How to get mental health help: A guide to loving your mind

Certain conditions, like anxiety and depression, are common in women, but they don’t have to disrupt your life.

Stress, anxiety, and depression are feelings we all experience at different times in our lives. These emotions can signal a need, much like a rumbling stomach points to hunger.

You know to eat food when you feel hungry, but what do you do when you feel depressed or anxious?

As Black women, we don’t always have the tools to address our emotional needs. Or worse, our feelings are judged or dismissed.

“Girl, be grateful. There are people who have it much worse than you.“

“Spend more time in prayer. Your joy comes from the Lord.“

“Don’t be so sensitive. You have to learn to let things go.“

While these responses may come with the best intentions, they can also chip away at your mental health. 

Ignoring hunger pangs doesn’t make them go away. The same goes for your emotional needs.

Our minds need attention and care, just like the rest of our bodies.

What is mental health?

Mental health looks at how our minds perceive and process our experiences. It includes how we think, feel, and act, particularly in stressful situations.

Our mental wellness is important because it impacts our ability to learn, bounce back, and build healthy relationships.

Good mental health

Positive mental health isn’t the absence of bad feelings. When you’re mentally well, you’re aware of your emotions and how they impact your behaviors and interactions with the world. 

Good mental health is addressing your emotional needs so you can recover from life’s challenges.

Poor mental health

Difficult emotions that linger and get in the way of your day-to-day activities are general signs of poor mental health. 

If you’re struggling with your mental health, it doesn’t mean you’re broken or that anything is wrong with you. It usually points to an emotional need, like a sense of safety, belonging, or validation, that’s going unmet.

You might feel overly sensitive, easily agitated, or overwhelmed by your thoughts and feelings.

When symptoms make it harder to get through the day, it may be a diagnosable, but generally treatable, mental health condition.

Common mental health conditions women face

Mental health conditions are more common than you may think. Unfortunately, many of us go under- or undiagnosed, making prevalence harder to quantify in Black women.

But these issues tend to uniquely affect women in general.

• Anxiety: Anxiety can show up as excessive worry or fear that doesn’t let up. Your mind may hyper-focus on the worst-case scenario, which can feed anxiety and make everyday tasks daunting.
• Depression: Depression symptoms can include lasting feelings of guilt, low self-worth, and a loss of interest in things you used to enjoy.
• Perinatal depression: Hormonal changes can impact how you feel ¹. Prolonged depression symptoms during or after having a pregnancy could be a sign of perinatal depression.
• Eating disorders: If you’re dealing with an eating disorder, you may have distressing thoughts and feelings around food or your body image that cause you to severely limit or purge what you eat.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Although often associated with military veterans, anyone exposed to violence, abuse, or other traumatic circumstances can develop PTSD symptoms ². You may experience flashbacks, debilitating anxiety, or obsessive thoughts around the event.

When to get help

Simply put, you can seek mental health help if you want to feel better and need help figuring out how.

Just because conditions are common doesn’t mean you should put up with debilitating symptoms.  

You deserve a quality life.

Consider talking to your doctor if you have symptoms that get in the way of living a full life, for example, trouble sleeping, eating, focusing, or maintaining your social relationships.

And if you have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself or others, you can reach out for help right now by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988Lifeline.org. This Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has trained counselors who are ready to hear you out.

Treatments for mental health conditions

Medication and therapy are common ways to treat mental health conditions. The best treatment for you will depend on your preferences, conditions, and symptoms—so it’s usually best to start with your doctor or a mental health professional. 

Mental health medication

Medications don’t necessarily cure a mental illness, but doctors may prescribe them to manage symptoms. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describes mental health medications in four major categories.

• Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) provide relief from depression symptoms by slowing down how quickly your body absorbs neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
• Anti-anxiety medications: Anxiolytics, like Benzodiazepines, cause your body to release a neurotransmitter (gamma-aminobutyric or GABA) that can calm the activity in your nervous system and reduce anxiety symptoms.
• Mood stabilizers: A doctor may prescribe a mood stabilizer to manage mood swings often associated with bipolar disorder. These drugs impact the part of our brain that regulates how neurotransmitters are released. 
• Antipsychotics: Different types of antipsychotic medications can be used to treat schizophrenia, mania, or bipolar disorder. Antipsychotics may improve psychosis symptoms, which are delusions and hallucinations, by impacting the levels of dopamine in the brain.

