Mental health was not something I spoke about explicitly growing up besides in one Health class in high school. Since then, the topic has returned to conversations, but with such brevity.

Mental health is not something we’re often open to discussing in America. We speak about it the most is when a beloved celebrity has suffered tremendously and has reached the point of choosing suicide. It's times like these that make me notice how even more taboo it is to speak about mental health in the black American community.

It could have to do with the fact that mental health itself is oftentimes not considered to be part of overall health. But truthfully, there is a strong stigma against mental illness among black people.

According to Mental Health America, "63 percent of African Americans believe that depression is a personal weakness, this is significantly higher than the overall survey average of 54 percent. Only 31 percent of African Americans believed that depression was a 'health problem.'"

This stigma can limit us from trying to access and understand the factors and treatment needed.

Studies have shown that the effects of discrimination, racism, and sexism in today’s social environment can manifest themselves in the form of mental illness. African Americans comprise 40% of the homeless population, more than half of the prison population, and 45% of the foster care system. Black people of all ages experience circumstances such as these that can create the possibility of developing a mental disorder.

But our culture fights against signs of vulnerability and weakness. Understandably, due to our history in the United States, black people have adapted to the idea that our strength is necessary and cannot be abandoned. Our strength is part of our survival. We must use it to overcome any and all suffering. But the problem is that this idea works against those who suffer from depression and other illnesses, framing their pain as a lesser struggle.

Because of this stigma, it’s not uncommon for those that seek help within their families, churches, and other support systems to feel as though they’re marginalized, ridiculed, and ostracized. Undoubtedly, at times family and churches can provide fantastic support systems. Even those African-Americans who are more economically secure fear treatment and live in denial for the shame they could face in their community.

In 2012, Ebony published an article on this topic, highlighting the stories of Simone Sneed and Glennes Eggleston. Sneed, a woman who struggled with bipolar disorder since the age of 13, recalls how her mother supported and cared for her every step on the way through her journey of recovery and self-love. On the other hand, many survivors share Glennes Eggleston's experience. Her mother showed little support as she sought out treatment for sexual abuse recovery and depression.

But Sneed, although greatly supported, gives insight into the belief that her blackness made her feel like an outsider in medical settings, which reveals another sad fact: Professional help is not seen as a viable option. For one, economic limitations can prevent African Americans from accessing the resources needed. Besides this, cultural biases still remain that hinder African Americans from feeling free to accept and treat mental disorders through medical attention and care.

For instance, therapy is seen mainly as something that well-off white people can afford and have the time for. It is not something that can fit into the schedules of people who have to focus on surviving from job to job. Therapy would be a luxury to many. Furthermore, therapy is a profession dominated by white medical professionals who throughout history have mistreated and exploited black patients for the sake of medical advancement. But today, the problem lies more in that white therapists may dismiss the intersection between race and mental health, with comments brazenly uttered such as, “I’m not sure we need to focus on race or culture to understand your depression,” or “If black people just worked harder, they could be successful like other people.” An environment like that is not one that creates improvement.

We can do a lot more to make those who experience mental illness feel more accepted in this community. Part of that could include changing our reactions towards mental illness. Part of that could be creating safe spaces to protect sufferers of mental illness. It could also mean seeking out black medical professionals to assist in creating this safe space.

Mental health is such a complex topic, but whatever can be done to get us to speak on it and allow sufferers to share their stories and seek treatment, that’s what we should do.