content…
In the current economy, many take second and third jobs to make ends meet. Whether the individual feels treatment is a necessary priority despite prior engagements, transportation, or scheduling issues is an important, positive step. Moreover, incorporating the family is another crucial measure in overcoming barriers to treatment. By gaining familial support, the client may gain peace of mind as well as lose the fear of being outcast or stigmatized. In addition, with the family's acceptance, making time for treatment becomes easier and priorities may be put into perspective. Utilizing the family to emphasize the importance of good mental health creates more allies to emphasize the relationship between improved functioning and greater success at home and work (Bailey, 2002, pp.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Prejudice and racial stereotyping are two of this country's greatest problems today. Many people in our society have tried to find ways to eliminate or at least limit these types of behavior, but have met with very limited, if any, success. Because of the complex nature of racism and racist acts, coupled with the fact the first amendment prohibits the government from limiting the publics' right to free expression and speech, the Federal government has been ineffective in eliminating racist actions that pervade our society. State governments and institutions have attempted to set up their own laws condemning such actions, but have been wholly unsuccessful.…

    • 1559 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Furman V Georgia

    • 1056 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In today’s time discrimination is a highly used factor when it comes to the way people form their opinions about societal issues as well as different individuals we may come in contact with. We base our perceptions of people off of what only the eye can see rather than getting to know a person for the skills they possess and what the can bring to the table. Back in 1967 discrimination was something that was common to use amongst the white or rich community towards the blacks, poor, or uneducated folks in the south. One situation in particular was a Supreme Court case of Furman v the state of Georgia. As you read throughout this paper I hope you began to form your own opinion about discrimination and the way it is used in our society as well as how this Supreme Court case has impacted the change in the way our judicial system works when it come to a fair and just conviction.…

    • 1056 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In reducing social inequalities, the federal government of the U.S has the mandate of fighting all forms of discrimination and establishing measures of addressing past injustices and historical inequalities among different groups of people. Such measures include affirmative action programs for the marginalized sections of the…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This book was published in 1994 and later republished and expanded in 2012, since its publication it has been very resourceful material in the matters of the origin of racial oppression in the United States of America. It has brought about more debate with substance, facts, etc, and without it we would have none of the sort. He paints a clear picture of how racism came into existence in the United States. He shows that racism is a matter that recently came into being after the founding of America. The initial America had no such thing as racial discrimination and the attitudes and long lasting effects…

    • 1451 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bill Of Rights Dbq Essay

    • 1475 Words
    • 6 Pages

    During the mid 20th century, citizens all over America were fighting for their rights including women and those of color especially. This period marked the beginning of a long road of reconciliation and reconstruction that citizens have finally been able to cross the finish line in establishing equal rights for all of the United States citizens. Over time, American’s former issues regarding the civil liberties of citizens have been slowly resolved such as the rights of equality for citizens of color, the repercussions of citizens voicing their opinions, and acquiring rights for women. Under the 14th amendment, slaves were granted citizenship in the united states and were promised equal treatment under the law but after over a century of…

    • 1475 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Race relations in america

    • 393 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Racial discrimination has been a major issue since the colonial era and the slave era in the United States. Up until the mid 19th century, segregation was still an issue, but what about in present-day America? Racism is in fact sill a concern even though it is said that whites and blacks are equal. Discrimination against different varieties of races is still an every day occurrence, and the proof is shown in statistics and recent events.…

    • 393 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    “Discrimination, segregation, harassment intimidation and other acts are what is deemed illegal in America, the authors note. When these acts are practiced on groups because of their race, sex, age, and perhaps sexual orientation it then in turn becomes sexism, or racial segregation, or age discrimination, et cetera” (Mason).…

    • 1786 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The African-American Race

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The African-American race makes up the single largest minority group in the United States. Throughout history African-Americans have fought their way through may prejudice and discriminating acts towards their race. Dealing with slavery in the beginning to being degraded by the “white” man were just some of the things they went through.…

