The Disregard For Mental Health In The Black Community

As I observe my community, I tend to notice the disregard for mental health, in particular, in the Black community. Those in the Black community are just as likely to have any form of a mental-illness as their racial counterparts, however due to ambiguous reasons they are led astray from seeking help. Such as the stigma of being told “you're crazy” or “just deal with”. Based on the history of African- Americans or Blacks, we have been told to be strong and not weak. In the eyes of the Black community, mental illness has always been viewed as “White people issues” and never been taken seriously. What many do not realize is that those in the Black community below the poverty line are three times more likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues than those above the poverty line. There is also a stigma against going to the hospital, because God is the ultimate healer. Long ago, African Americans did not have access to doctors or care. Not only did they not have access to care, but they could not afford it, they had to heal themselves; this is where the stigma or fear of the doctor began. Now many churches have begun to partner with care providers to help out their members. Mental illness is not a topic to be taken lightly or to turn a blind eye. We should not judge others based on issues, but on their strength of facing their demons
She started on Instagram about two years ago and has grown tremendously since then with over 40,000 followers and an offline platform. Colorism and skin bleaching are not directly mental issues, but they have an impact on the mental and social health of humans. Constantly feeling lower or unworthy compare to others may lead to depression, self doubt, and much more. Us Darkskins combats the social beliefs of having one set norm of