National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness discuss mental illness in the African American community. In light of the statistics on how mental illness impacts Black people, NAMI encourages African Americans to seek help and hold fast to hope.
WTF is Mental Health (WTFIMH)
A new documentary exploring the mental health of Black people and the necessary decisions we need to have on the journey to mental wellness.
Kofi Siriboe, the famous actor known for his hit role as Ralph Angel on OWN network’s “Queen Sugar’, makes an urgent plea in his new documentary, “WTF is Mental Health?’ for open dialogue defining mental health, as well as dispelling preconceived notions about and ending the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness. In his most recent interview with the HuffPost, Siriboe discussed the negative stigma and lack of Black representation in the critical discussions taking place surrounding the state of mental health in our country.
Understanding Grief
Studies suggest that nearly 7% of people who suffer a loss will experience a condition called “complicated grief”.
Grief is “the response to loss that contains thoughts, behaviors, emotions and physiological change”; if the loss is permanent, so too is the grief. But its form evolves and changes as a person adapts to the loss. Grief can also be defined as, “the psychobiological response to bereavement whose hallmark is a blend of yearning and sadness, along with thoughts, memories, and images of the deceased person.” Insofar as we never stop feeling sad that loved ones are gone, or stop missing them, grief is permanent. Grief can have depression, anxiety and panic as co-occurring factors during the normal grieving process.
Many of those who grieve are not aware of the moment when the normal grieving process turns into a “complicated grieving” situation. Here is a video that defines “complicated grief”. If you have experienced a loss and are having a difficult time moving through the grief process, please let us help you.
Outside the House: A Mental Health Documentary
Listen to these real-life stories of real Black people living with mental illness. You are not alone.
**Language and themes in this film are for mature audiences.**
Depression in Black Men
Listen to Dr. Lonnie Joe, MD discuss Black men and depression. According the the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the third leading cause of death for Black Men between the ages of 15 and 24. We must create a safe space for us to discuss Black men and their mental health.
Black Mental Health Isn’t the same as White Mental Health
Here’s an understanding of the unique factors that influence Black mental health and the necessity of have mental health treatment that address those unique factors in treating mental illness in the Black community.
Stigmatized: Black Churches and Mental Health
There is a stigma in the Black community and in the Black church. Listen to ways theology and therapy can coexist.
Black Mental Health Matters: Coping with Anxiety
Success is not an antidote to mental health concerns. Listen to this sister discuss how her educational achievements were accompanied with anxiety.
Why are Black men more likely to suffer psychotic disorders?
When discussing mental health, it is important to hear the ways mental illness effects African in the diaspora. This is a take on mental health in Great Britain.
Snapping the Chain: Ending Mental Health Stigma in the African American Community
One of the most influential barriers to treatment is the stigma of mental illness steeped in the African American community. Listen to the ways these two brave individuals are fighting to end the stigma and normalize treatment.
Gabrielle Union discusses her diagnosis of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)