African Americans Perceptions of Mental Health and the...

â€Å"I’m Not Crazy†: African Americans Perceptions of Mental Health and the Implications for Health Service Delivery Hillary Marts Vanderbilt University African Americans Perceptions of Mental Health and the Implications for Health Service Delivery As discussed in class, little advancement has been made in the field of mental health care over the past two decades. Rates of mental illness continue to be high especially among certain subgroups, but progress has been stunted by stigma and social environmental issues. Mental health disparities, like many other health disparities, are embedded within a trend of socioeconomic differences (Miranda, McGuire, Williams, amp; Wang, 2008). Racial and class disparities exist among those afflicted†¦show more content†¦When experiencing a mental illness, African Americans face obstacles â€Å"related to understanding the problem or situation and limitation in awareness of possible solutions, strategies remedies and resources† (Hines-Martin, Malone, Kim, amp; Brown-Piper, 2003). In a study by Hines-Martin (2003), participants verbalized that they did not think they were â€Å"crazy† and therefore did not need mental health services. In this instance participants showed a lack of knowledge about what mental health illness looks like. They identified mental illness as dichotomous states (Hines-Martin et al., 2003). A study by Mental Health America found similar results. In this study, a majority of African Americans surveyed believed that depression was a â€Å"health problem† and in some cases â€Å"normal† (MHA, 2012). Talking about mental illness is taboo for African Americans, and as a result they possess little knowledge about specific mental health problems or available treatments (Alvidrez et al., 2008). For African Americans, stigma serves as an impediment to problem recognition. Because they have a misconstrued idea of what mental illness is, they are less likely to contemplate that they have such problems. Alvidrez (2008) found that stigma prevented 65% of their survey respondents from contemplating that they had such problems. Because many African Americans are uninformed about what mental illness is and how itShow MoreRelat edâ€Å"It Must Be Remembered That For The Person With Severe1407 Words   |  6 Pagesremembered that for the person with severe mental illness who has no treatment the most dreaded of confinements can be the imprisonment inflicted by his own mind, which shuts reality out and subjects him to the torment of voices and images beyond our own powers to describe†. Serious mental illness affects approximately 9.6 million people in the United States, or about 4.1% of the population.3 In addition to the many debilitating symptoms of serious mental illness, many people also lack insight intoRead MoreMental Illness : Mental Health Illness2108 Words   |  9 PagesMerriam-Webster, mental health illness is described as a broad range of medical conditions (such as major depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, or panic disorder) that are marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, or emotions to impair normal psychological functioning and caus e noticeable grief or disability and that are usually related with a disruption in standard judgement, feeling, mood, behavior, interpersonal interactions, or daily functioning. Mental healthRead MoreMental Illness : Mental Health Illness1986 Words   |  8 PagesMerriam-Webster, mental health illness is described as a broad range of medical conditions (such as major depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, or panic disorder) that are marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, or emotions to impair normal psychological functioning and cause noticeable grief or disability and that are usually related with a disruption in standard judgement, feeling, mood, behavior, interpersonal interactions, or daily functioning. Mental healthRead MoreThe Diagnosis Of African Americans Essay1850 Words   |  8 Pagesdiagnosis persons that are getting assessed with mental health disorders. The manual contains criteria the clinician can use to diagnosis a c lient. If the client meets a certain number of markers then they are given a diagnosis of a particular disorder. But, what if it’s not that easy? For African Americans, there has been a history of getting misdiagnosis by clinicians which has led to some mistrust. The cultural differences between African Americans and their white clinicians can possibly lead toRead MoreAn Awareness Of Counseling And Related Educational Programs1334 Words   |  6 Pagesindividuals are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015). Additionally, these individuals are more likely to experience psychosocial issues such as social stigma and mental health concerns (Barua, Sharma, Basilio, 2013). This supports the notion that most counselors will counsel someone that has a seropositive status (Rose, Sullivan, Hairston, Laux, Pawelczak, 2015; Owen-Pugh Baines, 2014). With this in mind, counselorsRead MoreCultural Compet ency Definitions8081 Words   |  33 PagesCULTURAL COMPETENCY DEFINITIONS – A paper to inform development of Cultural Competency Framework for First Nations and Aboriginal Peoples of British Columbia, Canada Cultural Definitions in health care – what does it all mean? There are many definitions and iterations of culture in health care – all with different meanings but many with overlaps. In order to develop a Cultural competency framework, it will be important for stakeholders to agree on what ‘cultural competency’ means and the differencesRead MoreAmerican Indian Behavioral Health Assessment Instruments4140 Words   |  17 PagesAmerican Indian Behavioral Health Assessment Instruments Dee Manatowa University of New England Abstract Mental and behavioral health agencies who service American Indians should employ a culturally relevant approach. Cultural-specificity is essential for understanding beliefs, values, and first language colloquial speech. Cultural-specific assessment information can enhance our understanding of the client’s symptoms and the need for other appropriate evaluation techniques. ClientRead MoreDental Treatment Planning For Patients Using Cannabis4431 Words   |  18 Pages27-year-old African American male presented to the dental clinic with nonrestorable molar requiring extraction. During the review of his medical history, the patient reported taking a â€Å"dab† of marijuana approximately five hours prior to his appointment. Due to the admission of recent illicit drug use, no treatment was rendered. The patient was offered an appointment the next day but refused citing the bias in regard to cannabis use. Conclusions and Practical Implications. The number of Americans usingRead MoreDomestic Violence in Immigrant Families Essay5608 Words   |  23 PagesReport Topic – Violence against immigrant women in South Asian, African and Korean communities Instructor: Jane Birbeck March 21st, 2011 Annotated Bibliography: Violence against Immigrant Women in South Asian, African and Korean Communities An annotated bibliography Annotated Bibliography Introduction This paper analyzes the phenomenon of violence against immigrant women, specifically within South Asian, African and Korean communities in North America. The paper will examine factorsRead MoreResearch Awareness Essay examples5838 Words   |  24 Pagesnurses and midwives, doctors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists to be aware of, as service users have a right and an expectation to be treated with respect and dignity at all times when accessing healthcare. The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement states that dignity in care should involve â€Å"†¦offering a genuinely personal service; flexibility in where or when the care is provided; a service that considers the right to privacy of people receiving care; and the encouragement of independence