Black and Indigenous Mental Health
- Arts for Relief
- Jul 30, 2020
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 22, 2020
Written by Celine Nguyen
Edited by An Nhan
July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, but how many of you were actually aware of that?
I hope you’ve already read Nishagie’s article, “Did You Know that July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month?” because she does a fantastic job of explaining the significance of it. She also explains the meaning of the word BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), which is usually considered by many as, shall we say, a more politically correct term than minority in today’s society.
Graphic made by Karina Zapata, from the Calgary Journal
Of course, mental health and illness are not limited to BIPOC, but, with everything that has happened since the death of George Floyd at the hands of officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020, it is unsurprising that the mental health of those within the BIPOC community has been increasingly jeopardized—especially that of the Black community. The outrage that arose from this historic incident gave momentum to the Black Lives Matter movement, which has significantly expanded not only its audience but also its goals, over a course of seven years. The pleas of #BlackLivesMatter after George Floyd’s death were heard across the country, as well as across the world.
As activism continues to sweep across social media, it has become nearly impossible for social media users to avoid posts related to issues of systemic racism and oppression faced by BIPOC.
The Black Lives Matter movement has been at the forefront, but beside it stands issues faced by Indigenous people, as well. Thanks to the movement, more people have become aware of the racism and subjugation both communities have faced and continue to face. So, let’s talk about how mental health is impacted in the Black and Indigenous communities, shall we?
Mental Health Within the Black Community
As you most likely know by now, trauma is deep-rooted within the Black community.
I’m not just talking about how Black children must be taught to be cautious of police from a young age because of the issue with police brutality. No, this trauma is profoundly complex and transcends several generations. "Historical dehumanization, oppression, and violence against Black and African American people has evolved into present day racism - structural, institutional, and individual – and cultivates a uniquely mistrustful and less affluent community experience, characterized by a myriad of disparities including inadequate access to and delivery of care in the health system” (Black and African Communities & Mental Health). That quote succinctly summarizes how decades of trauma have impacted Black mental health to this day. To understand how Black people feel and think, history must also be examined and understood.
Historically, African-Americans have been regarded as “inferior” or “less-than.”
Let’s not forget that American colonists justified slavery with the Bible and claimed that it was the responsibility of European men to “civilize” and educate the “savage” Africans. Since the Atlantic Slave Trade of the 16th century, Black people have been oppressed in ways much worse than some other POC. Not only does this racism and oppression directly harm Black mental health through transgenerational trauma, but it also engenders the stigma that affects the way society prioritizes treatment and/or intervention for Black mental illness.
According to Mental Health America, systematic racism, police brutality, and general societal uncertainty continue to contribute to the decrease in the proper care of mental health for members of the Black community. Furthermore, levels of mistrust and racism exist in the mental health systems that are directed toward Blacks—and conversely, help-seeking behaviors among Blacks are influenced by the fear that they will be mistreated or disadvantaged by these systems.
They have a right to be mistrustful of American institutions that overtly claim to be helping them, but may covertly be putting them at a disadvantage (which is much more common than you may believe). Because of the practices of redlining and gentrification, a large part of the Black community lives in impoverished ethnic neighborhoods with poor infrastructure, over-policing, and underfunded schools. The cycle of poverty perpetuates stigmas against the Black community that, in turn, perpetuate stigmas against “outsiders” who make promises to help their community.
In fact, these stigmas play into cultural stereotypes that affect several professionals in the field, whether they realize it or not.
According to a research paper published in the World Journal of Psychiatry, credible research concluding that African-Americans are more frequently misdiagnosed with mental illness than Euro-Americans have existed since the early 1980s. The findings within these research studies continue to be corroborated as years pass by. It has been proven that “In particular, African Americans are disproportionately diagnosed with Schizophrenia with estimates ranging from three to five times more likely in receiving such a diagnosis.” Furthermore, the research paper that cites these studies examines the possible clinical bias and prejudice that professionals may unknowingly possess when evaluating African-Americans’ symptoms and behaviors, and how these factors may contribute to the disproportionate rates of misdiagnosis.
With all that said, there is no doubt that Black mental health is not as adequately addressed and treated as it should be. In fact, according to the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, “The Black community suffers from an increased rate of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression. The increased incidence of psychological difficulties in the Black community is related to the lack of access to appropriate and culturally responsive mental health care, prejudice and racism inherent in the daily environment of Black individuals, and historical trauma enacted on the Black community by the medical field. Moreover, given that the Black community exists at the intersection of racism, classism, and health inequity, their mental health needs are often exacerbated and mostly unfulfilled.” Basically, there is a lack of funding for social welfare programs that include mental health/illness treatment and/or intervention specifically designed for Blacks, so there is unequal access to mental health/illness programs and they can’t get the help they need. Lack of funding is usually correlated to a lack of priority, which is something that needs to change. It’s unbelievable that we have to even emphasize this, but Black mental health matters.
Mental Health Within the Indigenous Community
Trauma is also deep-rooted within the Indigenous community.
In regards to Indigenous peoples, 1.3% (4.2 million) of the U.S population identifies as Native American or Alaska Native. Looking at basic American history again, we know that relations between white Americans and Native Americans have been understandably tense for centuries. There’s a lot of transgenerational trauma to unpack here as well, so we won’t take too much of a deep dive into the history—but, it is important to acknowledge the existence of such trauma and possible implicit bias in clinical settings, in similar regards to the Black community.
As of February 19, 2020, the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the United States legally recognized 574 Indian tribes, 231 of which are located in Alaska. In the US, most Indigenous people live in Mid-West or Western states. About two-thirds now live in suburban, urban, or rural non-reservation regions, while the other one-third live on reservations (you know, those plots and strips of land that were distributed to Native Americans in the 19th century as they fought colonial subjugation). In comparison to the total U.S. population, nearly twice as many Indigenous peoples live in poverty and are nearly two times more likely to be unemployed than their white counterparts.
The complex patterns of transgenerational trauma, structural racism and discrimination, and other consequential circumstances of being Native American continue to put them at a disadvantage and often prevent socioeconomic mobility.
Mental Health America even states that poverty is one of several factors that explain why most Natives do not receive proper health care, treatment, and/or intervention. Because of this lack of appropriate resources, Natives who have symptoms of depression, anxiety, or substance abuse are more likely to receive help from spiritual and traditional guides than licensed professionals. Natives who live on their own lands have even less access to physical and mental healthcare.
There is also a significant lack of awareness about mental health issues and culturally specific programs that are sensitive to the circumstances of Native and Indigenous culture, which prevents them from seeking and/or receiving the proper treatment. According to an analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, “Native communities experience higher rates of suicide compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., with suicide being the eighth leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives across all ages. For Native youth ages 10 to 24, suicide is the second leading cause of death; and the Native youth suicide rate is 2.5 times higher than the overall national average, making these rates the highest across all ethnic and racial groups.” Thus, as the national average suicide rate has continually increased, so has the average suicide rate for American Indian and Alaska Native women and men—but to a much greater, disproportionate extent.
There is a lot of material that isn't covered in this article, but I hope you have become more aware of Black and Indigenous mental health and the cultural circumstances that continue to prevent members of their communities from receiving the treatment they need and deserve. I implore you to continue educating yourselves on important world affairs and current events to help you eliminate prejudice and stigmas about mental illness. Mental health is extremely important to understand and appropriately address, and it must be prioritized in all communities.
To learn more about Black mental health and find resources specifically designed for helping the Black community, visit the following links:
To learn more about Native/Indigenous mental health and find resources specifically designed for helping the Native/Indigenous community, visit the following links:
Sources:
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