In this post I will be using the terms African-Americans, black people, and people of color interchangeably
"I know we don't normally preach this in holiness but some of you need to talk to a professional about what's bothering you." That's what I heard the minister say as I sat in church a few weeks ago. During another church service after that I watched as the preacher acknowledged all of the medical doctors in the sanctuary and appreciated them for their service. In the middle of the sermon he stated, "You don't need a psychologist or psychiatrist! What you need is Jesus!!" These messages bothered me. I found myself not being able to connect to the atmosphere in that moment which also bothered me because I'm a spiritual and religious individual. I love going to church to worship and praise God for all of the magnificent things that He has done in my life, but I find that negative messages about mental health and mental health services are the norm in the black community, especially in some (I repeat SOME) black churches. These recent messages that I heard in the last few weeks caused me to reflect on how many times I've heard black pastors preach against mental health services, mental disorders, and mental health professionals.
I grew up in the church. My grandfather pastored his own church for many years. My mother is a powerful woman of God and a missionary who instilled spiritual values in me and my brother from a very young age. I've been a member of five different churches throughout my lifetime. Business, engineering, nursing, medicine, education, social work, language, journalism, and theology are just some of the areas of study that I've observed being talked about in a positive way within the black church. When I began to reflect, I realized that I've heard the same message about mental health over and over again in church; messages that discourage African-Americans from seeking professional help. Only when I began working in mental health did I become both sensitive and disappointed by these messages.
In my own personal experience, I have dealt with some very serious issues in my life. Issues having to do with abuse, family problems, sex, relationships, and self-esteem. Two of the biggest issues I've dealt with in my life were depression and suicide. I've wrestled back and forth with depression for many years and still experience bouts of it from time to time. One thing that I really treasure about my spirituality is that my beliefs helped me to battle with depression and suicide AND WIN! My belief in God and being active in attending church helped me to find deeper value and meaning in my life and prevented me from doing harm to myself. The crucial point that I want to make sure to highlight here is it wasn't spirituality and religiosity alone that helped me win these battles.
I first decided to seek out a therapist in the summer of 2015, I was 30 years old. In my post titled "Life or Death" I talk about the bad spiritual and mental state that I was in:
"From a child up until age 30, I had seen and suffered so much hurt that the blow
of this breakup caused my spirit to snap! I couldn't take another person lying
to me, abusing me, not caring about me, and not loving me. No one seemed
to care about how their actions affected me! I felt so alone!"
So what do you do when your spirit...the very thing that your beliefs are encased in seems to "snap?" At that time, being in a crowd of people listening to the preacher wasn't helping me. I was getting all dressed up for church, covering up my depression with MAC makeup (ha how ironic..concealing with concealer). On the outside, I looked like I was doing fine but on the inside I was considering taking my life! I remember one day going to church, sitting there for a while and just leaving because there was so much going on inside of me. What do you do when the most powerful altar call doesn't help, when private prayer doesn't seem to be helping, when meeting with the pastor one on one isn't helping....what do you do?? Inside I felt very conflicted because I've grown up listening to messages that I didn't need to pay a therapist money just to talk, but I knew that if I didn't get help fast my mental and spiritual condition was only going to get worse! I myself, A COUNSELOR, who had gone through extensive study, research, education, training, and practice in human behavior, cognition, and mental health refused to believe that I needed and wanted professional help. It was easy for me to encourage my clients and commend them for making the first step yet I couldn't do it myself. In my mind, I was the professional who gave help...it wasn't for me to seek or receive. What a damaging way of thinking. But here's the question again, "What do you do?" ...when your degrees can't even help you?
"What do you do?" is an even harder question to ask when you have experienced "church hurt." Often the church is the place where many people of color go to find safety, peace, support, encouragement, strength and help for their issues but when the people in the church hurt you...it feels like you truly have NOWHERE to turn especially if you have been discouraged by the church to seek professional help.
The goal of this post is NOT to speak negatively about or criticize the black church rather to help educate the black community which includes the church about the benefits of being aware of the status of your mental health and receiving the appropriate services if necessary.
"What do you do?" is an even harder question to ask when you have experienced "church hurt." Often the church is the place where many people of color go to find safety, peace, support, encouragement, strength and help for their issues but when the people in the church hurt you...it feels like you truly have NOWHERE to turn especially if you have been discouraged by the church to seek professional help.
