Mental Illness in the African American Community
One of the greatest, and most undertreated, threats affecting African Americans today is mental illness. Over 450 million people worldwide are affected by mental, neurological or behavioral problems.
In keeping with the prevalence of health disparities in practically every other area of health, the African American community suffers disproportionately from both mental health and mental health treatment. One in four patients visiting a health service has at least one mental, neurological or behavioral disorder, but most of these disorders are neither diagnosed nor treated.
African Americans account for only 2% of psychiatrists, 2% of psychologists, and 4% of social workers in the United States. Mental illnesses affect, and are affected by, chronic conditions such as cancer, heart and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. Untreated, they bring about unhealthy behavior, non-compliance with prescribed medical regimens, diminished immune functioning and poor prognosis. Compounding this disparity in mental health is the existence of a pervasive stigma that is held widely in the African American community: “I’m not crazy!”
The stigma that engulfs African Americans on the issue of mental illness has its’ origins deep in the annals of slave history in America. One scientific report went so far as to deliberately falsify the black insanity rates from the 1840 U.S. census to show that the further North blacks lived, the higher their rates of lunacy strong evidence, of course, that freedom drove blacks crazy! Over 150 years after the 1840 census, there are still important gaps and paradoxes in our knowledge of the mental health status of the African American population.
African Americans are disproportionately exposed to social conditions considered to be important risk factors for physical and mental illness. African Americans frequently lack a usual source of health care as a focal point for treatment. For many African Americans, the emergency room is generally the source of primary care treatment. As a result, mental health care occurs frequently in emergency rooms and psychiatric hospitals. These settings and limited treatment available there, undermine the delivery of high-quality mental health care.
Adaptive traditions have sustained African Americans through long periods of hardship imposed by the larger society. There is a historical tendency to “cope” and “adapt” through a myriad of mechanisms. Among them are food, smoking, illicit drugs, and violence just to name a few. For some, it is a total withdrawal from social interactions.
Less than half of African American adults with mental illness seek treatment for mental health problems, and less than one third of their children receive treatment.
The lack in receiving treatment is due in part to the stigma that surrounds mental disorders in the African American community. If this major public health issue is to be addressed effectively in the African American community, several things have to take place:
- More aggressive efforts in addressing Health Disparities as a community
- Educate and involve Religious leaders in directing seekers of prayer to Mental Health Services
- Make mental health a part of dialogue in primary care settings
- Increase the availability of African American Mental Heath Providers
- Encourage compliance and continuation of treatment by family and friends
Remember, I’m not a doctor, I just sound like one. Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible! - Glenn Ellis
Glenn Ellis is a health columnist/writer and media personality who lectures around the country on health issues relevant to the African-American community. For good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com
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