Black adults are less likely to report mental illness than their non-Black counterparts, but are more likely to experience higher rates of severe conditions while also facing significant barriers to accessing culturally responsive care. The way Black people talk about mental health and interact with the health care system is shaped by systemic disparities, historical trauma, and cultural stigmas. During Mental Health Awareness Month, Nommo hopes this article will create conversations surrounding the Black community’s perception and relationship with mental health while also bridging the gap the community faces in understanding the topic and accessing resources.
Why so stigmatized?
Each year, more and more research is done on Black mental health, yet the statistics don’t paint the full picture. Since Black people are more likely not to seek help, the statistics found are not truly representative of how Black people feel. Due to the shame associated with reporting mental health struggles, Black people suffer in silence. They believe nobody else in the community is facing the same struggles, and if they are, they are able to cope and move on. This falsity is extremely harmful to our community, and although it is improving as more people speak up, more research is done, and more safe spaces are fostered, there is much more work to be done.
A large factor that plays into much of the hesitation around seeking help is medical mistrust, a complex factor to solve due to the long history of brutality against Black bodies, minds, and souls. This mistrust is completely valid and should continue to be responded to with validation before anything else. However, it is vital that there are steps following this validation to heal some of the wounds of the violence that caused such mistrust. All medical professionals, nurses, doctors, therapists, psychiatrists, gynecologists, etc, need to be culturally educated and trained to be able to address Black patients with the care that we deserve.
A secondary factor is the reason that many folks in our community avoid addressing their mental health struggles because of the burden of financial barriers that limit access to long-term help. This issue is extremely intimidating and can lead people to suppress their emotions and struggles to avoid having to deal with the monetary repercussions of healing. However, as time goes on, accessible, equitable resources continue to be created specifically for Black people who are ready to seek healing and relief.
While it is important to call out the barriers, trauma, and stigmas that perpetuate negative perceptions of mental health, it is also very critical to note the responses Black people face when they share their experiences or try to seek help.
We have unfortunately seen many instances of Black people taking the strong step to ask for help, and being punished or even killed for it. One of the most public cases of this took place in 2024, when Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman with schizophrenia, called the police after reporting that she believed there was someone lurking outside of her home. Bodycam footage showed Deputy Sean Grayson and his partner arriving at Massey’s home and immediately handling the situation poorly. After Massey went to take a pot of boiling water off her stove, Grayson drew his gun and pointed it at her, and threatened to shoot her instead of de-escalating the situation. After shooting Massey, Grayson did not make any attempt to provide medical attention to Massey and even discouraged his partner from getting a medical kit to tend to her. From the beginning of the 36 minutes that Grayson was at Massey’s home, he treated her as a threat that he needed to eliminate, rather than a person whom he had a responsibility to keep safe.
Several Black athletes, actors, artists, and government officials have also come forward and shared their experiences with mental health. One of the most vocal, despite receiving great backlash, has been star tennis player Naomi Osaka. Within the topic of mental health, Osaka has specifically been public in discussing her anxiety and depression perpetuated by post-match media appearances, where reporters have often been cruel and unfair to her. Osaka shocked the sports community in 2021 when she withdrew from the French Open in order to sustain her mental health. Instances of athletes publicly prioritizing their mental health as much as their physical health had been rare, and Osaka certainly received a great amount of scrutiny for doing so. While she did get a lot of negative attention after withdrawing, she also enabled other athletes, specifically Black female athletes, to share their experiences with managing their mental health. Osaka’s contributions to the destigmatization of mental health in the Black community are undeniable, and she continues to serve as an advocate for rest and healthy mental health practices.
Another recent example of a well-known member of the Black community struggling with mental health is Stephen (tWitch) Boss, resident DJ and co-executive producer for the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Stephan sadly took his life in 2022, and many were shocked to hear that he had committed suicide, mentioning the joyful energy that he brought to The Ellen Show. His death highlighted the tendency of Black men to feel the need to bury their emotions and put on a mask, rather than seeking help. His wife even shared that he had frequently talked to her about feeling immense pressure to keep up his positive personality even when he was battling internal struggles, especially after The Ellen Show began to fall apart and was eventually discontinued. Rather than approaching his death with compassion and empathy, many responded by calling him selfish for leaving behind a wife and three children. In doing so, people neglect to acknowledge the fact that conditions like depression and anxiety are illnesses, and need to be taken seriously as potential causes of death, just as other illnesses are.
