• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
NNED – National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health

NNED - National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health

  • News & Events
    • News & Announcements
    • Upcoming Events
  • Opportunities
    • Funding
      • Funding Opportunities
      • National & Local Foundations
    • Professional Development
    • NNEDLearn
  • Connect
    • Partner Central
    • Discussion Forums
    • NNED Speakers Bureau
  • Resources
    • NNEDshare
    • Webinars
    • Diversity Inclusion Project Showcases
  • Join the NNED
    • Member Login
    • Join the NNED
    • About the NNED

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Day and Combatting Mental Health Stigma

December 23, 2022

When we think of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the name resonates with the fight for freedom from segregation and civil rights justice for people of all racial backgrounds and classes. Often overlooked and rarely the focus of media attention was his quiet fight against mental illness.

It has been speculated, though he was never officially diagnosed, that he suffered from depression—and according to a Time Magazine profile on his life, twice attempted suicide in his youth. Later in life, just prior to his assignation it is reported that several members of his staff attempted to secure a psychiatric intervention for him. Theorizing about his mental health is not meant to be a critique or an attempt to discredit the awesome and inspiring actions of Dr. King, but rather to quell the incessant myth that those who suffer with mental illness are incapable of historic accomplishments.

Dr. King rarely spoke publicly regarding mental health, but when he did, like everything else he said, his words continue to resonate and create a lasting impact to this day. Yet, at firsthand, we don’t tend to associate his legacy with the fight against mental health stigmas, and towards an equalized and proactive mental health system.

But throughout his adulthood, Dr. King’s social and political successes ran parallel with his mental illness battle, yet the latter was only known by close friends and family members. Sadly, King experienced the same mental health stigmas currently faced by countless people in the United States. He feared his political and social justice accomplishments would be overshadowed or discredited if news of his struggle with mental health came to light. Despite these personal and professional obstacles, Rev. King never altered his convictions, or faltered from his objectives. If anything, he believed that his ‘maladjustment’, a term he used in a keynote speech for the American Psychological Association in 1967, strengthened his resolve to continue the fight for equality.

His struggle with mental illness was internalized, something those suffering from mental illness in the United States still experience on a daily basis.

The stigma and stereotype are still so persistent and tenacious that the open and honest discussion of mental illness remains taboo in some communities of color; who still face marginalization, bigotry and discrimination in our country. Stereotypes depicting people with mental illness as being dangerous, unpredictable, dramatic, overly sensitive, or generally incapable bullies many into silence. This fear of alienation from the community combined with a historically rational distrust of medical institutions and a disparaging lack of resources, results in communities that are less likely to seek needed care and are more likely to receive substandard care when treated.

Read more at Counseling.org.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • NNED Partner of the Month — February 2023 February 1, 2023
  • What Black History Month Means for Mental Health February 1, 2023
  • Resources Amidst Recent Mass Shootings February 1, 2023
  • Untreated Mental Illness Leads to Worse Outcomes for Minorities January 30, 2023
  • Black/African American Mental Health 101 January 27, 2023

Footer

Facebook Logo
Linkedin Logo
Twitter Logo
The NNED has been a multi-agency funded effort with primary funding by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It is managed by SAMHSA's Office of Behavioral Health Equity, and the NNED National Facilitation Center operated by Change Matrix.
  • About
  • Contact