May 19, 2020

Me, Myself and My Anxiety

May 19, 2020

By Charli Penn

May 7, 2020

I’ve always been a positive, chill, and happy person. Too bad that didn’t stop anxiety from sneaking up on me and wreaking havoc on my 30s. Eight years ago, I had my first panic attack seemingly out of nowhere while on a road trip with my husband.

While we were happily singing along to ‘90s jams, I abruptly stopped mid-song because something was really off. My chest felt tight and heavy, my heart was racing, and my palms were cold and sweaty. I was so dizzy I thought I was going to pass out. Then fear took over. “Take me to the nearest hospital, I think I’m having a heart attack,” I said, frantic. Read More

Source: Essence Magazine

Allyson Valley

May 19, 2020

To Be Female, Anxious and Black

Allyson Valley

May 19, 2020

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder in the United States. Data show that for Black women, anxiety is more chronic and the symptoms more intense than their White counterparts. This description, however, only tells half the story. What it does not tell us is how anxiety is perceived and experienced daily by Black women. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder in the United States. Data show that for Black women, anxiety is more chronic and the symptoms more intense than their White counterparts. This description, however, only tells half the story. What it does not tell us is how anxiety is perceived and experienced daily by Black women.

Allyson Valley

May 19, 2020

African Americans Face Unique Mental Health Risks

Allyson Valley

May 19, 2020

By Shari Celestine

Dec. 4, 2019 -- When Demetrius Minor left the Army after 12 years in 2013, he went through a standard medical review. Physically fit and seemingly healthy, he breezed through. Nobody caught that he was depressed.

Minor says he “passed through [the mental health system] because I looked healthy. They are looking for broken bones and ask you the easy questions, like, ‘Do you feel like hurting yourself or others?’ No. So the help was technically there, but there was no real deep dive.”

Allyson Valley

May 19, 2020

Addressing Mental Health in the Black Community

Allyson Valley

May 19, 2020

By Thomas A. Vance, PhD

Roughly 37 million people, identify themselves as Black or African American in the United States. From trailblazing pioneers like George Washington Carver and Dorothy Height to modern-day heroes like Anita Hill and Neil deGrasse Tyson, the Black community has made enormous contributions to the ongoing fight for social, racial, and economic justice. Despite these efforts, true social justice among the Black community will remain incomplete until mental health disparities among this group are addressed. Mental health is an essential part of overall physical health and satisfaction. The Black community suffers from an increased rate of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression.