Depression In The Black Depression

The abuse that was inflicted upon African American slaves can be considered cruel, dehumanizing, intimidating, and scarring. These slaves were considered more property than human and were brutally, sometimes excessively punished for varying reasons. Not only were the slaves well marked with varying scars across their bodies, but they were also mentally altered, or psychologically damaged, by this unusual system of punishment and life. The psychological effects of torture on these slaves, although completely different from the physical ones, were also very traumatizing.

This has been a struggle for the black community for the last decades as many come not wanting to talk about mental health and the diseases that people may be suffering at the time. They will rather not talk about, as they do not want to look weak in front of their peers and if they do say that they are suffering from mental health, they will be told to “man up, it’s a phase and that he’ll be fine in a few days”. This has recently changed in the last few years as both notable rappers Kendrick Lamar and Kid Cudi has publicly expressed vulnerability in their last projects. Also, Darryl McDaniels, from the legendary group, Run-DMC, who has personally battled with mental illness for a number of years, but he resisted from getting help. When asked

The African-American people have suffered great hardships since slavery. During the 15 and 19th century many Africans were taken and forced into slavery. Some slaves

First of all it is important to understand what really constitutes depression. All of us feel down from time to time perhaps based on having a "bad day". However when feelings of sadness last for several weeks, months, or years, and are accompanied by other symptoms such as change of appetite, isolation from family and friends, sleeplessness, etc. these are symptoms of depression.

George brings to light the mental health dynamics of PTSS, Post-traumatic slave syndrome. The author discusses the behaviors and reactions of African Americans in different life situations could stem back from their ancestors being in chattel

Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary wrote a novel by the name of Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing, it is the PTSD of slavery and it still affects African Americans today. “...In spite of all our forbears who worked to survive and gain their freedom; in spite of the efforts of all those who fought for civil rights’ we are continually being socialized by this society to undervalue ourselves, to undermine our own efforts and, ultimately,

When most people hear the phrase “The Great Depression” they only associate it the crash of the stock market and the hard times that followed. Here in the Midwest, when we think of the Great Depression we also think of the Dust Bowl and the Dirty Thirties. The Great Depression was a very climactic end to a series of poor choices that greatly affected the entire United States.

Depression is a feeling of severe despondency and dejection according to the google dictionary. It first appeared in Mesopotamia, where they believed that depression was a demonic possession and often used priest to attend to patients with depression. The original word for depression was melancholia and it was seen as a mental or spiritual illness rather than a physical one. With the help of great psychologists and psychiatrists such as Emil Kraepelin, Kurt Schneider, and Sigmund Freud, the science and research of depression was able to advance over time. In terms of African American women, they have higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to White American women. This could be due to many problems such as poverty, resources, emotional resilience, and social support.

When experiencing a mental illness, African Americans face obstacles “related to understanding the problem or situation and limitation in awareness of possible solutions, strategies remedies and resources” (Hines-Martin, Malone, Kim, & Brown-Piper, 2003). In a study by Hines-Martin (2003), participants verbalized that they did not think they were “crazy” and therefore did not need mental health services. In this instance participants showed a lack of knowledge about what mental health illness looks like. They identified mental illness as dichotomous states (Hines-Martin et al., 2003). A study by Mental Health America found similar results. In this study, a majority of African Americans surveyed believed that depression was a “health problem” and in some cases “normal” (MHA, 2012). Talking about mental illness is taboo for African Americans, and as a result they possess little knowledge about specific mental health problems or available treatments (Alvidrez et al., 2008). For African Americans, stigma serves as an impediment to problem recognition. Because they have a misconstrued idea of what mental illness is, they are less likely to contemplate that they have such problems. Alvidrez (2008) found that stigma prevented 65% of their survey respondents from contemplating that they had such problems. Because many African Americans are uninformed about what mental illness is and how it

And when the brain gets sick it is necessary to see a doctor that specializes in the health of the brain, usually a psychologist or psychiatrist. With that another issue arises, many medical and psychiatric professionals have issues diagnosing people of color and especially black people. There is a perception by the general public that black people don't get depressed or experience anxiety there is also a stigma amongst health care providers. They are unable to recognize the signs of mental illness in african americans because they have a tendency to normalize black strife and

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 Star.com. (November 3, 2014). Student help line finds 50 callers a month considering suicide. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2014/11/03/student_help_line_finds_50_callers_a_month_considering_suicide.html

The methods of dehumanization has been making its way into lives since colonial times. When slavery entered the United State 's, dehumanization occurred everyday. A slave master would think of their workers as subhuman, even as animals. This brought psychological as well as physical trauma into their lives according to Nell Painter with Oxford University press. Some of this physical trauma included beating as well as other punishments given by slave owners. This further dehumanizes the slaves in an animalistic way; making them feel subhuman. They were also traumatized by the heavy loads they were forced to carry seen as young children, studied by skeletons found in an African burial ground in lower Manhattan. The lack of clothing, shoes, and food contributed to the death rate of fifty percent of slaves dying before the age of twelve. Psychological trauma included PTSD and emotional trauma due to the beatings and rapes (Painter). The slave owners would strip whites of their identity and traditions, humiliating where they came from and trying to conform the slaves to European traditions (Amedekah). The dehumanization of slaves has led to centuries of humiliation and hatred toward African Americans and still affects certain situations in today’s society.

Forget all the stereotypes of mental illness. It has no face. It has no particular victim. Mental illness can affect an individual from any background and the black community is no exception. African Americans sometimes experience even more severe forms of mental health conditions because of unmet needs and barriers to treatment. According to the Office of Minority Health, African Americans are 20 percent more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population. That’s why UGA third year Majenneh Sengbe is taking action as the co-founder of her upcoming organization Black Minds Daily.

The life of a teen who is struggling with depression is just an ordinary thing for most people. The atmosphere surrounding teens are slowly spreading through the air. The story is being told through the mind of Elena to Dora, who is suffering from depression. Schumacher reveals the devastating effects of depression on an individual and her family through the eyes of Elena, the sister of the depressed. The nature of this mental illness, its unpredictability, the mental and emotional strain on the sufferer and family, and the irreversible damage that can result is displayed in The Black Box.