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