Insight from an Expert
NOMMO had the honor of talking with Dr. Nicole Presley, Senior Executive Director of UCLA Student Resilience and Mental Health Services. Dr. Presley is a Psychologist in training and a licensed therapist. She received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA, her Ed.M. from Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern California. Dr. Presley worked on starting the RISE Center at UCLA and has worked at UCLA for over 20 years. When she began her job as a therapist, she used to see so many students who were blocked not because of intelligence, but because of trauma, anxiety, and depression. She loved helping students of color get out of their own way, resolve deep trauma issues, and be able to flourish. Black students are the healthiest in the family, but are dragged down by family dynamics and community issues. Dr. Presley believed these students needed somewhere to take a breath, and loved being able to provide that space for them. Given Dr. Presley’s background, we thought she could provide a great deal of insight into the Black community and its relationship with mental health.
What are common mental health struggles you see specific to Black students?
Dr. Presley: Most students suffer from things like anxiety and depression. Within the Black community, and especially for Black students navigating predominantly white institutions, we face performance anxiety and imposter syndrome. Black students place expectations on themselves to do well, and feel shamed when others can see them struggling. There is a common misconception, especially among Black women, that if they are not drowning from their stress, they must not really be struggling, but that is not the case. Students think that if they can function academically, they forget their emotions, self-perception, self-esteem, and never learn about managing mental health or the literacy around mental health to be able to respond to natural boundaries.
In what ways is mental health in the Black community BOTH a systemic and individual issue?
Dr. Presley: Systemically, there is a long history regarding the Black community’s relationship to the healthcare system. From the pseudoscience that Black folk don’t feel pain, forcing our Black women and men to stay strong, along with the erasure of how slavery impacted physical and mental health, this is where the Black community gets a lot of medical mistrust. As Black health and well-being have not been taken seriously by white folk, the Black community has internalized that. Individually, people can do a lot to help their health and seek care. Akin to diabetes, some can do the right things and manage it, while others can do the right things and still pass away. Same thing with depression. However, it always goes back to the structural piece. Lots of things that contribute to the Black mental health problem are due to environmental factors, such as poor education, lack of outside spaces, food deserts, healthcare, working conditions, and the embedded racism in all of these systems. America looks at results instead of conditions. Individuals can do things to mitigate things, but it is like swimming upstream.
One of the many perceptions of mental health is that people don’t know what it is or how to deal with it. What are the ways for the Black community to acquire help? What can be done to raise awareness on mental health & signs of struggle?
Dr. Presley: One of the major reasons they don’t seek help is that they talk themselves out of it. They think they don’t need help, they can manage it, that therapy is for white people, that they can’t tell my business to just anyone, and they are afraid of being alienated or judged. A major mental health education campaign is needed. We should also be seeking information from those with expertise and not from social media influencers because people have the right to get real help from people who know what they’re talking about. The Black community has such a poor understanding of the landscape, which requires education. We also need to understand that seeking help is not for everyone and looks different for everyone. It can look like seeking talk therapy, group therapy, or even turning to religion. Everyone has to find what works for them.
What does the quote “Your trauma is not your fault. It is your responsibility to heal” mean to you?
Dr. Presley: I would really like to emphasize that the trauma is not your fault, but healing matters and is important for lifting the burden of something you did not do. You are a person, and scabs of trauma develop over you, but healing is a journey necessary to becoming closer to yourself. Therapy helps you get closer to who you are under the scabs, meet yourself, who you are other than your trauma, and move past it while honoring yourself for what you went through. Scabs make your skin tougher but also prevent you from accessing yourself. Acknowledge it, grieve, and honor your traumatic response.
