What if you can’t just get over it and pull yourself together?

Black women are more likely to experience clinical depression, but only half as likely to seek treatment as their Caucasian counterparts. Why is that? There are a number of reasons, including lack of access to care, not prioritizing our own needs, feelings of shame, a stigma against mental illness in the African-American community, and the fact that African-American women with depression may present differently than other groups. The reason why this matters is because depression is a condition that is serious and treatable.   

Symptoms of Depression

According to the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI), symptoms of depression affect a person’s ability to perform daily functions as well as thoughts and moods. Symptoms can include:

• Shift in sleep patterns
• An increase or decrease in appetite
• Difficulty focusing 
• Fatigue or lower energy levels
• Less pleasure from enjoyable activities
• Feelings of guilt, feeling alone,or pessimistic thoughts
• Physical aches and pains
• Suicidal thoughts

Normalizing Suffering

“So many people are in deep emotional pain. For many of us the pain has become normalized. I think that far too many of us think that we’re the only ones and we can’t dare show a kink in the armor.”

Terrie M. Williams, LCSW

Terrie M. Williams retired from a career as a successful public relations agent. A licensed clinical social worker and author of the book Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting, she frankly discussed her own battle with the illness in a 2016 interview with The Amsterdam News. Loneliness and the urge to isolate are symptoms of depression. The African-American community and culture pressures its members to “keep on keeping on” or admonishes strength at all times–no matter what.

How Depression May Manifest Differently in African-Americans

A roof must be kept over our heads and work cannot wait so, depression or not, Black women continue to go about their lives, without addressing emotional needs, or seeking professional care. From an outsider’s perspective, depressive episodes might be minimized or dismissed if a sufferer is still functioning. Some Black people may not have support in place to have a full on in the bed, covers-over-the-head-for-days flavor of depression. Instead, they may be more irritable and squash depression with rage or self-medicate with food, alcohol or overspending, neglecting health right along with all but the minimum necessities.

Taboos About Discussing Mental Health

Who has modeled reaching out for help? Culturally, members of African-American families are often urged to keep our private business private, so opening up to a stranger may not be comfortable. Members of other ethnic groups that I’ve known often talk much more freely about mental illness, its effects and receiving care as casually as they’d talk about a referral to an oral surgeon. Seeking help is modeled as an acceptable resolution, in those communities. It’s difficult if people who look like you are freely displaying unhealthy coping behaviors instead of opening up about their struggles or allowing those around them a peek at how they address their own depression. Youth in our families witness this, often without the language to process what is happening and depression’s pain and unproductive coping are normalized.  What would it look like if Black women talked more openly about mental health?

The Role of The Church in African-American Mental Health

How often have you heard “Therapy is not for us. You need Jesus!” the advice African-Americans are given by other African-Americans? Or “You need to get yourself together!” Or some variation of such so-called advice? Your faith is important and can definitely help, but in concert with professional care from licensed mental health providers, and/or members of the clergy who are trained and experienced in mental health. And many predominantly Black and non-Black congregations alike are answering the calls of  members and urging worshipers to seek help with depression and other mental health issues. Further, church leaders are spreading the word to parishioners that struggling, or not, they will be welcomed. This can spark dialogue, reduce shame and remove the stigma of suffering and provide a valuable support. My own faith community has done outstanding work toward illuminating mental illness, its effects on many and resolving to keep depression and other conditions out of the shadows–as well as the people living with it.  

Economic Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Care

There are many well-paid, highly successful African-American women in the workforce today. Yet, not every one of them are compensated as well as expected. Black women earn 61 cents for every dollar paid to White men, leaving fewer resources to seek help. This reality can present either economic obstacles or less time available due to working hard to close the pay gap, or both. And along with a pay gap, may come feelings of not being valued in the workplace. African-American women may not feel safe enough to disclose depression to an employer due to concerns that the information could be used against them.

Everyone would agree that it takes hard work, skill and time to build a career and making a living. Right? But some Black women would also agree that there is a hidden and unspoken toll that being a Black professional takes. Economic gains are sometimes made at the cost of community. Isolation may be a risk as career advancement may call for geographic relocations that take away key sources support from family and friends. In predominantly White educational institutions, neighborhoods and workplace settings, even as they develop friendships or relationships with peers, even infrequent microaggressions or incidents of racial bias may have a chilling effect on an African-American woman’s  sense of belonging, which can contribute to a sense of isolation over time. 

Prioritize Treatment for Depression

Like all women, Black women are often socialized to place our own needs very low on our lists of priorities. After tending to families and careers we don’t necessarily place as high a value on our mental health as on the well-being of those we love, education or transportation. Mental wellbeing is as important as your heart health, blood pressure or any other health metric. Mental health is health. Make your own health a priority!

If you or a Black woman you care about is showing symptoms of depression or any mental illness, I know that you are probably experiencing distress because of it. I have struggled with depression and it has had a profound effect on every area of my life. I urge you to get help as soon as you can! A provider can work with you to determine whether medication can help and which combination of counseling or therapy is needed.  

Resources for Help with Depression

Today, there are more resources than ever before to help women like you. Increasingly, prominent African-Americans are more vocal about their own struggles with depression, and how important seeking help was to them. Many mental health professionals of all racial identities are familiar with culturally-informed perspectives on providing mental health care. There are online platforms and apps that remove the barriers of distance or schedule to receiving mental health care. And there are directories both local and national of African-American providers. But get help now, from any qualified source–don’t let heritage or race stop you!

Most important of all is to not give up! If you remember one thing after reading this it should be that depression is a severe condition that is treatable. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or symptoms of depression call your local emergency response department or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You matter.   

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Photo Credits: Thought Catalog, Liesl Leonard, Richard Lee, Cortney White all via Unsplash.