ElectricMayhem87 (Ashleigh) I see your point but I think dealing with it on my own made me stronger and you’re right it seems weak to some of us. Idk my Daddy would always say it’s nothing to shake shit off ya shoe.
As a black woman, I was initially very open to therapy and attended sessions for several years. I had three different therapists because of moving away, change in my insurance and my move abroad to pursue research in Pretoria. My experience has shown me that therapy can be extremely dangerous because the "work" of the therapist almost goes unchecked. After having 4 white female therapists, I strongly argue for people of color to seek out black therapists.
I agree with you. I actually think getting a psychiatric diagnosis can be important in some cases so the therapist and you have a better understanding of what you need to work on. I suffer from anxiety but believe it’s a result of other issues I may have. In the past therapy hasn’t worked because the therapists I had only focused on my anxiety rather than truly understanding my issues and the reason I’m anxious. There are so many different types of therapies.
@queenjazz1 How does that work for u? Using Jesus for therapy? Because I go to a mostly white church and over this summer I was sexually assaulted. And when I talked to white people at my church they just suggest therapy. But I personally feel uncomfortable about therapy. I just trust God with healing me and with it all. Because He is the only one that can truly heal me. I believe therapy is taking it out of God's man's hands. Like man can do something God can't. But I hate going to church and people telling me that. I'm so anxious about this whole therapy and getting help thing I feel like no one agrees with me but my parents. So I look stuff in white people's eyes when I've been through something like that and I don't go to therapy.
I feel bad for the lady who said she feels talking to your family could be as effective. Your family has feelings for you---they can't stay neutral no matter how hard they try. Whatever decisions you make are going, to some degree, have an impact on THEM. The other lay hit it right on the head when she implied men don't seek therapy because they'll be seen as pussies. I'm so goddam sick of that destructive bullshit. Men aren't allowed to cry so instead they hold it in until they crack and beat the hell out of someone, take a gun to school, etc. How dumb is this country that we still don't realize you can be strong and still have emotions.
Black folks don't go to therapy because they aren't afforded to. Therapy is an expensive service, and most of us don't have jobs that offer benefits that include therapy.
inquisitive871 I would say that the people who need therapy the most are the ones who usually can't afford it. If a person has severe mental problems, what are the chances they can hold down a decent job that gives them good health insurance? It's so messed up.
I know this comment is old, but I wanted to mention that counselors do use payment methods that include sliding scales and bartering. Pro-bono is also pushed in the field.
God knows. And Pastors feel insulted to admit that they're in over their heads. Like there's some flaw within them if they can't "counsel" every damn thing or pray something away. As a people, we have to learn that 1.) Mental illnesses are valid medical conditions that warrant Licensed medical care and 2.) Doctors exist for a reason.
2020 had 3 of my relatives die. anything happens, happy or sad, I crie. my mother said she wasn't sad. Her brothers and sisters died, and she's not sad? ok. they had to carry me out of the funeral service in december. I'm gonna stop talking, i'm tearing up now.
There was free therapy at my college which was a predominantly white university and I loved it. I wish more black people would that time to heal ourselves. We just run to other dysfunctional people.
This was excellent!!!..I appreciated the candid and honest commentary from BLACK FOLK..I am a African American clinical therapist and I can attest to every single perspective conveyed in this video.( side bar.I have to create my own You tube account this is my daughters account) We as a race have to stop being so prideful and stagnant and open our minds to wellness or we shal stay stagnent..PLEASE BELIEVE IT!!
I do have problems verbalizing my feelings, so I'm in therapy right now. My wife asked me to go with her. We go together and we are learning how to communicate better and get things of our chest in a "safe" way.