What resources do UCLA students have if they want to seek help?
Dr. Presley: UCLA offers a lot of support for students to get help. The RISE Center is somewhere students can go to take a breath. The RISE Center is located in the LuValle Commons Basement and is open from 9 AM to 6 PM on most days. Here, students can partake in workshops and come to drop-in hours with Wellbeing Coordinators. During the next academic year, RISE at Rieber will also be open on Mondays and Fridays from 11 AM – 4 PM. The CAPS Center is where students can go to get clinical support. Students with USHIP gain up to 12 sessions, while students without it can get up to 4. At CAPS, Black clinicians can also be requested. If students have questions, they can always call. If you have a question, call, or feel entitled to using your university student fees. UCSHIP is a platinum plan, which often doesn’t exist in the real world. Students deserve help; they’re entitled to it!
Black Psychology Society
An initiative that was created to change the way Black students at UCLA perceive or take care of themselves was started through Black Psychology Society, founded by graduating senior and psychology student Ryen Clark.
Clark’s motivation behind starting the Black Psychology Society stems from her father’s saying, “if you don’t see it, be it”. As she went through her time at UCLA, she noticed there was no club for Black psychology students. With help from Dr. Nicole Presley and the Director of Black Bruin Resource Center, Mike Brown, Clark was able to form the Black Bruin Mental Health and Wellness Initiative. Through this program, Clark tells Nommo, “I realized I wanted to create a long-lasting impact beyond the initiative itself.” The motivation to create the Black Psychology Society became more imperative when a Freshman at Black Welcome Week asked if there was a club for Black psychology students, and Clark had to say no. “That moment genuinely stayed with me. That’s when I knew it was time to form my team and get something started,” Clark tells Nommo.
Black Psychology Society was officially recognized as a UCLA Organization during Winter Quarter with the mission of creating “a space where Black students passionate about psychology can explore how the field intersects with Black mental wellness, culture, and community healing, while gaining tools for academic and professional growth in psychology-related fields.” Clark goes on to tell Nommo that the organization’s core goals “center around community wellness, professional development, education and awareness, and collaboration.” Clark’s favorite BPS events were the organization’s first general body meeting as well as presenting a workshop on mental health and wellness to high school students through the Afrikan Student Union’s Higher Education Conference. At the first BPS general body meeting said that, “After years of programming and advocating for Black student mental health and wellness, it was so beautiful to finally see it come to fruition in the form of students gathering together because they genuinely wanted community, conversation, and connection. It was one of those moments where I just looked around the room and thought, “Wow, this is real.””. Clark said that presenting at the Higher Education Conference was another favorite because the organization was able to educate students on “what burnout is, how to recognize it, and ways to prevent it…Sometimes students, especially Blackstudents, are taught how to achieve but not always how to rest, regulate, or care for themselves in the process. Being able to pour into them in that way was extremely special to me.”
For the future of the BPS, Clark hopes the organization will continue “creating spaces for access and networking opportunities that Black students may not always have readily available. Whether that is mentorship, graduate school preparation, panels, workshops, research opportunities, or simply being in rooms with professionals who look like us, I want students to leave BPS feeling equipped and inspired. Representation matters deeply, especially in mental health spaces. As someone graduating this year, one of my biggest hopes is to come back one day as an alumna and see the organization thriving in ways I never even imagined. I truly believe there are brilliant minds who will continue building upon what we started. That is one of the most beautiful parts of leadership to me: creating something that outlives you. I hope future leaders continue innovating, dreaming bigger, and reminding Black students that their voices, minds, and wellness matter both within psychology and beyond it.”
The Black Psychology Society is an organization with the vision of “empowering Black students through psychological education, community care, and career readiness by bridging the gap between theory, identity, and lived experience.” Through the organization’s events, such as community circles, application workshops, career panels, and hikes, students have been able to build community, foster professional development, and create a space where wellness is made a priority. Stay connected with the Black Psychology Society by visiting their page on Instagram @bpsucla.
