Suffering in Silence--Mental Health and the Black Man

Every African American man living in the United States of America could benefit from mental health counseling.  According to mentalhealthamerica.net "Despite progress made over the years, racism continues to have an impact on the mental health of Black/African Americans.  Negative stereotypes and attitudes of rejection have decreased, but continue to occur with measurable, adverse consequences."

Historical and contemporary instances of negative treatment have led to a mistrust of authorities, many of whom are not seen as having the best interests of Black/African Americans in mind."  When it comes to mental health it really doesn't matter how much money you have in the bank, nor does it matter how much weights you lift at the gym.  It has nothing to really do with your physical build, your hair, clothes, or even education.

Unfortunately for many African American men, expressing their feelings is something that is frowned upon or thought of as a weakness. Studies show," Adult Black/African Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than are adult white."  I don't know how many times I've heard mothers and fathers calling their sons sissy's and punk's because they were caught crying.  Men are taught to never show emotion because it is a sign of weakness.

This type of thinking has put a lot of Black men at a disadvantage.  Many are suffering is silence. Reports state, "Black/African Americans hold beliefs related to stigma, psychological openness, and help-seeking, which in turn affects their coping behaviors."
They are ashamed of expressing the suicidal thoughts that plague their minds regularly.

"Black African American teenagers are morel likely to attempt suicide than are white teenagers."   Many African American men use drugs and alcohol as a way of self-medicating.  "Black/African Americans also account for 37 percent of drug arrests, but only 14 percent of regular drug users--illicit drug use is frequently associated with self-medication among people with mental illnesses."

If you are an African American male living in the United States of America then you need counseling.  As a community and as a whole we all need to be made aware of the affects of mental illness and we all need to make sure that we strive to live healthy---mentally.

Candace L. Smith

References:

Black & African American Communities and Mental Health. (2017, April 03). Retrieved November 29, 2017, from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/african-american-mental-health