The stigma is so large that one time an ex friend told me that he went to therapy, and his brother WHO WORKS IN MENTAL HEALTH WITH A BACHELORS IN PSYCHOLOGY, discouraged him from going and was/is strongly against it! They both grew up in a house where their dad was beating them and their mom up every day! And even with all that, the brother STILL felt they didn’t suffer any significant psychological scars. I’m so confused. I know that vulnerability is hard, but like get over it. Do you want to be happy? To not attract abusive people? Not be haunted by your childhood trauma...whatever that may be? Do you want to have healthy thoughts about yourself? Or figure out why you’re sabotaging relationships, why you’re so angry, or way you feel “empty”? Sorry but Jesus isn’t the answer to everything, really from what I’ve seen it’s more of a deterrent.. that’s why you get these church ladies losing their legs to type 2 diabetes because they’re addicted to Junk food, saying that they’re in “Jesus Hands”...no, girl, you need to stop eating fried chicken. And no, pastor, losing a child to leukemia isn’t part of “god’s plan”. Being molested by a loved one is not part of “god’s plan”. Being bullied and socially isolated to the point of contemplating suicide isn’t part of god’s plan. Grief, anxiety, and rejection are all real and legitimate things.
I've gone to therapy. I really like and appreciate the topics being discussed in this series because I feel like they're related to a lot of the problems that exist in the 'black community'. People seek out religion for real world problems and that can only do so much for the stressors in this harsh world.
Very spot on on how we're kind of supposed to take everything in (in yourself, only in the family, etc) so "Don't tell no one your business or our(family) business to others" it can be very hard to admit that someone should talk to a therapist, a professional, and say what's going on.
I wish that I could find black therapists. There are some wounds that cannot be shared with others... that others wont (wont let themselves) understand.
The biggest problem with therapy is the difficulty in finding a Black therapist. A white therapist can't even begin to help me be what I need to be,( and that ain't more assimilated and mainstream) and unfortunately, most "trained" Black therapists perform like the white ones. How dumb is it to let the cause of my psychic trauma, get in my head to "treat" it? How can a Black therapist be as effective as they "need" to be, if they haven't heard of, say an Amos Wilson, or Nathan and Julia Hare. Most haven't. Church has the same problem, it was designed to make you explode before you reload. Suffer the stress and die begging for a white man to save you. Not good, and it is apparent in our condition. Where are the Black, Black therapists. When I asked a white therapist to point me to a Black one, he said he didn't know any. So I refused to submit to him. 2 Years later when I looked for myself, there weren't many, but there were enough to choose from, right there on the Internet, most with more than ten years experience, in my city. So even tho he may not have lied about "knowing" any, the obvious fact is that if I'd asked for a podiatrist and he didn't know any, he would have no doubt pointed to some. So, I ask, what was that about?
What exactly do you want to talk about? Usually therapy is an open forum, so it's essentially to say what's on your mind. There is no specific, "white" way or "black" way to do it. My guess is that you just want a therapist to relate to. Most black therapists should be fine, it's going to be hard to find someone who 100% relates to you as a therapist.
I'm (obviously) black, lol and have seen different mental health professionals on and off for about 6 years. One of those mental health professionals was a black woman. Counseling really helped me. Everyone has their own way of coping, some ways being healthier than others, and I look forward to day where receiving counseling is not seen as taboo in the black community. Now, I am also working towards getting into a Mental Health Counseling graduate program so that I can help people as well as be someone who other black people can hopefully feel comfortable receiving help from.
I have the same cultural background and same painful experience of strange (and painful) silence. Now, imagine that paired with being raised BY black African mental health care professionals AND going through a mental health crisis. ...."The cobbler's children have no shoes", and all that.
I going to be honest. I am apprehensive to go see a therapist simply because I do know who would be able to help me. Despite having a loving mother whom I try not to overburden with my problems, I do not feel anyone can help nor would offer me the right panacea to alleviate my issues which some of deeply-seated. Some of my problems are self-inflicted and I take full accountability. As a matter of fact, I think I take too much responsibility. There are days where I question my existence and want to perish because I feel like a failure.
A few years ago I read an article in Essence regarding black people 's reluctance to go to therapy and at the end of the article Essence published the name and website address of the association of African American psychologists and therapists so that different people across the US could find one near their area and regarding people who insist on only going to therapists who choose to affiliate with Christianity, I'm sure there is an organization of those certain therapists too so people should Google them up and seek them out.
I relate to the lady at 5:18 the most. Well heck everyone but her's matched my experience being a psych major and pursuing my masters in counseling i realized that it was a bunch of bs. Nonetheless i believe individuals with severe occurrences of mental issues should seek therapy...
