Mental Health Awareness Month

Hello May!

Mental Health Awareness Month is HERE!

When its time to talk about health we just cant focus on diabetes, high blood pressure, weight but health as a whole. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think 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.

Although anyone can develop a mental health problem, African Americans sometimes experience more severe forms of mental health conditions due to unmet needs and other barriers. According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population.

Some common mental health disorders among African Americans is major depression and suicide. Different reason prevent African Americans from seeking treatment and receiving quality care. 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.

Many African Americans also have trouble recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions, leading to underestimating the effects and impact of mental health conditions.Because of the lack of information about mental health issues, it’s not always clear where to find help when you may need it.

Some Early warning signs are:

• Eating or sleeping too much or too little

• Pulling away from people and usual activities

• Having low or no energy

• Feeling numb or like nothing matters

• Having unexplained aches and pains

• Feeling helpless or hopeless

• Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual

• Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared

• Yelling or fighting with family and friends

• Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships

• Having persistent thoughts and memories you can't get out of your head

• Thinking of harming yourself or others

Mental Health is important! This month I will be focusing on different mental health illnesses that affect the African American community and discuss the preventative and recovery methods.

Thank you for reading!