top of page

Mental Health in the African American Community

African Americans, black history month

With it being Black History Month I wanted this blog to focus on mental health in the African American community.

Mental Health Statistics in the African American Community*

  1. In 2014, Over 6.8 million African American persons have been diagnosed with a mental illness.

  2. Adult Black/African Americans are 20% more likely to report serious psychological distress compared to the adult white population.

  3. Black/African Americans make up 40% of the homeless population, people experiencing homelessness. They are at a greater risk of developing a mental health condition.

  4. Adult Black/African Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than the adult white population.

  5. Only about one-quarter of African Americans seek mental health care, compared to 40% of the white population.

Stigma in the African American Community

One of the core barriers to the aforementioned is stigma. Stigma is ravaging our communities and keeping them from accessing very necessary services. For the most part, our coping mechanisms allow for us to lead productive lives. However, they don’t allow for us to live as liberated as we possibly can and become our best self. A line from the amazing Black Panther movie, “Just because something is working, doesn’t mean it can’t work better.” There is a stigmatized way of thinking that seeing a therapist means you’re “crazy” or have debilitating issues. Do people struggling with crisis and catastrophic issues need therapist? Yes. Do people who are functioning on a daily basis, going to work, raising children and maintaining intimate relationships need therapist? Again, Yes. Therapy can be a safe space for you to work on yourself and make those improvements to become your best self.

Being a Black man and a Therapist

As a black man who is a therapist I love that I get to bring visibility and awareness of mental health to the African American community. Those moments where a Black mother wants her Black son to go to therapy and prefers for him to see an adult black man in that role of expertise. Also, in my role as a therapist I get to use my visibility to normalize mental health in the African American community. I get to show others that mental health is important and you don’t have to apologize for making it a priority. I LOVE being a therapist and doing my part to provide support to the community.

We at Amy Wine Counseling always want to send a reminder of the importance of being your best self and how using mental health can help. Feel free to email or call us 832-421-8714 to ask about counseling services and start becoming your best self.

*(Statistics provided by Mental Health America)

Comments


SCC Secondary logo - inverse colors.jpg

CONTACT 

17920 Huffmeister Rd Suite 150

Cypress, Texas 77429

Call or text: (832) 421-8714

***Messaging Terms & Conditions: You agree to receive informational messages (appointment reminders, account notifications, etc.) from Sequoia Counseling Center. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. For support, reply HELP or email us at admin@sequoiacounselingcenter.com. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP. We will never share your information with 3rd parties/affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.  For more information, visit please see our privacy practices here.


Fax: (281) 617-4245

BUSINESS HOURS

Counselor Office Hours
Monday -Thursday: 8 am-8 pm
Friday: 8 am–4 pm


Admin Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday 9 am-4 pm

"To move freely you must be deeply rooted"

Bella Lewitzky

© 2022 Sequoia Counseling Center

    bottom of page