Depression,miscarriages,abusive husband,death,children,molestation and jail. I just dealt I recognized the problems and dealt with it. Actually I just worked more and I feel fine now. I just don’t see the benefit of paying a stranger to listen to your pain. No thanks
Naya Coleman probably because that pain is affecting you in ways you aren’t thinking about or aren’t consciously aware of... I had divorcee emotionally abusive parents (unintentionally). Because of my harsh relationship with them, I grew up internalizing that I had to work to get someone’s approval, and that I was never good enough. I also subconsciously accepted bullying and abusive behaviors from “friends” because I hadn’t been use to anything different. Therapy so far has helped me understand the importance of boundaries, and why I keep attracting my abusive friendships/relationships. It’s helped me understand why I have my thought patterns are the way they are as well as a reassurance that they’re not healthy. Now we’re moving to ways to shift them into healthier thinking, and to also give me warning signs when I’m entering a situation that is not healthy. Child molestation, death, jail and domestic violence causes PTSD, anxiety, and depression on virtually every survivor. The effects cause permanent damages in the brain. I would not brush off “talking to a stranger” if I had dealt with all of that. Usually the effects manifest in the survivor having intimacy issues, drug dependency, social phobias, anger, and being attracted to abusive partners. If you have had trouble with the law, and have already been a victim of domestic violence, you are showing that you have been affected. Do whatever you feel necessary but I’m just saying, do some research on how trauma affects the brain, and also the TedTalk on ACES (a psychology research led by a black woman...). Also also actually look up the treatment methods in psychotherapy. It’s not always “talk” therapy, there are a variety of programs depending on your issues and the severity...
I don't think many of us recognize how we cope with stress, depression, anxiety, or disappointment and that too is a barrier that keeps us from getting help when we need it.
For some people it can be helpful but for others a waste of time. My mom wanted me to go to a phychologist and I hated it. I talked crap there for the psychologist to realize I don't want her help and let me go.
I think that some people anyway can talk to their family and/or friends about their personal problems and stress AS WELL AS go to a professional therapist to deal with those same problems and change their lives for the better while I think other people should only speak to professionals in private and only seek their help. Everybody in the world has some level of frailty or 'damage' but can one's friend(s) or family member(s) be counted on for impartiality, objectivity, logic and common sense regarding one's personal issues even past the friend/family member's own frailties and 'damage'? Or not? Then you have to count people's possible hidden agendas even among family and friends that you as a 'non-mind reader' can't see or know (yet). Even family members who may truly love you may have an agenda they want to lead you towards instead of you going to the direction you may need to go to (cont.)
My (Black) parents basically forced me to go to therapy for depression shortly after I started college. I didn't like it, and I eventually walked out on my therapist. But I years latter, I can't argue it wasn't a reasonable thing for my parents to do. Also, my shrink was clearly Muslim. I never even thought this was a thing.
Now this is a nonsensical stereotype. For starters, going to therapy is not necessarily your choice alone. Get busted for certain drug and alcohol related offenses? Your job or the courts can mandate rehab which will likely include therapy. Become to depressed to go to work or school? Again, in order to save your skin, you'll have to do therapy. Been there done that myself. I'm black.
Myeccentric, why do you think that is? I've noticed that too, I assumed ( you know what they say about assuming, lol) that there was a stronger sense of community or culture involved.
Both NAMI & the NIH have data showing that PoC, are less likely to go to therapy or seek help for social & emotional problems. I think that the root of this stereotype, like many of the other mentioned stereotypes in this series, comes down to accessibility. Therapy is expensive & a lot of insurance plans don't cover mental health. Congress even voted to not give mental health equity with physical health for the Affordable Health Care Act.
(cont'd) Also, there's a stigma towards mental illness & therapy. I suspect that this stigma is even greater among PoC. Some people label the mentally ill as weak, scary, unpleasant, &/or dangerous. This stigmatization risk is enough to stop people from seeking help. Sorry for the long rant, but as a working class PoC with severe mental illness in my family, I know how hard it can be to get to therapy.
