Mental Health is a tough topic to talk about but for the African American Community; the concept of mental illness or overall mental health is swept up under the rug. The African American community is not informed and misunderstands mental health and illnesses, but why? In other communities of people mental health and all of its aspects are accepted but for my community of people it's something that is not openly discussed and looked down upon. According to mentalhealth.gov, “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.” As described in the definition, mental health plays a strong role in your overall wellbeing; so with this being so important, why is it taboo in the African American community? In an article written by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) explains the following, “In the African American community, many people misunderstand what a mental health condition is and don’t talk about this topic. This lack of knowledge leads many to believe that a mental health condition is a personal weakness or some sort of punishment from God. African Americans may be reluctant to discuss mental health issues and seek treatment because of the shame and stigma associated with such conditions.” Growing up in a home with a mother who suffers from severe mental illness I noticed that my family would avoid conversations …show more content…
We need to soon realize that talking about mental health and mental illness is okay. The amount of poverty and violence in the African American community makes us more susceptible to mental illness. If we are educated at a young age that mental health is normal and apart of everyday life many would not have to