surround mental health issues within the African-American community are: • Depression isn’t a disease
• Blacks don’t get depressed because they are the descendants of slaves • Blacks need God not a doctor
• If someone suffers from depression they are weak African-American women may show signs of depression in ways that may be dismissed. Signs can include persistent irritability (some might say, “She’s just evil”), constant negativity, lack of interest in activities that once were pleasurable, changes in sleep, appetite, or energy, difficulty with remembering or thinking, and thoughts of death or suicide. Signs of depression can also interfere with day-to-day living. Women who suffer from depression may feel like the world is on their shoulders and they have no time to confront it. Shakira Gantt, executive assistant at the Georgia Avenue Family Support Collaborative, says women are burdened with many stressors that contribute to depression. “Depression is most certainly an issue for clients that we work with. Many families are headed by women who are doing all they can to keep the household running. Some are dealing with past traumas such as domestic violence while at the same time trying to maintain housing and employment.” Over time, says Gantt, women may start to unravel under pressure and it begins to manifest in their lives. “Many women stick with the notion that they’ve got to keep it all together, but without help it’s just a matter of time before they break down. Maybe they start missing work, or the kids don’t make it to school that day because mom was too depressed to leave the house. There is a lot of self-medicating going on with drugs or alcohol to escape the issue. There needs to be more education about mental illnesses such as depression, particularly in communities of color where there is still a strong stigma about it.”
Seek Help
There is a plethora of mental health professionals in and around the District to counsel people. The first step is to find the right one. Only 12 percent of AfricanAmerican women seek treatment for symptoms of depression. In her book Tyree-Anderson highly recommends seeking care
from a therapist. “Forget about the taboo that is attached to seeing a psychiatrist,” she writes. “Don’t we go see a doctor for the flu, diabetes, heart attacks, and other illnesses? If you need to seek a physician/psychiatrist, do so with my blessing and with the Word of God.” Culturally sensitive care is also very important when it comes to seeking help. Many African-American women avoid seeking help because they feel like mental health professionals don’t “get it.” Dr. Kimberly Parker, assistant professor of health studies at Texas Woman’s University, states that African-American women have unique circumstances that lead them to therapy. “Black women often function in society within the space of intersectionality; they interact within the world as (1) women, (2) as a Black person, and (3) as a Black woman. Understanding the impact of these various identities is essential to providing culturally sensitive mental health service because each experience may vary.” She adds that blacks can definitely receive culturally sensitive care from therapists of other races. “I do believe anyone can serve as a therapist or counsel a Black female. Both must feel comfortable with each other due to the great deal of sharing the client must engage in and there must be a level of trust based on cultural competency.” For those who seek the religious route, Tyree-Anderson suggests that a Christian therapist can bridge the gap between religion and mental health care. “A Christian psychologist will not only minister medicine to you, they will minister the word of God to you. God uses doctors. He puts them in positions to speak to us.” Using faith to battle depression has been a winning game plan for Tyree-Anderson, and through her writing she hopes to deliver more people out of the spirit of despair. Tyree-Anderson will launch her book, “I Will Rise above It! Who Invited the Spirit of Depression to Dinner?” on Saturday, March 29, at 4:00 p.m. at Jones Memorial United Methodist Church, 4625 G St. SE. She will be signing her book on Saturday, April 19, at 11:00 a.m. at John 3:16 Christian Bookstore, 7953 Annapolis Rd., Lanham, Md. Visit www.westbowpress. com for more information about the author and to purchase your copy. Candace Y.A. Montague is the health reporter for East of the River. u
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