Rest as Resistance
When we think of rest, we might think of something as simple as taking a nap. However, rest is more than taking a nap. Rest is anything that connects your mind and body. Most importantly, it is a refusal to comply with the politics shaping the world today.
The Black community needs rest because we suffer from generational exhaustion, various forms of trauma, and just because we experience being Black in America. It is difficult to prioritize your well-being in a world that kills you more and more every day. From watching your people be brutalized and killed on screens, being funneled into the carceral system, to having your rights stripped away. Black folk may feel like resting was never an option. It’s important to recognize that this is exactly how the systems of white supremacy and capitalism want us to feel.
When Black folk use rest as a tool for resistance, we challenge and reshape the, just thug it out stigma and Black people are superhuman archetypes. When we rest, we actively push back against the systems that only see Black bodies as a means for entertainment, production, and labor. When you resist the systems that tell us we are not doing enough and should be doing more, we carry on the dreams of our ancestors who wanted nothing more than rest.
Please acknowledge when you are stressed, exhausted, or feeling anxious. Please know you are entitled to rest just like everyone else. In recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month, NOMMO challenges readers and the Black community to use rest as a tool for healing and liberation.
“The systems make us hard. Rest keeps us tender. There is power in our collective rest and care.” — The Nap Ministry
Conclusion
We acknowledge and validate that focusing on mental health can feel trivial when Black bodies, culture, and existence are being constantly attacked, and many of us are just trying to survive. However, we would like to affirm that through prioritizing mental health, our community can not only survive but thrive. While it often feels like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders and are being forced to heal from problems that we did not cause, we can begin to work through this by asking for help, speaking up, and destigmatizing the topic of mental health within our community. We would like to encourage the Black students and professionals in fields that research or work to treat mental health to continue to fight for our community. Your work does not go unnoticed, and we appreciate you greatly for taking up space in this field and advocating for Black health. For Black students interested in pursuing psychology or other related fields at UCLA, we encourage you to take advantage of the resources and networking opportunities provided by the Black Psychology Society. It is truly a unique space that not many other universities can say they have! For students who would like to understand themselves better, we encourage you to take advantage of the CAPS and Rise centers, which provide great resources for all students. Regardless of your condition, the opportunity to understand yourself and your emotions should be taken seriously and taken advantage of, especially as a young adult!
As we conclude this article, NOMMO affirms that Black mental health is just as important as everyone’s mental health. To our Black readers:
Seeking help is a reflection of your strength and not your weakness.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.
It’s good to voice your feelings.
You are not broken or a burden.
It’s not all in your head; your feelings are valid, and you deserve to process them.
You can rely on your community for emotional support.
Resources
UCLA:
- Counseling and Psychological Services: Provides individual therapy, group therapy, wellness skills groups, and psychiatry services. Provides 24/7 consultation to concerned staff, faculty, anD students. (https://counseling.ucla.edu/)
- Campus Assault Resources & Education: Provides support, consultation, advocacy for student survivors of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking. Provides trauma-informed yoga for student survivors. (https://careprogram.ucla.edu/)
- UCLA Psychology Clinic: Provides low-fee individual and group psychotherapy (e.g., CBT group), as well as diagnostic assessments (https://www.psych.ucla.edu/centers-programs/clinic)
- Collegiate Recovery Program: Provides individual support and weekly recovery meetings for students who are in recovery from substance use or other addictive behaviors (https://www.collegiaterecovery.ucla.edu/)
Broader Community:
- 998 Lifeline: Provides resources and services for mental health, as well as a separate page specifically focusing on resources for Black people seeking resources (https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/black-mental-health/)
- The Loveland Foundation: Covers the cost of therapy for Black women and non-binary individuals (https://thelovelandfoundation.org/)
- Black Men Heal: Pairs men of color with therapists of color, and provides free mental health treatment to clients (https://blackmenheal.org/)
- Therapy for Black Girls/Holding Space Foundation: Provides resources, training, and education for mental health, with the goal of making it more accessible for Black women. (https://therapyforblackgirls.com/)