No its not fully because we dont want to look at our selves. We are told to deal with it, if you have a problem keep it at home. And not trusting the doctors.
yeah but you dont deal with it THAT'S the problem........if you did you wouldnt keep bringing it up,,,so ya, you & the rest are in much need of therapy..........long trem
Mental health issues are easily at the top of our community’s list of issues. Of course, the historical backdrop of the slave trade and slavery should not be overlooked. However, once we move closer to the present, we have to look at our families. So much trauma. So much inter-generational trauma. Sadly, we carry that trauma into adulthood and, knowingly or unknowingly, we pass the trauma onto to our children. Black girls get raped, for example. That is a serious trauma. Then, they grow up and have children. For whatever reason, the couple separates. Millions of our children are trapped in the middle of high conflict divorces and end of being forced to “choose sides.” In too many instances, black fathers are alienated from their children. The children grow up with their own mental health issues, thereby continuing this viscous cycle. I think the mental health issues surrounding parental alienation is a good place to begin some serious research, dialogue, and therapy. Read up on Ade. Craig Childress. He has videos on UA-cam. Otherwise, the NOI has one of the best rehabilitation programs hands down.
Actually if you have been mandated to go to therapy you waited to long. You should have been going to therapy long before you stepped in front of a judge. Sometimes life can be hard, painful and confusing and there is no shame in being lost. There is no shame in not knowing what to do. No human on this planet has all the answer. We are here on this planet to help one another make sense of what we can.
One of the problems with black people not going to therapy is 1) They have this problems with wanting to keep secret under the guise of "not telling their business" because they''re afraid being judged and/or stigmatized( the way they themselves might be judging & stigmatizing other people) & 2 have this attitude that they don't need to tell their problems or "business" to a stranger paid to listen to them. We need to stop being so scared of therapy & stop judging others for doing it
Exactly! Most of the spokesmen and spokeswomen are lower class Black people. The middle class upper middle class and the elite are never acknowledged in the context Blackness. Shit is wack son.. Im Black I ski I play golf, I play ball WAS an atheist, Ive traveled the world AND I do yoga..In fact I went on a yoga retreat to Guatemala. Sometimes I speak like THIS sometime a muffuggah speaks like THIS. Come on with this shit son. We're not a monolith
The only reason black people go to therapy is because white people go to therapy. We are always following in their footsteps. Everybody doesn't need therapy! We challenge religious folk yet accept words that come from a man as fact! We trade our strengths for their weaknesses. You cannot deny that we were made to be mentally strong. You can solve most of your own problems just by metacongnition rather than talking to someone else about you.
![Black Folk Don't: Go to the Doctor [Episode Five]](/img/n.gif)
Stigma will be the death of us if we don't get a grip.
truth
Actually, HIV/AIDS is working much faster.
Absolutely this are crucial times
Black ppl don't do vulnerability, in general.
And that's the sad thing. Being vulnerable sometimes doesn't make us weak; it makes us *human.*
ElectricMayhem87 (Ashleigh) I see your point but I think dealing with it on my own made me stronger and you’re right it seems weak to some of us. Idk my Daddy would always say it’s nothing to shake shit off ya shoe.
It takes a strong person to let themselves be vulnerable
As a black woman, I was initially very open to therapy and attended sessions for several years. I had three different therapists because of moving away, change in my insurance and my move abroad to pursue research in Pretoria. My experience has shown me that therapy can be extremely dangerous because the "work" of the therapist almost goes unchecked. After having 4 white female therapists, I strongly argue for people of color to seek out black therapists.
I agree with you. I actually think getting a psychiatric diagnosis can be important in some cases so the therapist and you have a better understanding of what you need to work on.
I suffer from anxiety but believe it’s a result of other issues I may have. In the past therapy hasn’t worked because the therapists I had only focused on my anxiety rather than truly understanding my issues and the reason I’m anxious.
There are so many different types of therapies.
I go to therapy. Most black folks say you need to talk to Jesus. LOL I see a very good black therapist
William Blake lol I was just about to say that Jesus/church was my therapy! 😂
William Blake black homes lack support.
@@WildBison74 No...definitely not.
@queenjazz1 How does that work for u? Using Jesus for therapy? Because I go to a mostly white church and over this summer I was sexually assaulted. And when I talked to white people at my church they just suggest therapy. But I personally feel uncomfortable about therapy. I just trust God with healing me and with it all. Because He is the only one that can truly heal me. I believe therapy is taking it out of God's man's hands. Like man can do something God can't. But I hate going to church and people telling me that. I'm so anxious about this whole therapy and getting help thing I feel like no one agrees with me but my parents. So I look stuff in white people's eyes when I've been through something like that and I don't go to therapy.
