Email Address: The Role Of Mental Health In The African American Community

Full Name: Zion Mitchem

Address: 10626 Maue Dr Orland Park, IL 60467

Email Address: [e-mail]

Age: 16 years old

Grade Level: Grade: 10

School District: District 230

School Name: Carl Sandburg High School

In a world where the mind's whispers echo louder than the external noise, prioritizing mental health becomes the key to unlocking the true potential of human resilience and well-being. Mental health has become an increasingly pressing issue in modern society, with a growing number of people suffering from mental health disorders that have a profound impact on their lives and the lives of those around them. This has led to a range of social, economic, and political consequences, from increased healthcare costs and decreased productivity

So when discussing a nuanced understanding of underlying causes of mental health, it is imperative to understand that many roles play in growing mental health but, through my discovery of mental health and its high importance, I have noticed that in the African American community, mental health is often overlooked because of our place in society. Whether it ranges from financial incapability or no social awareness, mental health has inflicted a punishing burden on many in the African American community. Statistics show that African Americans are disproportionately affected by the downsides of mental health. According to CUDP (Columba University Department of Psychiatry), research suggests that “the adult Black community is 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems, such as Major Depressive Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder.” In addition, the CUPD states “Black emerging adults (ages 18-25) also experience higher rates of mental health problems and lower rates of mental health service utilization compared to White emerging adults, and older Black adults.” These weighty statistics show that despite many efforts to reduce disparity among races and socio-statuses in the U.S., inequalities are actually increasing. When determining why simple incentives towards addressing these issues have become such a hard hurdle to jump over comes down to the fact that the Black community has a systemic depletion of resources. Because of our racist past, many of our people have been demographically and financially displaced so the process of affording medical care, simple daily things, insurance, culturally responsive mental health providers, and more has become such a hard thing to obtain while it seems so easy on the