A Dissertation On Black Mental Health

By Dorothy Watson


It goes without saying, but the stigma or racism is still very much alive these days. It totally depends on the individual goings on and undertakings in each persons life, may it be an ongoing experience or an offshoot of historical perspectives. Anyhow, statistics show that African Americans are very much liable to take the brunt of unique challenges, which explains the distinctions of the term black mental health.

If one is born in a racial or cultural minority, discrimination is not a new and strange idea. At a tender age, they might already have been initiated into this actuality through the daily news, perhaps, or though hearsays from family and peers, thats if they havent experienced it firsthand themselves, even if it was through strangers. To well adjusted individuals, it may be incomprehensible, but sooner or later, its something that all of us ultimately grasp the concept of.

Anyway, even if one pretends to be an enlightened and modern individual who doesnt take part in all these atrocities, it still wouldnt do to turn a blind eye. After all, its very much existent, historically and currently. And these arent just happenings that one could ignore.

Given these facts, its not far fetched to establish that these distinct challenge actuate to a specialized offshoot of issues, including mental ones. Thats not to say that even mental issues and problems discriminate. Its just that the Blacks own brand of cultural and societal challenges translates to according different issues and such.

In a drive not to repeat history, everyone is already pretty much schooled about the past. This includes learning about the historical adversities undergone by their forebears, and even that tends to leave some sort of stigma and secondhand or hundred hand indignity to their scions. Also, after their emancipation, they were targeted for socioeconomic, healthcare, educational, even transportation al, and all kinds of discrimination a bigot can contrive. Altogether, these have resulted in a stigma of perception of injustice and disparity.

Also, Black patients have allegedly experienced some form of racism or otherwise micro aggression from their therapists. Thats not totally a far fetched allegation. After all, fitting ideas and approaches about racism arent merely born out of high education, but are some things you learn and acquire from human experience and condition.

The BMHA, which is an alliance for education and consultation for BMH, is a regional and social membership and advocacy non profit organization. It means to provide an authoritative forum which aims to promote relevant approaches to health access and the like. The BMHA aims to engage healthcare professionals in a licensed, and service oriented practice to its patients.

Severe forms of mental conditions result from unmet needs and other insuperable barriers. Nearly seven million black Americans have been reported to suffer diagnosable mental conditions. Compared to Caucasians, African Americans have lower rates of use outpatient mental health services, and accordingly have more barriers in seeking treatments.

BMH organizations work to remove this negative stigma that surrounds the address of psychological health in the black community. It also aims to remove instances of mistrust to authorities by inculcating that health practitioners only have everyones best interests in mind, irrespective of race and some such distinctions. Consequently, this will enable posterity to grow up with access to resources of education and counseling services.




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