Mental health has become an increasingly prioritized global health concern in the past few years. And interesting enough, the higher-income countries record an alarming rate of depression cases. From various studies conducted, women are twice as likely as men to suffer from significant depression, with one in four women likely to suffer from a severe depressive episode at some point in her life.
Does race play a part in depression?
From a scientific standpoint, most aspects of mental illness and psychological well-being are influenced by social factors, such as gender, social class, race, and ethnicity. Although it has been said that African Americans are less likely to be diagnosed with depression than Caucasians. The former group tends to be diagnosed with more chronic and severe depression and is also less likely to undergo treatment.
Depression and the African American woman
In the African American community, it is stereotypical for the woman to be a strong “bearer of all”. She has been historically placed on a pedestal that sets her as strong, spiritual, and capable of coping with and managing the countless difficulties that come her way. In reality, women from this population demographic have been faced with many challenges. These challenges emanate from their historical, cultural, and social structural positions, making them particularly vulnerable to depression.
Why most cases in African American women are untreated or poorly diagnosed.
This being the 21st century, an age where technological advancements and emancipation are at their peak, one would assume that treatment for mental health issues is readily available for all. One of the significant setbacks in the diagnosis of depression is due to stigma. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misunderstanding regarding mental health, which leads to a lot of women either being in denial or being afraid of the societal backlash associated with depression.
Many women from this demographic group have limited access to health care because they have low or no insurance cover to access mental health services. Also, there may be difficulties finding mental health professionals who are culturally sensitive, which leads to them not getting the appropriate treatment.
Other factors contributing to the lack of treatment in African American women are low socioeconomic status, low educational attainment, and reliance on family, friends, or religious communities as an outlet rather than pursuing medical interventions.
Common triggers of depression
Various studies conducted by different institutions revealed that symptoms of depression in African American women could be measured and attributed to psychological, sociocultural, and medical factors.
On the psychological front, self-esteem, resilience, negative and reflective thinking, interpersonal relationship stress and stressful or adverse life events contributed to symptoms of depression.
Concerning sociocultural factors, social support, spirituality, and stigma played an important role. On the medical end, chronic conditions were also shown to influence depression.
Overall, it has been discovered that depression is highest in African American women who are unable to work; those with less than a high school education, have inadequate social and emotional support, are generally dissatisfied with life, or have physical health problems.
Can it be linked to dreams deferred?
Whenever we are not satisfied with one of our needs, we express feelings concerning this dissatisfaction. These include anger, sadness, fear, or inadequacy. These feelings can then motivate us to do something about the letdown. However, when we fail to take the necessary action, we become more frustrated. The longer the period of frustration, the more we become stressed about the situation. The body’s self-defense mechanism in coping with stress is depression.
In the context of African American society, more often than not, women have had to put aside their hopes and dreams by making sacrifices for others’ benefit. While feelings of resentment of opportunities passed by may be suppressed for a while, if not effectively dealt with, they will result in depression.
Effective change
There is a strong need to implement educational outreach programs within the African American community, focusing mainly on prevention, early detection, and treatment of depression. It is also essential for public health professionals to look at the treatment of depression in a holistic, culturally sensitive, and contextual manner. This will effectively help women in African American society. There should be an emphasis on a paradigm shift from the stigma associated with depression. This will result in more women freely and voluntarily accessing the necessary care and treatment for the condition.
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