The goal of this post is NOT to speak negatively about or criticize the black church rather to help educate the black community which includes the church about the benefits of being aware of the status of your mental health and receiving the appropriate services if necessary.
So what are some reasons why African-Americans don't seek professional help even if they desire help?
1. Historical Context
During slavery black people had to put on a strong face while enduring inhumane treatment. Black women specifically were raped and beaten and ANY emotional or physical expression of opposition could result in them being killed or their family being raped or sold. This is where the persona of the Strong Black Woman was originated. Essentially, back in this time, suffering silently was the only way for black to women survive. In general I believe that this attitude has been passed down and unconsciously adopted by African-Americans over generations and the goal now is to continue to survive both physically and psychologically. I know that the Strong Black Woman schema is connected with black women but everyday, black men AND women have to survive the workplace, the classroom, home, and society. Over time we have learned that expressing our true and authentic feelings about negative situations could result in consequences that label us, confine us, and sadly...kill us.
2. Cultural Mistrust
Literature has shown that enslaved Africans were brutalized culturally, physically, socially, and emotionally. After slavery was abolished in 1865, segregation was legalized and this system kept black people in a subordinate status by denying them equal access to public facilities. People of color were to live apart from white people which only perpetuated the message that to be black is to be inferior. From the past era of The Civil Rights Movement to the current era of the Black Lives Matter Movement we can see where the judicial system failed the black population. When looking specifically at healthcare we can see another major systemic failure that has put the black community at a huge disadvantage in relation to mental health services.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment for example, was a significant historical event that had a huge negative affect on the way African-American's view health care and the field of medicine. I encourage you to read about this if you are unfamiliar with this account. Basically, hundreds of poor black men were recruited for a study that promised to treat them for "bad blood." These men signed up for this study under false pretenses and were promised free meals, free treatment, and burial insurance. Out of 600 black men, 399 were diagnosed with syphilis. The men with syphilis were NOT told that were NOT being treated for the diagnosis rather just watched until they eventually died so that their bodies could be examined for research. You should also know that even after penicillin was discovered, these men were NOT offered that treatment. This study DESTROYED the trust many African-Americans held for medical institutions and this mistrust continues even today.
3. Stigma
Many people in the African-American community think that if they seek professional help than that means that they are crazy. Because of the discourse of mental disorders in the black community disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and suicide are all looked at as crazy. In doing a Google search on black people and mental health, I saw a picture that read, "Black people don't commit suicide!" I believe that education is the key in disrupting these false messages about mental health. They more we know, the more we can do!
4. Cost
Let's be real. Going to God costs absolutely NOTHING and that is the awesome thing about God! You don't have to worry about how much is in your account to talk to Him. You can talk to God anytime about anything. The sad reality is that many African-Americans who would like to receive professional help, can't afford it. Therapy is not only a commitment but it is also an investment. Insurance coverage, out of pocket costs, and unemployment are key factors in determining whether or not an individual is able to attend therapy. A recent article that I read stated that even though financial resources are a barrier, the stigma and historical context of seeking professional help outside of the church supersede that barrier for many people of color.
Literature has shown that enslaved Africans were brutalized culturally, physically, socially, and emotionally. After slavery was abolished in 1865, segregation was legalized and this system kept black people in a subordinate status by denying them equal access to public facilities. People of color were to live apart from white people which only perpetuated the message that to be black is to be inferior. From the past era of The Civil Rights Movement to the current era of the Black Lives Matter Movement we can see where the judicial system failed the black population. When looking specifically at healthcare we can see another major systemic failure that has put the black community at a huge disadvantage in relation to mental health services.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment for example, was a significant historical event that had a huge negative affect on the way African-American's view health care and the field of medicine. I encourage you to read about this if you are unfamiliar with this account. Basically, hundreds of poor black men were recruited for a study that promised to treat them for "bad blood." These men signed up for this study under false pretenses and were promised free meals, free treatment, and burial insurance. Out of 600 black men, 399 were diagnosed with syphilis. The men with syphilis were NOT told that were NOT being treated for the diagnosis rather just watched until they eventually died so that their bodies could be examined for research. You should also know that even after penicillin was discovered, these men were NOT offered that treatment. This study DESTROYED the trust many African-Americans held for medical institutions and this mistrust continues even today.
3. Stigma
Many people in the African-American community think that if they seek professional help than that means that they are crazy. Because of the discourse of mental disorders in the black community disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and suicide are all looked at as crazy. In doing a Google search on black people and mental health, I saw a picture that read, "Black people don't commit suicide!" I believe that education is the key in disrupting these false messages about mental health. They more we know, the more we can do!
