African American Mental Health Research Paper

Black people have many disadvantages stemming from multiple sources such as, slavery, race-based exclusion, lack of education, social and economic resources, amongst other things. Socioeconomic status is linked to mental health. People who are impoverished, homeless, incarcerated or have substance abuse problems are at higher risk for poor mental health. Racism still continues to have a negative impact on black people, especially the mental health of blacks. Historically and contemporary occurrences of antagonistic treatment led to a distrust of authorities. Some of these authorities do not have black people’s best interest in mind.
Black people are disproportionately more likely to experience circumstances that increase the chances of having mental illness or challenge. “We know that African Americans have a disproportionate number who are also in poverty and a higher jobless rate. Women are less likely to be coupled or in supportive relationships and so those factors into why African Americans may have higher numbers of psychological disorders,” said Dr. Janet Taylor, a psychiatrist who frequently appears on television shows. These are just some of the reasons why black people have a higher number of psychological disorders.

Many black people don’t educate themselves about mental illness. 63 percent of African Americans believe that depression is a personal weakness, this is significantly higher than the overall survey average of 54 percent, according to a MHA commissioned a national survey on clinical depression. 56 percent believed that depression was a normal part of aging. Black people have historically normalized their own suffering. During slavery, mental health resulted in a more vicious lifestyle which included frequent whippings, beatings and more abusive