Mental wellness resources for Black women – because you (and your mind) are worth it.
Black women and depression: Signs the burden is too heavy
Depression can look different with us. Let’s understand Black women and depression so we can know our symptoms, get help, and finally heal.
Continue Reading Black women and depression: Signs the burden is too heavy
Black women and mental health: How to choose self-love over stigma
Black women and mental health often have a strained relationship. Let’s discuss the barriers to our wellness and how to overcome them.
Continue Reading Black women and mental health: How to choose self-love over stigma
What is mental wellness?
Mental health looks at how we (or our minds) respond in different situations, in particular, to negative circumstances and emotions. Managing your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Healthy organs, muscles, and joints help us recover from physical injury. A healthy mind helps us recover from adversity in life.
What is good mental health? Well, a healthy mind doesn’t mean you’re always happy. Instead, strong mental health is being aware of how different circumstances impact you and what you may need to recover when life throws you curve balls.
But not everyone needs emotional wellness, right?
Wrong. We all need a way to regularly check in on how we’re feeling, processing, and responding to life. There is a misconception, particularly in the Black community, that mental wellness resources are unnecessary or only for a “weaker generation” who can’t handle life.
The fact is that we’re all human, and we all experience hard times. Black women’s mental health, in particular, carries the weight of racial, gender, and cultural biases. Everyone expects us to handle it all with no complaints.
It’s actually quite normal to experience seasons of depression or anxiety. Happy experiences result in happy feelings. Sad experiences result in sad feelings. Major negative events can lead to negative feelings lasting longer.
Minding your mental health helps you ride out those hard times so that the intensity of difficult emotions doesn’t last forever or stop you from living a full and healthy life.
Black women’s mental health is essential. No matter your religion, orientation, education, or income level, we all deserve access to the services and activities that improve our emotional wellness.
Love and take care of your mind, and you’ll see just how strong and resilient you can be.
For Immediate Help
If you or a loved one are having thoughts or feelings of suicide or harming yourself or others, there is free and confidential help. Call or text 988, a suicide and crisis lifeline that has trained counselors who are there to hear and help you through whatever you’re facing. You can also connect with a counselor through chat. The service is available 24/7. Visit 988 Lifeline to learn more.
Remember, no matter what you’re going through, you are loved and needed on this earth.