As with any medication, mental health drugs come with side effects. Don’t hesitate to discuss your concerns with your doctor before or while taking medication. Just know that doctors tend to prescribe medication if they feel the benefit outweighs the side effects.

Therapy for mental health

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is when you work with a trained or licensed mental health professional who can help you understand how your experiences affect your perceptions, thought patterns, behaviors, and more. 

Talk therapy can include one-on-one, couple, family, or group interactions—held online or in person. Certain types can be more effective than others at treating specific conditions. 

Although it may seem like simple conversations, some studies show therapy can be as effective as medication, affecting the parts of the brain that regulate emotions, reasoning, and decision-making ³.

While medication manages symptoms, therapy can build healthy habits for the long term. When used together, they can be an effective part of your healing journey.

Therapy works best when you find a therapist who truly sees and understands your lived experiences. You can look for culturally-affirming therapists on platforms like Therapy for Black Girls, Talkspace, or BetterHelp. 

Daily habits to improve mental wellness

Lifestyle habits can also help you maintain mental wellness and cope with symptoms. Here are a few to keep in mind:

• Restful sleep: A good night’s sleep is critical to physical and mental wellness, allowing our brain and body to recover and heal. Prioritize healthy sleep habits to increase energy and improve focus and decision-making. 
• Nutrition: According to the American Psychiatric Association, nutrient-rich foods support a healthy mind and body. Processed foods with artificial ingredients are associated with poor mental health. Try choosing more whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.
• Exercise: Physical movement releases the neurotransmitters our bodies need to feel positive emotions. Exercise can also lower cortisol, the stress hormone, and improve your sleep.
• Mindfulness: When you’re mindful, you try to live in the present moment – kindly taking notice when you’re focused too much on the past (which can contribute to depression) or the future (which can contribute to anxiety). 
• Social connections: Positive, stable relationships can boost our mood and self-esteem and give us a sense of support and belonging – all of which can combat symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

Mental health apps and resources

Several mobile apps or online resources can help you build or maintain strong mental health. 

Mindfulness apps like Calm, Balance, and Happier focus on meditation or breathing techniques to help you relax, sleep, or improve focus.

Online therapy platforms, like BetterHelp and Talkspace, also have mobile apps, allowing you to have a therapy session right from your phone.

For more information on specific conditions or medications, resources like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or the American Psychiatric Association may have the information you need. But if you need urgent help or support, don’t hesitate to talk with a trained counselor at 988Lifeline.org.

Mental health help FAQs

How do I seek mental health help?

If you have symptoms of a mental health condition, start with your doctor, who may assess your symptoms and their severity in addition to your and your family’s health history. You can also try therapy, either in-person or online. You don’t need a referral from a doctor to begin therapy.

Please take thoughts of suicide or self-harm seriously. If you need urgent support, call or text 988 to talk to a trained counselor through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

What counts as a severe mental illness?

A severe mental illness (SMI) typically has symptoms that make it challenging to live a quality life. For example, if your condition impacts your ability to maintain a job or threatens your safety or that of others, it may be an SMI. 

Contact your doctor if your conditions are severe or getting in the way of your day-to-day activities. Together, you can explore treatment plans, like medication, therapy, or both, to help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

What are the signs of poor mental health?

Poor mental health can look different for each individual, but generally includes lasting, challenging emotions that make it hard to live a whole life. If you feel intense sadness or worry that does not go away and makes it hard to sleep, eat, or focus, it could be time to talk to your doctor or a licensed mental health professional.

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References

¹ Women’s increased risk of depression. (2024). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20047725

² Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Symptoms and causes. (2024). Mayo Clinic; https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967

³ Malhotra, S., & Sahoo, S. (2017). Rebuilding the brain with psychotherapy. Indian journal of psychiatry, 59(4), 411–419. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.217299