It Takes a Village

If you’ve been on I’m Not Fine's page for a while, then you have most likely seen the blog posts regarding the importance of mental health and breaking the stigma attached to it. The main goal of my blog, M.I.N.D.D, is also to make it normal to talk about mental health without it being portrayed as an abnormal conversation.

As a young Black woman, throughout my mental health journey, I came to the quick realization of the role that familial support plays in my journey. My parents were major contributors to helping me talk more about my mental health, which only strengthened my desire to help other teens do the same thing.

Unfortunately, there’s always been a negative stigma attached to Black and other minority families making mental health not only recognized but a priority. Parents must support their children with their mental health, to create a more comfortable and open environment for children.

Studies show that 1 out of 14 children that are 17 years old or younger have a parent with mental health issues; those children are more likely to develop mental/emotional issues or a developmental disability. Additionally, mostly 70% of a child’s mental health challenges develop from their youth and childhood. This is a large reason why parents are crucial to their children’s development and being mentally healthy. Parents must make an effort to be the very first roles of supportive figures in their children’s lives, as the familial relationship between a parent and their child serve great importance. Parental involvement in the child’s life has proven to significantly decrease mental health issues and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In addition, early intervention by parents and possibly medical professionals can help with school performance and adulthood.

Black girls’ unmet mental health needs have led to serious and dangerous consequences. Suicide death rates for Black girls between the ages of 13-19 increased by 182% from 2001 to 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic, unfortunately, has only aggravated this issue further. Black girls' mental health continues to go unaddressed, ushering these dismissed problems into their adult years.

Black communities have experienced untold and untreated traumatic experiences for centuries. The aftermath of racism and discrimination in America is unfortunately still alive and well and continues to affect today's Black youth. Black people are still not prioritizing their mental health in communities, directly affecting the children in the community. These experiences of the Black community have been assumed to result in what is known as a “survival mentality,” leading to the neglect of mental health as a whole. Throughout life and parenting, it is a difficult situation that the history of discrimination and racism continues to affect our Black communities. This additionally adds strain for Black parents to show how they would want mental health to be portrayed in their families.

The child’s first experience of this negative stigma normally starts in their household, along with their perception of how their parents view mental health conditions. For example, when a young girl sees her family dismissing her mental health issues (just as society and the rest of that ethnicity’s community does to her) this becomes a discouragement for her to seek help. This behavior can create the possibility of this cycle repeating for future generations.

Most minority families have a negative view of mental health. In the United States, a study showed that 63% of Black people believe mental health conditions are signs of weakness, and they have negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have mental health conditions. Only 8.6% of Asian Americans reach out to any type of mental health services. In addition to this, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the least likely in the U.S. to receive any mental health services or help. The stigma attached to Asian American households is centered around a disregard for a child’s mental health, affecting the kid’s happiness and well-being. A very similar ideology is seen in Hispanic culture, where it’s considered “loco” to experience any mental health concerns.

Families working together as a united front can help a child’s potential to progress. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), parents are encouraged to understand the main parts of CBT, methods to help the parents manage their child’s anxiety, and more difficulties they may face.

Just like the clichéd saying, it truly takes a village to help raise a child. In today's society, a well-functioning, supportive community allows adolescents to develop healthy habits. Parents and their support can go a long way if they continue to show their support during a child's younger years and beyond.