Dear West Indian & African parents
Many immigrant parents have a very hard time processing that their child has a mental illness or poor mental health. “You have food, shelter and everything else I provided for you, why are you depressed? What is there to be depressed about?”
As someone who is half Jamaican and half Vincentian and lives with depression, anxiety and OCD, I know all too well what it’s like to have West Indian parents when it comes to your mental health. With this experience I write:
Dear West Indian & African Parents,
In regards to moving to a foreign country (for some of you with zero support), you killed it! You hustled and sacrificed and here we are, getting an education, having opportunities, living the life! But while you were working so hard to allow for us to have that life, you didn’t have the time to address your own mental health because you were striving to not only provide but to help your children succeed.
“You have food, shelter & water, why are you depressed?”
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But guess what? Now your children do! We have the time, resources and money to address what’s impacting us emotionally and psychologically. And we have you to thank you for that!
So yes, unintentionally, you created the luxury for us to deal with our mental health. And what a life! A life where you can evaluate why you might not be happy, address clinical depression or other mental illnesses, get help to understand why anxiety is hindering your day to day life, find the right medications & therapy that’s going to help you cope, find balance and succeed! The list goes on & on! What’s the point of all these freedoms you afforded us if we aren’t happy, healthy and in our best mental health to enjoy it?
Mental health & mental illness are not just for white people. We all have mental health & are susceptible to developing mental illness especially considering what is happening in the world. You would be remiss to say we’re not impacted mentally and emotionally right now from the impact of both the race revolution and covid-19. Now is the time to speak freely and confide with one another when it comes to our mental health. We need you by our sides.
“Mental illness is not just for white people.”
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I am learning so much right now by reading, reflecting, attending webinars, examining my own experiences and having discussions with my peers. I hope my notion that our parents’ sacrifice allows us to enjoy this luxury of addressing our mental health resonates and hopefully I will continue to have more “Ah-Ha!” moments to share in the months to come.
Enjoyed this post? Read & share my other blog post: What does it mean to be black and have a mental illness?
Content on this website may be triggering, please call 911 or go to the nearest hospital if you feel you are in a mental health crisis.
RESOURCES:
“Meditation, breathing exercise, conversations, calming music and soulful yoga flows to soothe and restore your mind, body and soul. Led by Black Wellness Practitioners to address the needs of the Black Community. Open to all members of the Black Community. All Genders welcome.”
“So often the stigma surrounding mental health issues and therapy prevents Black women from taking the step of seeing a therapist. This space was developed to present mental health topics in a way that feels more accessible and relevant.”
8 Black Mental Health Resources in Canada and Online
“These organizations focused on the mental health and well-being of Black communities can offer some much-needed support right now.”
