Approximately 13.4% of the United States population identifies as Black or African American. Out of those individuals, more than 16% of individuals struggle with mental health complications, which is roughly seven million people. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, around 57.8 million adults over 18 in the U.S. reported symptoms of mental illness in 2021. This means around 12% of mental health complications come from the Black community.
Despite the high number of mental health complications in the community, mental health awareness is lacking due to stigmas, health disparities, and inadequate resources. Mental health in the Black community can often be challenging to address, as there are continuous negative stigmas about receiving help, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
On top of stigma, access to proper healthcare is often unavailable to the Black community. Their problems and stress are frequently disregarded, leading to insufficient help and attentiveness. When an individual struggling with mental health issues is rejected or told that they’re merely weak, symptoms such as depression and anxiety can worsen.
There are more than 198,811 therapists and 81,000 psychologists across the U.S. Out of those numbers, only 4.13% of Black therapists are practicing, with 76.4% being white. The number of Black therapists has increased from 3.85% to 4.13% over the past decade, but it is still far from where it should be.
Read more at HealthNews.com.
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