Mental Health

Growing up, I was always an outgoing and friendly child and I loved speaking in public and to others. Now, I barely enjoy talking to people, I prefer to be alone, and I don't hang out with my friends like I should. Mental health is an important yet rarely discussed topic among black young teens. Most black teenagers undergo a mental illness in their teenage years but only 9% of those illnesses go treated or discussed. Many black teens don't feel comfortable seeking help or cannot afford it. Some common illnesses among us are anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma. Now, these all may sound like common and everyday illnesses that you hear on the TV or read in magazines, but they are just as important to young black kids as they are to anyone else. In my opinion, I feel like there should be just as much equity of treatment for black teens opposed to any other ethnic group. As a black community, we should try to normalize not always being okay and strong all the time and realizing that it's okay to not be okay. If we could at least raise the statistic that only 9% of black teen illnesses go treated or discussed to at least 20%, that would be a phenomenon. Granted, 9 and 20 aren't very far from each other but there really is strength in numbers. If we raise the percentage up, it could encourage other black teens to speak out and tell how they feel and get good, thoughtful care from someone who can relate and look like them. As a black teen currently struggling with anxiety and seasonal depression, I feel like someone should take a stand, and we should fight for what we deserve just as much as the next person.