If you’re like most people, you don’t pay as much attention to your mental health as you do your physical health. It’s harder, after all, to ignore a sprained ankle than it is to ignore feeling sad or stressed.
But there’s good reason to take care of your mental health. Physical and mental health are intertwined, meaning something that weakens your physical health can affect you mentally, and vice versa.
While people of all races and ethnicities tend to put mental health concerns to the side, talking about mental health and seeking care has a particular stigma in minority communities, including among Black people and Latinos. At the same time, people of color also face unique mental health challenges related to issues such as racism.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Black adults in the United States are more likely than white adults to report feeling persistent sadness, but only one in three Black adults receives mental health treatment.
What can be done to change that? It starts with individuals seeking care when they’re struggling mentally. In the Chattanooga area, you can find that care at Cempa Community Care. We’re committed to providing those in our communities with access to the behavioral health services they need.
Mental Health by the Numbers
Mental health conditions, sometimes called mental illnesses, are common among people in the United States. According to the National Institute on Mental Health, one in five U.S. adults has some type of mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety.
Those numbers worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic as people were isolated and stressed. Those issues affected people of all backgrounds, but for people of color, the problem was magnified.
Black people and other people of color often face racial trauma, which can occur when directly confronted with racism but can also develop when racism persists over time. That’s true even when not directly affected by racism, so even something like a news story about a racially driven crime on television can add to racial trauma for those of color.
Racial trauma increases the risk of many mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Young people of color are at an especially high risk of developing PTSD when compared with their peers of other ethnicities.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Mental Health
While it’s common to experience mental health issues, you don’t have to simply live with them — help is available. The first step toward changing minority mental health is to pay attention to how you’re feeling and speak up when something isn’t quite right.
That can look like sadness that doesn’t go away, persistent thoughts and worries, overwhelming stress, changes in appetite or weight, mood swings, and withdrawal from activities and people you usually enjoy. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, reach out for help.
Worried about where to get the care you need at a price you can afford? Cempa offers comprehensive medical services, including behavioral health care, on a sliding scale based on income. We will work with you to get you the help you need.
At Cempa, you’ll meet with a behavioral health specialist who truly understands what you’re facing and can help you overcome it. This type of personalized care is known as “culturally competent care,” and it’s our way of meeting those in our community where they are.
When meeting with our providers, we want you to feel embraced and supported so that you can receive mental health services that will help you stay strong and steady. Our behavioral health providers also work as a team with other Cempa medical providers, ensuring you get care for every aspect of your health and wellness.
Experiencing mental health symptoms or looking for mental health support? Call 423-265-2273 for more information about Cempa’s behavioral health services or to schedule an appointment.