I love this series. Really breaks down stereotypes in the black community.
btw I'm black and I've been to therapy.
ccdj504 the stereotypes are only being broken down by the comments defiantly not by the vid 😘
I feel bad for the lady who said she feels talking to your family could be as effective. Your family has feelings for you---they can't stay neutral no matter how hard they try. Whatever decisions you make are going, to some degree, have an impact on THEM.
The other lay hit it right on the head when she implied men don't seek therapy because they'll be seen as pussies. I'm so goddam sick of that destructive bullshit. Men aren't allowed to cry so instead they hold it in until they crack and beat the hell out of someone, take a gun to school, etc. How dumb is this country that we still don't realize you can be strong and still have emotions.
That was me who talked about Black men being seen as “weak” and “pussies” - it’s really sad.
Black folks don't go to therapy because they aren't afforded to. Therapy is an expensive service, and most of us don't have jobs that offer benefits that include therapy.
inquisitive871 I would say that the people who need therapy the most are the ones who usually can't afford it. If a person has severe mental problems, what are the chances they can hold down a decent job that gives them good health insurance? It's so messed up.
Sometimes if you're on Medicaid, you can find pro bono services; I was lucky enough to find that.
inquisitive871 I agree with this in addition to the fact that we have a stigma within our communities about it.
I know this comment is old, but I wanted to mention that counselors do use payment methods that include sliding scales and bartering. Pro-bono is also pushed in the field.
The Only therapy that black folks know is church
So true.
I here ya sista
God knows. And Pastors feel insulted to admit that they're in over their heads. Like there's some flaw within them if they can't "counsel" every damn thing or pray something away. As a people, we have to learn that 1.) Mental illnesses are valid medical conditions that warrant Licensed medical care and 2.) Doctors exist for a reason.
I'm an atheist.
AND YOU LEFT OUT FAMILY COOKOUTS
2020 had 3 of my relatives die. anything happens, happy or sad, I crie. my mother said she wasn't sad. Her brothers and sisters died, and she's not sad? ok. they had to carry me out of the funeral service in december. I'm gonna stop talking, i'm tearing up now.
There was free therapy at my college which was a predominantly white university and I loved it. I wish more black people would that time to heal ourselves. We just run to other dysfunctional people.
I'm a therapist and notice it's the older generation of Blacks that avoid therapy at all cost.
9 years later, and this is still very relevant!!
This was excellent!!!..I appreciated the candid and honest commentary from BLACK FOLK..I am a African American clinical therapist and I can attest to every single perspective conveyed in this video.( side bar.I have to create my own You tube account this is my daughters account) We as a race have to stop being so prideful and stagnant and open our minds to wellness or we shal stay stagnent..PLEASE BELIEVE IT!!
Thank you.
I do have problems verbalizing my feelings, so I'm in therapy right now. My wife asked me to go with her. We go together and we are learning how to communicate better and get things of our chest in a "safe" way.
I really like what you are doing with your channel. * Subbed.
The stigma is so large that one time an ex friend told me that he went to therapy, and his brother WHO WORKS IN MENTAL HEALTH WITH A BACHELORS IN PSYCHOLOGY, discouraged him from going and was/is strongly against it! They both grew up in a house where their dad was beating them and their mom up every day! And even with all that, the brother STILL felt they didn’t suffer any significant psychological scars. I’m so confused. I know that vulnerability is hard, but like get over it. Do you want to be happy? To not attract abusive people? Not be haunted by your childhood trauma...whatever that may be? Do you want to have healthy thoughts about yourself? Or figure out why you’re sabotaging relationships, why you’re so angry, or way you feel “empty”? Sorry but Jesus isn’t the answer to everything, really from what I’ve seen it’s more of a deterrent.. that’s why you get these church ladies losing their legs to type 2 diabetes because they’re addicted to Junk food, saying that they’re in “Jesus Hands”...no, girl, you need to stop eating fried chicken. And no, pastor, losing a child to leukemia isn’t part of “god’s plan”. Being molested by a loved one is not part of “god’s plan”. Being bullied and socially isolated to the point of contemplating suicide isn’t part of god’s plan. Grief, anxiety, and rejection are all real and legitimate things.
