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Mental health is a topic that is rarely discussed amongst the African-American community. Depression, anxiety, and mental disorders are often looked down upon and overlooked in society, everyday. Common misconceptions about mental illness consist of seeing the illnesses as a form of weakness in a person, or viewing them as “crazy”. These common misconceptions have hindered the African-American community by influencing ignorance on the topic of mental illness that are prevalent in society today. Common mental illnesses that affect minority populations are Depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Schizophrenia. These illnesses can often come off as a person being crazy, really hyper, always sad, or paranoid. There is a bigger picture that we need to look at when analyzing abnormal behavior in our generation. Overlooking these illnesses can result in the person hurting themselves or others in a cry out for help.
As African-Americans we have to stop the misconception that mental illness is not prevalent in our children and adults. There needs to be more information on campuses around the U.S about professional help and referrals to get help for those showing signs of having a mental illness. The more information provided can help save many lives every single day. Let’s become educated on the signs of mental illness and how we should respond when put in different situations with someone who suffers from an illness. Becoming educated on mental illness in the African-American community can help provide a significant amount of change and make a difference for the better.