BSHS 345 Week 4 Annotated Bibliography

Statistics state that mental illness is estimated to be higher in blacks than in whites. One of the contributing factors to why blacks aren’t being cared for when they have a mental illness is because of the stigma that mental illness doesn’t exist within the community. According to Plowden (2006), “ African American men often differ in their presentation of depression and are often misdiagnosed. African American men are at greater risk for depression, but they are less likely to participate in mental health care.” This is due to the

The Diagnostic Statistical Manual is used to diagnosis persons that are getting assessed with mental health disorders. The manual contains criteria the clinician can use to diagnosis a client. If the client meets a certain number of markers then they are given a diagnosis of a particular disorder. But, what if it’s not that easy? For African Americans, there has been a history of getting misdiagnosis by clinicians which has led to some mistrust. The cultural differences between African Americans and their white clinicians can possibly lead to the misdiagnosis of the clients. An article on clinician race states, “African Americans are less likely to be diagnosed with mood disorders and more likely to be be diagnosed with schizophrenia” (Adebimpe, 1981; Neighbors, 1997). Within this review, we will explore research conducted by scholars that examine the relationships between the diagnoses of African Americans by White Clinicians.

Health care for mental illness is an issue in the African American community for Men, Women and Adolescents due to the underserving and lack of mental healthcare providers, the cultural stigma of having mental illness and

Racism against African Americans and other ethnicities is still prevalent in our society. Salis (2015) mentions a recent poll of Caucasian and African Americans and found that sixty percent of those surveyed felt racial relationships ha vent improved and forty percent felt they were worse. In this paper, I will identify how a counselor can reduce the effects of racism and discrimination that has affected African Americans. Additionally, I will address what role a counselor plays in reducing the stigma of mental illness within the African American community. Furthermore, I will highlight the legal and ethical issues identified in the video

The lack of mental health care services for minorities is a long-standing problem in the United States. The first time the issue received attention was in 1985, when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report that described serious health discrepancies that minority populations were enduring. In 1986, because of this report, the Office of Minority Health was formed to assist in the reduction of the health care shortages for

Everybody heard the saying: “stay out of grown folks business” but, what if you were finally grown enough to join the conversation. While getting into a deep conversation with an old friend about your goods and your bads. You are told by the expert that mental illness for Caucasian people is schizophrenia and mental illness for African American people is Bipolarism. This shocks you because you never heard of this before. Then everything starts to make sense why in particular some of us act, talk, think the way we do. Is the problems in the foods we eat? The drinks we drink? What we watch? Or is it society’s fault we chose to act the way we do? I would say Yes, because in history a man named Willie Lynch taught the way an African American man and woman are supposed to act in society as a piece of property for their owner. Not knowing we pick up some of these behaviors of Post Traumatic Slave syndrome. Are we sick and are we getting help for it? The answer is No, we are not getting help for our mental problems since we sometimes don’t know it exist. “Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population age 18 and older every year” (National Institute of Mental Health). Some of us need real help but don’t know who to go to for help. You might be feeling out of place, insane, irritable, euphoric, and talkative at the same time. When an individual has been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder they should follow the doctor’s orders

I do think that there is stigma and prejudice among African American culture than among white cultures toward mental health issues which makes it hard for practitioner to diagnose them with Depression. Even after diagnosing these African Americans women, it is difficult for them to accept their diagnosis and seek treatment. They also do not like to see therapist for their

The study’s findings will contribute to the body of knowledge of clinical social work. Increased research evidence would lead mental health practitioners to assess the problems and treatment needs of African American couples. Furthermore, practitioners could possibly advocate for appropriate interventions and policies to improve services to this identified population.

David R. Williams and Ruth Williams Morris write in “Racism and Mental Health: The African American Experience” that negative attitudes of white Americans resulting in the formation of racist policies contribute to mental health problems for African Americans, as they attempt to cope. Mental health issues, Williams and William Morris continues, can be a consequence of living within a lower income bracket with decreasing prospects for future improvement, an inability to attain needed “resources” e.g. the choice between prescription medications and food, or finally, internalizing the damaging opinions.

Conversations regarding mental health can often be a difficult topic to discuss openly. The Huffington Post provided readers with the opportunity to understand mental illness and intersectionality in the article, 4 Black Women Writers Get Honest About Mental Illness and Race. This article provides a different perspective on mental health as it looks at mental illness through the intersectionality of race and gender. In the article, four black women participate in an interview to discuss their experience with depression, bi-polar disorder, and ADHD and how it affects their lives as both black and woman identified beings. Discussions of mental health in the black community are rare as there is a negative view of mental illness. Hearing

Today some people are more careful when they deal with African Americans. The justice system usually has biases with cases that contain an African American. In addition finding a job can be difficult for an African American. One thing that can contribute to the deterioration of relations and mental health is racial discrimination (Robert et al., 2003). Also, negative thought about African American make their lives worse and they often won’t get high paying jobs.

Having our first Black president it is easy for some analysts to say that this era is post- racism and biases. Our countries present racial realities speak otherwise. There is a presidential candidate who may very well become president judging by the polls spewing racist and prejudiced remarks. It seems that almost daily media headlines for public figures and authorities apologizing for their remarks appear. Although I believe that it is pre-mature to say that this era is post- racism and bias solely on the basis that the highest elected official is a man of color; what is anticipated is the demographic change in this country. The majority gap is closing and as helping professionals we need to be prepared to access the needs of a more diverse clientele. This process begins by helpers or counselors being aware of their own cultural biases and values. We cannot depend on laws, quotas and institutions to evoke change but to begin to look introspectively and acquire the skills to build healthy cross- race therapeutic relationships.

Over the year?s minorities have been treated differently in America. There was a point in time when people did not understand people of color and even made assumptions about them. Because of this systemic factors have been established both in the mental health and education system. Counselors had their own perception

As the father of modern family studies, Whittaker, J. K. and J. Garbarino. (1983) observed, 'We know too much about the family to be able to study it both objectively and easily 'Some family needs could be considered as being met through a combination of expressive and instrumental functions, such as child care, and health-related supports. This applies on both Case Studies.

I have had the opportunity to meet people of many different backgrounds. In this paper, I will talk about two individuals with whom I had the pleasure of working with as a case manager at a behavioral health agency in the Greater New Orleans area. Before I go into detail about my experiences, I think it would be important to identify myself. I am a black female, in my early twenties who identifies as heterosexual. I also do not have any mental or physical challenges and grew up an upper middle-class family. Working in a diverse community has impacted my perspectives of people and groups in a positive way that has allowed me to be more aware and respectful of people that are different than me.