4. Cost
Let's be real. Going to God costs absolutely NOTHING and that is the awesome thing about God! You don't have to worry about how much is in your account to talk to Him. You can talk to God anytime about anything. The sad reality is that many African-Americans who would like to receive professional help, can't afford it. Therapy is not only a commitment but it is also an investment. Insurance coverage, out of pocket costs, and unemployment are key factors in determining whether or not an individual is able to attend therapy. A recent article that I read stated that even though financial resources are a barrier, the stigma and historical context of seeking professional help outside of the church supersede that barrier for many people of color.
5. Replacing or Betraying God
I think that many African-Americans may feel that if they seek help outside of the church they are betraying God. I know for me, I believed that the thought of seeking help meant that I didn't trust God to help me with my situation. Contrary to what you may have heard, seeking out professional help does NOT mean that you're betraying God, don't trust God, or that you have a lack of faith in God. Think about it....do you feel like you're betraying God when you go to the doctor? No, because you understand that you need a professional to help relieve you from the physical pain that you're experiencing right? Well if you don't feel like a traitor for going to the doctor, than you shouldn't feel that way going to see a therapist to get relief from the emotional pain that you're experiencing. A doctor, lawyer, teacher, policeman, judge, (the list can go on)...can NEVER replace God...NEVER!! We accept these various professional services because we know that they are in place to help us when we need it.
6. Quiet is Kept
When I was growing up, the rule was we never talked about what went on in my house outside of my house. That was it, end of discussion. In many black homes that rule still stands. And again, as I've talked about above, the failures of so many major societal systems has caused many African-Americans to not trust any other entity outside of their community. On top of that there is is an element of shame that comes with talking about "dirty laundry" and this is because a lot of times that laundry is linked to the family. I read an article about how difficult it is for black people in particular to talk about their problems because in doing that they would also have to face that their family has failed them in some way. I find this interesting. A person may argue, "Well I'm not black and my family failed me too. Talking about it isn't any easier for me." I'm not saying that this hypothetical argument isn't true. What I am saying is that, in comparison to people who are white, black people have experienced several types of systemic failures including healthcare, court, police, education, and employment. To then add their own family to that list could make a person of color so ashamed that they would prefer to just suffer in silence and try to cope in other ways without talking to someone else about it.
7. Going Against What the Preacher Says
An article looking at African-American pastors and their responses to the mental health issues of their congregants found that black pastors are often faced with mental health issues within their churches. Statistics show that nearly 80% of African-Americans identify religion and spirituality as an important part of their lives. It is understandable then that black church goers would seek help from their pastors in regards to their mental health issues. Unfortunately, within the black church there are different messages regarding what one should do to address mental health issues and as a result black people are less likely to seek out a counselor outside of the church. I want to make sure to point out the stats and research on this subject so that you know that there is evidence out there, but in my own experience I have witnessed more pastors discouraging professional help seeking than encouraging it. A dear friend of mine told me that she went to her pastor a few years ago to talk about suicidal thoughts that she was having. Her pastor's response was giving her a few encouraging scriptures and telling her to stay "prayed up." She continued to struggle with suicidal thoughts for the next few years until she decided to see a counselor. The pastors in the study stated that they did communicate to their congregants that having a lack of faith could be a possible cause of anxiety and depression. So again I ask, "What do you do?"...when you consider yourself a person of faith but you're experiencing feelings and thoughts you don't understand only to go to church and be told that you don't have enough faith and that's why you feel this way. What message does that send?? I both agree and disagree with that statement. I agree that sometimes my lack of faith has had a strong negative affect on my thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. I disagree that having a lack of faith is ALWAYS the sole reason why I may experience negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Again as I stated in the beginning of this post, my goal here is to EDUCATE my community not criticize it. As a black person who believes and serves God I know how difficult it is to admit that you need help. I know what it feels like when the church by itself isn't helping. I believe that God created special people to be special resources OUTSIDE of the church so that we could connect with people in not just a professional way but also a spiritual way. This is my purpose...I get the chance to bring God into every session and every class and every interaction I have whether I mention Him directly or not. He sits and is present with me to help me be the best help to someone else....even if they don't acknowledge or believe in Him. Please, if you need help seek it out. Pray and ask God for direction to lead you to the right professional....no more suffering in silence....no more.
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