I've gone to therapy. I really like and appreciate the topics being discussed in this series because I feel like they're related to a lot of the problems that exist in the 'black community'. People seek out religion for real world problems and that can only do so much for the stressors in this harsh world.
Very spot on on how we're kind of supposed to take everything in (in yourself, only in the family, etc) so "Don't tell no one your business or our(family) business to others" it can be very hard to admit that someone should talk to a therapist, a professional, and say what's going on.
Now these is true !Therapy cost money!
LOVE THIS PAGE-VERY INFORMATIVE! BRAVO!
WE WOULD LOVE TO DEVELOP A SYNERGY WITH THIS PAGE!
I wish that I could find black therapists.
There are some wounds that cannot be shared with others... that others wont (wont let themselves) understand.
The biggest problem with therapy is the difficulty in finding a Black therapist. A white therapist can't even begin to help me be what I need to be,( and that ain't more assimilated and mainstream) and unfortunately, most "trained" Black therapists perform like the white ones. How dumb is it to let the cause of my psychic trauma, get in my head to "treat" it? How can a Black therapist be as effective as they "need" to be, if they haven't heard of, say an Amos Wilson, or Nathan and Julia Hare.
Most haven't. Church has the same problem, it was designed to make you explode before you reload. Suffer the stress and die begging for a white man to save you. Not good, and it is apparent in our condition. Where are the Black, Black therapists.
When I asked a white therapist to point me to a Black one, he said he didn't know any. So I refused to submit to him. 2 Years later when I looked for myself, there weren't many, but there were enough to choose from, right there on the Internet, most with more than ten years experience, in my city. So even tho he may not have lied about "knowing" any, the obvious fact is that if I'd asked for a podiatrist and he didn't know any, he would have no doubt pointed to some. So, I ask, what was that about?
What exactly do you want to talk about? Usually therapy is an open forum, so it's essentially to say what's on your mind. There is no specific, "white" way or "black" way to do it. My guess is that you just want a therapist to relate to. Most black therapists should be fine, it's going to be hard to find someone who 100% relates to you as a therapist.
I'm (obviously) black, lol and have seen different mental health professionals on and off for about 6 years. One of those mental health professionals was a black woman. Counseling really helped me. Everyone has their own way of coping, some ways being healthier than others, and I look forward to day where receiving counseling is not seen as taboo in the black community. Now, I am also working towards getting into a Mental Health Counseling graduate program so that I can help people as well as be someone who other black people can hopefully feel comfortable receiving help from.
I have the same cultural background and same painful experience of strange (and painful) silence.
Now, imagine that paired with being raised BY black African mental health care professionals AND going through a mental health crisis.
...."The cobbler's children have no shoes", and all that.
I going to be honest. I am apprehensive to go see a therapist simply because I do know who would be able to help me. Despite having a loving mother whom I try not to overburden with my problems, I do not feel anyone can help nor would offer me the right panacea to alleviate my issues which some of deeply-seated. Some of my problems are self-inflicted and I take full accountability. As a matter of fact, I think I take too much responsibility. There are days where I question my existence and want to perish because I feel like a failure.
Last time I checked, I was black, and so was my therapist.
appreciate you
A few years ago I read an article in Essence regarding black people 's reluctance to go to therapy and at the end of the article Essence published the name and website address of the association of African American psychologists and therapists so that different people across the US could find one near their area and regarding people who insist on only going to therapists who choose to affiliate with Christianity, I'm sure there is an organization of those certain therapists too so people should Google them up and seek them out.
Is there a way that closed captioning can be added to this video? I have some hearing-impaired students who I would like to share the broadcast.
Now I have to agree with this one 100%! It's sad. We should go to therapy. Mental health is serious.
I relate to the lady at 5:18 the most. Well heck everyone but her's matched my experience being a psych major and pursuing my masters in counseling i realized that it was a bunch of bs. Nonetheless i believe individuals with severe occurrences of mental issues should seek therapy...
