| Depression is a disorder that is treatable. | | | | treatment for depression and other mental |
| That is an important thing to keep in mind. | | | | illnesses." |
| People can bounce back from it. One of the | | | | |
| biggest issues with depression is the lack of | | | | And about one in four African-Americans is |
| talking about it. Around 16 million people | | | | uninsured, compared with about 16 percent of |
| deal with depression in America. Studies | | | | the U.S. population overall. |
| suggest that an equal percentage - 12 percent | | | | African-Americans are less likely to receive |
| - of black males and white males suffer from | | | | antidepressants, and when they do, they are |
| depression. The real difference is in | | | | more likely than whites to stop taking them. |
| treatment. Fewer blacks are being treated. | | | | |
| While only one-third of all Americans with a | | | | Particularly troubling to those who study and |
| mental illness receive care, less than half | | | | treat mental illness in black men is their |
| that number of African-Americans receive | | | | disproportionately higher rates of |
| mental health treatment. | | | | incarceration than other racial groups. |
| | | | Nearly half the male U.S. prison population |
| Depression can bring on feelings of | | | | is black, and about 40 percent of those in |
| worthlessness, sadness and hopelessness that | | | | the juvenile justice system are black. About |
| tends a way to get clogged his brain. Some | | | | 12 percent of the U.S. population is black. |
| think, in comparison, death seems soothing. | | | | |
| | | | It's a very difficult and very serious |
| Men who suffer from depression may think | | | | situation for these young men and for |
| suicide is the answer. It is not. Men that | | | | society. Psychiatrists who work with |
| become suicidal don't realise that they are | | | | Atlanta's homeless and black youth said they |
| repeating the cycle, burdening their children | | | | see dozens of black males each year head to |
| with the same loneliness the father had | | | | jail or juvenile justice when they should be |
| endured. Their kids would grow up with the | | | | in treatment centers. They blame in some form |
| knowledge that their father had taken his | | | | or another, depression. |
| life. Depression can be very paralyzing to | | | | |
| African Americans. | | | | "It happens all the time, and it's very |
| | | | alarming," said Dr. Raymond J. Kotwicki, |
| This vile illness affects men from all walks | | | | medical director of community outreach |
| of life, and as I've said before depression | | | | programs, Department of Psychiatry and |
| strikes everyone - from the black executive | | | | Behavioral Sciences, at Emory University |
| to the young street hustler. In many | | | | School of Medicine. |
| documented cases, several socially advanced | | | | |
| black men suffered from depression for many | | | | While all mental illnesses come wrapped in |
| year and refused to receive treatment. There | | | | stigma, mental illnesses in black men are |
| is a very disturbing undercurrent: If an | | | | even more entangled. Historical racism and |
| accomplished, highly informed black man | | | | current cultural biases and expectations all |
| refused to seek treatment for depression, how | | | | play a part, mental health advocates said. |
| difficult is it for uneducated or poor black | | | | |
| men to seek help? | | | | Nearly two-thirds of African-Americans |
| | | | believe mental illness is a shortcoming that |
| As we come to the end of Black History Month, | | | | can be overcome through prayer and faith, |
| some mental health experts who work with | | | | according to a studyby the National Alliance |
| black males suggest that these questions | | | | for the Mentally Il. |
| deserve greater study and discussion. | | | | |
| | | | The neglect of emotional disorders among men |
| Some experts believe that depression is | | | | in the black community is nothing less than |
| likely a key factor in a 233 percent increase | | | | racial suicide. Many experts argues that the |
| in suicide in black males ages 10-14 from | | | | problem of depression in black America can be |
| 1980 to 1995. | | | | traced back to the time of slavery, when it |
| | | | was believed that blacks were unable to feel |
| "Black men feel that they have to be twice as | | | | inner pain because they had no psyche. This |
| good as other people, that you can't be weak | | | | myth has damaged generations of African |
| because other people will take advantage of | | | | American men and their families, creating a |
| you," said Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. | | | | society that blames black men for being |
| surgeon general in a phone interview last | | | | violent and aggressive without considering |
| week. Satcher oversaw the 1999 surgeon | | | | that depression might be a root cause |
| general's report on mental health in the | | | | |
| United States. "Those [pressures] work | | | | If you have any thoughts on the subject, I'd |
| powerfully against a black male seeking | | | | love to hear them. |