By Lynn Norment NABJ
Black News & Views
https://blacknewsandviews.com/
Something was terribly wrong, but I could not put my finger on it. My early 40s friend had transitioned from an active, vibrant, caring mother to a shell of her former self. She stopped working, stopped taking care of herself and her children, and even stopped walking her beloved dog.
She dreaded leaving home, would mostly sleep, then not sleep at all. Her finances fell apart and so did her family unit.
“I find myself caring for my younger brother and basically running the household,” the teenage daughter told me. She admitted being “angry and confused” with her mother but didn’t want to bother me.
Alarmed, I called a psychiatrist acquaintance and ran down the symptoms the daughter had shared. Was my friend hooked on street drugs or had she suffered a mental breakdown? The psychiatrist told me it could be drugs, but more likely serious depression.
I then called my “sick” friend. “Be honest with me,” I demanded. “Are you taking opioids?” She said she was not and had not taken any for years despite her ongoing migraine headaches.
“Well, are you depressed?” I asked.
She broke into tears and admitted she’d had an emotional breakup with the man she was dating and sank into depression. With further questioning, she told me her doctor had prescribed medication for depression, but she wasn’t taking it because she didn’t “like the way the medicine makes me feel.”
I told her bluntly she had to take the medicine or she’d never get better. She promised she would. Though she seems to be improving, she still does not want to leave the house or interact with people.
It is ironic that my friend would have this experience during May—Mental Health Awareness Month. This is a time when we all should be reminded to nurture our mental health as we do our physical wellbeing. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), almost one in five adults in the United States will experience some form of mental health disorder, and one in 22 is living with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive episodes.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, depression is a common ailment that researchers estimate affects nearly 7% of adults in the United States each year. More than 16% of U.S. adults, about one in six people, will experience depression at some point in their lives. These numbers are considered low because many people don’t seek medical help for symptoms of depression.
Most data shows that depression impacts fewer Black Americans than white or Latino people. Depression among Black people is 6.7%, while among white people, it is 8.9% and Native Americans 11.2%, the National Institute of Mental Health reported in October. But that data is influenced by a number of factors:
- Black Americans tend not to seek treatment because of mistrust borne out of race-related abuse by the medical industry;
- Black Americans’ depression tends to be severe, persistent, and less responsible to treatment;
- A lower percentage of Black Americans than white Americans have health insurance and access to mental health care;
- Cultural stigmas against mental health treatment;
- The racial makeup of specialists in the mental health field is overwhelmingly white.
Mental Health America reports that in the past year, 6.6% of Black American adults have experienced a “major depressive episode” and 5.5% have had serious thoughts of suicide.
And with Black people less likely to seek mental health care and experience more severe and chronic illness, they tend to experience worse mental health outcomes and higher disability.
The symptoms
As I learned from research and my dear friend, depression is a serious mental illness, a chronic condition that usually occurs in episodes that can last several weeks or months. My friend, along with thousands of other Black people, is afflicted with severe depression that impacts her thoughts, behavior, physical health and moods.
Common symptoms include persistent sadness, anxiety, loss of interest in activities, changes in appetite, weight or sleep, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating and making decisions, according to the Mayo Clinic, HopkinsMedicine.org, and other sources. Sometimes, symptoms may also include feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt, and thoughts of death or suicide. Depression accounts for nearly 40,000 suicides annually in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Courtney B. Johnson, a psychiatrist based in Memphis, emphasizes that depressive episodes can touch every aspect of one’s life.
“They can negatively impact health, family, close relationships, school and employment,” she said.
The exact cause of depression is not known, but several factors may contribute to it. Johnson said it can be triggered by a stressful life event, certain illnesses, and chronic pain. Depression also may be a side effect of certain medications. It can develop without a clear trigger. And some people are just genetically predisposed for mental illness.
Being proactive
“Many people don’t understand that depression is a medical condition that affects the brain, and many think that people suffering from depression can just ‘snap out of it,’” Johnson said. “Others assume that people with depression are exaggerating symptoms and behavior and can control how they feel, which is far from the truth.”
She advises those who suffer with depression to seek help from a doctor or counselor. In addition, they can help improve their symptoms by getting regular exercise and good quality sleep, developing good coping skills, and making appropriate lifestyle changes. Of course, eating healthy meals is a plus. And it is important to not consume alcohol and illicit drugs, which can negatively affect mental health.
Johnson also suggests developing a support network and spending time with people you care about, and who care about you.
If you know of a friend or family member who has symptoms of depression, help them get the care they need. Make sure they see a doctor who can diagnose their illness, prescribe medical treatment or therapy, and help them feel better again.
You can make a big difference in their lives by taking them seriously and helping them get the care they need.
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