I’m pretty vocal about dealing with depression and anxiety in real life and on social media. I feel it’s important for people to speak about these types of challenges (when you feel safe), not to just tell their business, but to let others know that they’re not alone, and to counter the cultural belief that we should keep these kinds of things to ourselves. Conversation can help destigmatize issues of mental health. And there are many of us who battle depression and anxiety every day.
According to Resources to Recover, “Black American adults are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems, such as major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. Although rates of depression are lower in Blacks (24.6%) and Hispanics (19.6%) than in Whites (34.7%), depression in Blacks and Hispanics is likely to be more disabling and persistent.”
Dealing with mental health challenges is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, navigating mental health difficulties while holding down a job, looking for a job, taking care of yourself and possibly others and getting all the little and big life things done is something to be proud. Getting out of bed when everything in you has to fight to take one step, is something to celebrate.
I used to keep my battles with depression and anxiety to myself. At first, I didn’t exactly know what I was experiencing. As I gained more knowledge and eventually sought help, I felt more comfortable opening up to certain people. In doing so, I found that a lot of people, some who you’d never guess, are carrying mental health challenges with them every day. Knowing that not only increased my compassion for others and myself, but also made me feel less alone.
We have been going THROUGH it for over four years! The pandemic, wars, inflation, unemployment, people dying left and right…Trump. It’s truly a miracle that all of us haven’t given up and aren’t simultaneously in bed watching Golden Girls shoving fistfuls of Pringles down our throats to get by. It’s miraculous that this whole world hasn’t come to a halt. But it hasn’t, because people haven’t given up – even when everything feels like they should. But as the saying goes, “If you need to rest, but don’t quit.”
When I’m depressed it really feels like NOTHING is going to get better and that nothing I do will change anything. But fortunately, my spirit knows that my mind is lying to me. And that is what on more days than not, gets me out of bed, even if it’s late, to do something. Even if that something is just taking a shower or making the best meal I have the energy for or straightening up my place because physical clutter also clutters the mind.
Depression can be like being at the bottom of a hole with no energy and no idea of how to get out. And even if you try, you think you’ll just slide back down. Sometimes you can see the sky, but you have no idea how to reach it. And anxiety can be like worrying about being in that hole all. the. time. It sucks. It’s awful and sometimes scary.
But there is hope.
With effective support and tools through therapy, medication and supportive loved ones, there’s a lot of optimism. And speaking of medication, there’s absolutely no shame in taking meds to manage your mental health as you would to manage other areas of your health. My former therapist would call taking medication, “putting extra legs under the table.”
Additionally, there are more therapists of color entering the field, providing more services for Black and brown people who want a therapist who shares the same identity.
Though the conversation around mental health has become more robust than ever, we still have work to do, particularly in the Black community where there seems to be a generational gap regarding the comfort levels of discussing mental health openly. We’re a highly susceptible group for mental health challenges and we deserve to be open about our struggles without judgement and feel supported.
So, if you feel safe enough, take a leap with someone you trust and talk about your mental health challenges. You’ll probably find that you share similar concerns with others. And remember: It’s ok to not be ok.
The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
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