I JUST WANT MY PEOPLE TO HEAL
More than 6.8 million African Americans are living with a diagnosable mental health disorder. African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health issues versus the general population. They are also 50% less likely to seek support or mental health treatment which causes them to suffer in silence.
WHY DOES MENTAL HEALTH MATTER?
1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime, and African Americans are no exception. In fact, according to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans are 20 percent more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population.
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Despite being approximately 13 percent of the total U.S. population, African Americans make up a eye-popping 40 percent of those experiencing homelessness. And the homeless population is even more likely to develop mental illness. All this might make it feel like the deck is stacked against us, and in many ways it is.
WHO IS A. NICHOLE?
The creator of the I Just Want My People to Heal movement; a.Nichole is a writer, entrepreneur, life coach & motivational speaker who hails from Washington, DC. She has a BS in Behavior Science and Human Service Management & a MA in Human Services. a.Nichole is also fearless, bold, against the grain, free spirited & innovative and exhibits these characteristics weekly on her very own podcast Nikkie's Thoughts Podcast.
The founder and CEO of Black Sauce is also a writer, public figure, behavior scientist, and Forensic Psychology PhD Candidate. A lover of all things art, wild, and outside the box; a.Nichole pulls from her education and life experiences to offer her uncut and unbiased opinions on life, love, sex, & everything in between. Think of her as your very own sister therapist in your head.
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Check out her podcast: Nikkie's Thoughts Podcast
Available on iTunes & Google Play
Search: Nikkies Thoughts
A.NICHOLE INC.
​IG: @nikkiesthoughts
Facebook: www.facebook.com/anichole
Twitter: @nikkiesthoughts
SnapChat: @nikkiesthoughts
Tumblr: @anicholepoetry
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A TRIBE CALLED SIS
IG & Facebook: @atribecalledsis
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I JUST WANT MY PEOPLE TO HEAL MENTAL INC.
IG: @ijustwantmypeopletoheal
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ijustwantmypeopletoheal
www.ijustwantmypeopletoheal.org
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​BLACK SAUCE STORE
IG:@blacksaucebrand
Facebook: www.facebook.com/blacksaucellc
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BLACK SAUCE ENRICHMENT CENTER
IG: @blacksauceenrichmentcenter
blacksauceenrichmentcenter@gmail.com
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PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS
Email me at: thoughtsofanichole@gmail.com
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KINGSTON'S KITCHEN
IG: @kingstonskitchen
Faceboook: www.facebook.com/kingstonskitchen
SUFFERING IN SILENCE
25% of African Americans seek treatment for their mental health issues compared to 40% of White individuals. 29% of African American women who dwell in disadvantaged geographies suffer from PTSD.
POST
PARTUM
20 percent of women develop a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder (PMAD), such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or (rarely) psychosis.
Research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found that 44 percent of African Americans reported depressive symptoms two weeks after delivery, compared to 31 percent percent of white women.
MENTAL
HEALTH
IS NOT
A MYTH
The most common mental health disorders amongst African Americans are: PTSD, major depression, suicide ideation & actual suicide, and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).
IT'S TIME TO
ADDRESS
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY
What you think you understand about African Americans and mental health may be dead wrong. This might be difficult to accept, particularly because African Americans have taken pride in the myths about our mental health. We believe that mental health is controlled by willpower, faith and even our race. Even experts align with these misguided beliefs, ultimately affecting the way we view mental health in our community and how we take care of ourselves.
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Myth #1: African Americans are less likely to have mental health disorders than other ethnic minorities.
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Myth #2: African Americans are “strong” and can handle stress.
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Myth #3: “For those who believe in God, prayer is the only way.”
