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LACK OF ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SYSTEMS WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY




By Cailey Griffin

The importance of mental health is not widely discussed in modern society. Even less widely discussed is the unique manner in which different ethnicities approach the topics of both mental health and mental health treatment. Often times for Black Americans, there are several obstacles when it comes to accessing mental health treatment. The HBO show Insecure explores the obstacles faced by many Black Americans when seeking mental health treatment options.

In the article “Mental Health Care Access and Treatment Utilization in African American Communities” written by Babe Kawaii-Bogue, Norissa J. Williams, and Kameron Macnear, the obstacles facing Black Americans when seeking mental health treatment options; as well as, the relationship between Black Americans and mental health in general, is further explored.

The first obstacle addressed in the article, and what I’d say is usually the most prevalent obstacle, is the sense of stigma or shame that Black Americans feel when seeking professional treatment from their family members, friends, and other members of the Black Community (Kawaii-Bogue, Williams, & MacNear, 2017, p. 14). The article also notes that the religious community/ church already serves as the source Black Americans turn to when dealing with mental health issues; as a result, if the church worked to create ties with mental health treatment services, stigma surrounding those treatment services could also be reduced (Kawaii-Bogue et al., 2017, p. 14).



Insecure is an HBO show created by Emmy nominated actress, director, and screenwriter Issa Rae. The show explores the lives of modern day Black Women in their 20’s and examines their career, love life, and friendships. In the first episode of season 2, we learn that Issa’s friend Molly has started going to therapy, but is having trouble opening up to her therapist. When Molly is describing her situation to Issa she explains she’s not opening up because she doesn’t want her therapist “in her business” (Rae, 2017). To avoid truly opening up, Molly suggests that her life is perfect and actively shoots down any potential issues her therapist tries to bring up (Rae, 2017). Molly’s behavior mimics the stigma held by a lot of Black Americans when it comes to seeking mental health treatment. Molly is uncomfortable opening up, and being vulnerable about what she’s going through because she doesn’t want to come across as “crazy” or just as much in need of therapy as others. She only shares the positive aspects of her life because she believes she can deal with all the negative elements alone.

Despite Molly’s hesitation towards mental health treatment in general, due to her internalized stigma, she does find comfort in having a therapist who’s also a Black Woman (Rae, 2017). In Kawaii- Bogue’s article one of the solutions mentioned to combat mental health treatment stigma is providing Black Americans with clinicians who are also Black Americans (Kawaii-Bogue et al., 2017, p. 14). The joy, trauma, and every experience in between, that comes along with being a Black American, is something you have to be a Black American to fully understand. If a Black American is seeking mental health treatment for an experience with racism, then they’re going to want someone who can offer advice and support from a place of mutual experience and that will often come from another Black American.
Insecure has performed so well on HBO because it accurately appeals to the experience of being a young Black American in modern society in a manner that is heartwarming, engaging, and oftentimes tastefully comical. Molly’s stigma towards seeking professional mental health treatment is something that resonates with so many young Black Americans throughout the country. Growing up in households with Black parents who lived by the mottos “Buck Up” and work through all of life's challenges taught us that we need to rely on the church, family, or ourselves when struggling with mental health issues. Despite her hesitance, Molly’s willingness to still pursue therapy demonstrates the importance of not letting stigma stand in the way of doing what’s best for you.

Keywords: Mental Health, Black Americans, Stigma, Mental Health Treatment, Obstacles

Word Count: 670

References

Kawaii-Bogue, B., Williams, N. J., & MacNear, K. (2017). Mental health care access and treatment utilization in African American communities: An integrative care framework. Best Practice In Mental Health, 13(2), 11-29.Kawaii-Bogue, B., Williams, N. J., & MacNear, K. (2017).

Rae, I. (Writer). (2017, July 23). Hella Great [Television series episode]. In Insecure. New York, New York: HBO.

Ryan, M. (2017, July 18). Photo [JPG]. Variety.com.
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Comments

  1. KHSeptember 28, 2018 at 9:59 AM

    Cailey,

    Thanks again for taking the time to revise and resubmit this post. The extra effort paid off handsomely. The post is leaner, more tightly focused, and well ordered. IMO, your post provides a fine model for your classmates to emulate in their own efforts. Here are a few more thoughts and observations.

    First and foremost, you are a fine writer. Your prose is clear and concise. Second, you've identified a relevant piece of academic literature to inform your discussion of this important TV series. Third, your discussion demonstrates good working knowledge of the show and effective application of the scholarship to inform your essay. All good!

    A few minor points moving forward. First, the short paragraph where you introduce the academic study could be stated with greater clarity. Also, work on your transition from this paragraph to your subsequent discussion of Insecure. Finally, you suggest the show's popularity stems from the fact that it "accurately appeals" to audiences. Not sure accurate is the most appropriate word choice here. Again, minor points that you can address in no time.

    In sum, Cailey, you are a fine writer. I hope your classmates read your work and emulate your approach. I look forward to reading more of your work in the near future.

    28/30 pts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 28, 2018 at 4:35 PM

    Cailey,

    I appreciate how you brought attention to the lack of access to mental health treatment within the Black Community as this is something I wasn’t previously familiar with.

    You did a great job connecting the academic article to the popular TV show. Your post also does a great job of explaining the show’s plot to the reader while pointing out the struggles Molly has as she decides to see a therapist. I especially liked how you used the word “crazy” when describing Molly’s situation because that is something a lot of people associate with mental health treatment and something that creates stigma around going to therapy.

    Again, I appreciate how you brought attention to this issue and think you did a great job with this post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 1, 2018 at 3:06 PM

    Cailey,

    As Pia states, I too appreciate the attention you bring to an issue that I was originally not aware of. I applaud the connections you make between your article as well and the television show, Insecure. This show seems to me to be a popular culture object that brings individuals together, one way being the issue of mental health in the Black American community. Additionally, Insecure sheds a light on the issue for those who, like me, were in the dark before. Thank you for bringing this topic to my attention, as well as this popular culture object.

    ReplyDelete

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