Depression,miscarriages,abusive husband,death,children,molestation and jail. I just dealt I recognized the problems and dealt with it. Actually I just worked more and I feel fine now. I just don’t see the benefit of paying a stranger to listen to your pain. No thanks
Naya Coleman probably because that pain is affecting you in ways you aren’t thinking about or aren’t consciously aware of... I had divorcee emotionally abusive parents (unintentionally). Because of my harsh relationship with them, I grew up internalizing that I had to work to get someone’s approval, and that I was never good enough. I also subconsciously accepted bullying and abusive behaviors from “friends” because I hadn’t been use to anything different. Therapy so far has helped me understand the importance of boundaries, and why I keep attracting my abusive friendships/relationships. It’s helped me understand why I have my thought patterns are the way they are as well as a reassurance that they’re not healthy. Now we’re moving to ways to shift them into healthier thinking, and to also give me warning signs when I’m entering a situation that is not healthy.
Child molestation, death, jail and domestic violence causes PTSD, anxiety, and depression on virtually every survivor. The effects cause permanent damages in the brain. I would not brush off “talking to a stranger” if I had dealt with all of that. Usually the effects manifest in the survivor having intimacy issues, drug dependency, social phobias, anger, and being attracted to abusive partners. If you have had trouble with the law, and have already been a victim of domestic violence, you are showing that you have been affected. Do whatever you feel necessary but I’m just saying, do some research on how trauma affects the brain, and also the TedTalk on ACES (a psychology research led by a black woman...). Also also actually look up the treatment methods in psychotherapy. It’s not always “talk” therapy, there are a variety of programs depending on your issues and the severity...
I don't think many of us recognize how we cope with stress, depression, anxiety, or disappointment and that too is a barrier that keeps us from getting help when we need it.
ua-cam.com/video/omyzEvVvjog/v-deo.html
Suddenly there's only black and white and I suppose everything in between has mysteriously disappeared.
yeah in my community it's pretty much the ultimate insult to go to someone and talk about your problems, especially when it concerns family.
Nathan, I understand that sentiment, but there are Black therapists
For some people it can be helpful but for others a waste of time. My mom wanted me to go to a phychologist and I hated it. I talked crap there for the psychologist to realize I don't want her help and let me go.
I am black and i have a black therapist....Dr. Rouse
I think that some people anyway can talk to their family and/or friends about their personal problems and stress AS WELL AS go to a professional therapist to deal with those same problems and change their lives for the better while I think other people should only speak to professionals in private and only seek their help.
Everybody in the world has some level of frailty or 'damage' but can one's friend(s) or family member(s) be counted on for impartiality, objectivity, logic and common sense regarding one's personal issues even past the friend/family member's own frailties and 'damage'? Or not? Then you have to count people's possible hidden agendas even among family and friends that you as a 'non-mind reader' can't see or know (yet). Even family members who may truly love you may have an agenda they want to lead you towards instead of you going to the direction you may need to go to (cont.)
My (Black) parents basically forced me to go to therapy for depression shortly after I started college. I didn't like it, and I eventually walked out on my therapist. But I years latter, I can't argue it wasn't a reasonable thing for my parents to do. Also, my shrink was clearly Muslim. I never even thought this was a thing.
Now this is a nonsensical stereotype. For starters, going to therapy is not necessarily your choice alone. Get busted for certain drug and alcohol related offenses? Your job or the courts can mandate rehab which will likely include therapy. Become to depressed to go to work or school? Again, in order to save your skin, you'll have to do therapy. Been there done that myself. I'm black.
I just told my family I have ptsd after 30 years! Black people don’t take mental health seriously, at least in my experience
ua-cam.com/video/omyzEvVvjog/v-deo.html
Myeccentric, why do you think that is? I've noticed that too, I assumed ( you know what they say about assuming, lol) that there was a stronger sense of community or culture involved.
It's always "go to Jesus " like God first of all was pushing me to seek help!
Therapy is good. Get some.
And here lies the problem with young black men harming themselves and harming others.Black people may want to rethink this stand on not doing therapy.