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Over the last two centuries, our society has grappled with the perpetual strife of perceived racial discrimination. Inalienable Rights and founding principles of our nation have been tarnished by the belief that these are mere privileges, reserved for a select few fortunate enough to indulge in such luxuries. However, the last few decades have ushered into existence a transformed nation, where Supreme Court cases and social revolutions have seemingly eroded the dichotomous barriers of race. On one end of the spectrum, open wounds of our nation’s tumultuous past have been stung by the racial inequities of household income and a maliciously disproportionate incarceration system. On the other end of the spectrum, patriotism and unity swell to heights of exuberance at the sight of the increasingly diverse entertainment industry and…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A place where everything being and how are ancestors came to be many important concepts that we deal with are contingent, such as Pan-Africanism and black power The Pan-Africanism means all African American sometime since the black power , or the black consciousness. The connected to Pan-Africanism, But Africans spread all over the world and still tied to their homeland, not always physically but most culturally and emotionally not to mentioning those who live in the continent physically but do not belong to their culturally or emotionally place. I believe that most Africa Americans had more opportunity like they could get jobs in this time but back in the day it was hard for them in the 1920s. And now I see that most of Africa Americans can get better education they can also vote, The African Americans today can do more than they could back in the day it was hard for they to do things like get a better education. Race and Ethnicity are some ways the same. Classifying everyone by race, not region, or culture, The AAPA American association of physical Anthropology statement on biological Aspects of race in the 1994 describes that popular concept of race as being derived from 19th and the early 20th century. The most popular American folklore of the three great racial groups has its roots in the system that developed in Europe and North America in the 18th century. Ethnicity is of a different race in a socially constructed category that draws on a observant. Ethnicity is a population of human being whose members identify with each other, on the basis of real or a presumed common genealogy or ancestry. Ethnicity is also defined in terms of shared genealogy, whether actual or presumed. Ethnicity and race are similar like in the 19th century, there was development of the political ideology of ethnic nationalism creating nations based on a presumed shared ethnic origins, Also race in the 19 century the concept nationalism was often used to justify the…

    • 539 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    First of all it is important to understand what really constitutes depression. All of us feel down from time to time perhaps based on having a "bad day". However when feelings of sadness last for several weeks, months, or years, and are accompanied by other symptoms such as change of appetite, isolation from family and friends, sleeplessness, etc. these are symptoms of depression.…

    • 2258 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Human rights are believed to be universal within our nation. But is it really universal if others are given exclusive rights? This paper will focus on the human rights violations of African-Americans within the United States, as well as explore units of organizations and legislative branches of Government that are working towards solving such issues. African - American human rights are violated in several ways, including but not limited to employment opportunities, mass incarceration rates, police brutality, and unfair trials which will be further discussed to paint a picture of how the criminal justice system operates. Individuals within the African - American communities are stopped and frisked for no apparent reason, whether they are walking…

    • 2514 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There is also the social influences and stigmas that are associated with the illness. Depending on one’s culture mental illness is not something that people seek treatment for. In the African American community, they tend to lean more towards faith and religion when dealing with mental health issues as oppose to seeking professional medical treatment (NAMI, n.d). Only about one-quarter of African Americans seek mental health care, compared to 40% of whites (NAMI n.d) Looking at the social-economic demographic 45 percent of homeless people have been diagnosed with having mental health related issues but because of their circumstance are unable to seek adequate…

    • 104 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The United States of America was founded on the concept that all men are created equal; however, it has taken us until the last fifty years to make significant strides toward equality for many minority groups. Nearly 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in Southern states still inhabited a vastly unequal world of disenfranchisement, segregation and various forms of oppression, including race-inspired violence (www.history.com, 2015). In 1960, the black Americans made up 10.5% of the total population and 55% of them were living in poverty (http://www.shmoop.com/, 2015). This is just one example of how a century of oppression can affect a whole demographic.…

    • 950 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Race has been a major issue of American society since the colonial era, playing a puissant role in the political system of the United States government. The term “race” has changed throughout history, but America’s history of separating people based on race creates a clear view of how most racial minorities' have been treated in this country. Racial minorities have faced many inequitable experience and have had the civil right excluded throughout United State history. African-Americans are not the only racial minority group who have been mistreated. Chinese Americans and Native Americans have had virtually the same experiences, but African-Americans illustrate a direct and perpetual view of racial inequality throughout history on a more extreme…

    • 1803 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays