Mental Health Essay Sample

It’s useful to explore expert samples before writing essays and essays about mental health are no exception. A professionally-done sample can help you avoid common beginner mistakes, understand how to make the structure of your essay coherent, and help you craft an excellent thesis. 

Lack of Mental Health in Black Communities 

Introduction
The topic of mental health care in black communities is a sensitive topic. While black communities are affected greatly by racial violence that harms the mental health of black individuals, mental health care is not as prominent as it is in communities with less discrimination. Members of black communities have a difficult time trusting mental health professionals, as many professionals practice discriminatory practices. This mistrust leads black individuals to turn to family members or the church to provide their mental health care.  The rise of racial violence coupled with the mistrust of mental health professionals has also seen a rise in black youth suicide rates, which illustrates the dire mental health situation black communities are in.

Lack of Mental Health Services

Studies have shown that the rates of suicide among black youth have been increasing. While there is no clear cause, some researchers have determined that “psychological barriers to accessing mental health care may provide another explanation for these findings” (Moyer, 2022). Researchers have found that access to quality mental health services are desperately lacking in many black communities. This is not because of a lack of providers, though, according to Michael Lindsey. “There’s a lot of stigma related to mental health treatment that seems to persist in black communities and families, including the propensity to want to share concerns related to one’s emotional and psychological well-being with family members only – and not share it with professionals” (Moyer, 2022). 

Discriminatory Treatment

Members of black communities have a good reason for their mistrust of mental health professionals. While members of other communities may not face discrimination from their mental health providers, black individuals have noted the treatment they receive when attempting to discuss their issues concerning racism and discrimination in their lives. “There remains a lack of understanding concerning the nuances of discrimination and racism that invariable affect mental well-being, specifically that of ethnic minorities who often are subjected to discriminatory and stereotypical judgements posited by healthcare professionals upon presentation of psychological symptoms or altered mental state” (Arday, 2022, p. 80). Given this discriminatory treatment by mental health professionals, many in black communities turn to family and community leaders for mental health services instead. 

Religious Institutions

The most prominent source for mental health care in black communities has been seen to be religious institutions. While churches serve a specific religious role in many communities, in black communities “… clergy are also asked to address interpersonal crises and serious mental health problems” (Taylor, 2000, p.74). Black community members feel more secure in trusting their local church leaders with the sensitive topics of discrimination and racism. This can be inferred to be caused by a strong prior relationship of trust with the church leaders, and also from community members sharing a background with their church leaders. These solid connections are not usually present between black community members and mental health professionals, which supports black individuals trusting community leaders above mental health providers. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the lack of quality mental health care in black communities is the result of discriminatory practices among mental health professionals. This leads to black individuals seeking mental health care in other places, such as from family or church leaders. The lack of professional mental health services and over-reliance on individuals with no professional mental health care background has led to an increase in youth suicide rates in black communities. Together, this all presents a picture of the dire mental health situation in black communities.

References

Arday, J. (2022). No one can see me cry: understanding mental health issues for Black and minority ethnic staff in higher education. Higher Education (00181560), 83(1), 79–102.

Moyer, M. W. (2022). Suicide Rates Rise in a Generation of Black Youth. Scientific American Mind, 33(1), 4–6.

Taylor, R. J., Ellison, C. G., Chatters, L. M., Levin, J. S., & Lincoln, K. D. (2000). Mental Health Services in Faith Communities: The Role of Clergy in Black Churches. Social Work, 45(1), 73–87.

More Topics for an Essay about Mental Health

Careful study of professional mental help essay examples will also help you brainstorm and outline your own essay. Once you’ve got a topic, and picture in your head of what you’d like your final essay to look like, structuring it will be easy. Please feel free to explore our list of creative topics. Perhaps there’ll be one here that you’d like to use or that inspires you with your own topic for the mental health essay.

• The future framework of mental health: predictions for 2024.
• A comprehensive look into technological innovations streamlining mental health.
• Stress management via resilience education in the classroom.
• Emerging treatment modalities for PTSD patients.
• Intersectionality and its implications within the field of mental health in modern society.
• The role of art therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Treatment of schizophrenia with medication.
• Problematic gaming behavior in the age of the internet.
• Artificial intelligence’s rising role in identifying & treating depression in 2024.
• An in-depth study into lifestyle diseases linked to digital world.
• ‘Teletherapy’: the new norm post-pandemic?
• Diagnosis and treatment of mental illness: cultural considerations.
• Holistic approaches to healing trauma dominance.
• Investigating resilience development strategies in children with depressed mothers in high-strain home environments.

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