Both NAMI & the NIH have data showing that PoC, are less likely to go to therapy or seek help for social & emotional problems. I think that the root of this stereotype, like many of the other mentioned stereotypes in this series, comes down to accessibility. Therapy is expensive & a lot of insurance plans don't cover mental health. Congress even voted to not give mental health equity with physical health for the Affordable Health Care Act.
(cont'd) Also, there's a stigma towards mental illness & therapy. I suspect that this stigma is even greater among PoC. Some people label the mentally ill as weak, scary, unpleasant, &/or dangerous. This stigmatization risk is enough to stop people from seeking help. Sorry for the long rant, but as a working class PoC with severe mental illness in my family, I know how hard it can be to get to therapy.
oh i am and proud of it :)
It may have to do with the fact that 'black folk' are more communal, thereby, problems can be solved within the family.
I think it's a trust thing too. I wouldn't trust a therapist. And if you can't trust them then what's the point?
Why didn't you just pray on it.... No one answered?
er we invented dubstep @JJoh4040
I think they're speaking about an Ethic Norm, and not individual experiences
Whaat! Blk folks yes do go to therapy all kinds.
they don't want to look at themselves .....
No its not fully because we dont want to look at our selves. We are told to deal with it, if you have a problem keep it at home. And not trusting the doctors.
yeah but you dont deal with it THAT'S the problem........if you did you wouldnt keep bringing it up,,,so ya, you & the rest are in much need of therapy..........long trem
Because they would find out just how fucked up they really are.
Mental health issues are easily at the top of our community’s list of issues. Of course, the historical backdrop of the slave trade and slavery should not be overlooked. However, once we move closer to the present, we have to look at our families. So much trauma. So much inter-generational trauma. Sadly, we carry that trauma into adulthood and, knowingly or unknowingly, we pass the trauma onto to our children. Black girls get raped, for example. That is a serious trauma. Then, they grow up and have children. For whatever reason, the couple separates. Millions of our children are trapped in the middle of high conflict divorces and end of being forced to “choose sides.” In too many instances, black fathers are alienated from their children. The children grow up with their own mental health issues, thereby continuing this viscous cycle. I think the mental health issues surrounding parental alienation is a good place to begin some serious research, dialogue, and therapy. Read up on Ade. Craig Childress. He has videos on UA-cam. Otherwise, the NOI has one of the best rehabilitation programs hands down.
Is not like therapy helps anyway😢😢
Actually if you have been mandated to go to therapy you waited to long. You should have been going to therapy long before you stepped in front of a judge. Sometimes life can be hard, painful and confusing and there is no shame in being lost. There is no shame in not knowing what to do. No human on this planet has all the answer. We are here on this planet to help one another make sense of what we can.
Black Folk Don't : Use Rubbers
One of the problems with black people not going to therapy is 1) They have this problems with wanting to keep secret under the guise of "not telling their business" because they''re afraid being judged and/or stigmatized( the way they themselves might be judging & stigmatizing other people) & 2 have this attitude that they don't need to tell their problems or "business" to a stranger paid to listen to them. We need to stop being so scared of therapy & stop judging others for doing it
Family members and friends to talk to. Wow
maybe they should ..............
I am a clinical psychologist and we see very few blacks participating in cognitive therapy. The reason in the gr
go on pleape... i would like to know what you experiense is as im doing a research on this.
Exactly! Most of the spokesmen and spokeswomen are lower class Black people. The middle class upper middle class and the elite are never acknowledged in the context Blackness. Shit is wack son.. Im Black I ski I play golf, I play ball WAS an atheist, Ive traveled the world AND I do yoga..In fact I went on a yoga retreat to Guatemala. Sometimes I speak like THIS sometime a muffuggah speaks like THIS. Come on with this shit son. We're not a monolith
So because of the colour of people's skin they don't do/ don't go ......!!!
Seems more like a "people thing" not a "black thing"
But there are inherent stigmas and cultural barriers to getting help that Black folks are practically famous for. Trust me.
I'll take your word for it.
The only reason black people go to therapy is because white people go to therapy. We are always following in their footsteps. Everybody doesn't need therapy! We challenge religious folk yet accept words that come from a man as fact! We trade our strengths for their weaknesses. You cannot deny that we were made to be mentally strong. You can solve most of your own problems just by metacongnition rather than talking to someone else about you.