African American Mental Health: Societal Media Influence 

Fajr Abdul Azeez 

Funmi Olopade 

Charnise Key 

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University 

   
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Introduction 

In modern-day society, mental health has been a revolving term thrown around when 

trying to identify an unknown diagnosis. The term has been defined in many ways. Mental health 

refers to our cognitive, behavioral, and ​emotional wellbeing - it is all about how we think, feel, 

and behave. The term 'mental health' is sometimes used to mean an absence of a mental disorder 

(Nordqvist, 2017). This is the term most medical professions use to define mental health, but 

when it comes to the African American community there is a major difference in what mental 

health is to them. In the African American community, mental health is seen as a taboo topic 

because of the stigma African Americans have on them in the cultural epidemic of various 

factors. 

African Americans are overrepresented in high need populations. Because a high proportion of 

African Americans are incarcerated and confined to mental hospitals, are homeless, and 

live among the inner-city and rural poor, African Americans with sig- a significant 

mental health needs will be underrepresented in household surveys.  

(Snowden, 2001) 

Because of the self-confinement associated with mental health within the African American 

community, individuals do not have a huge social support system. This is based on the 

religious-basis of the community as well as the lack of available information necessary for 

African Americans, especially in college life.  

Globally over 70% of young people and adults with mental illness receive no treatment from 

healthcare staff. (Thornicroft, 2008) 

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Evidence from various descriptive studies suggest that influential factors increasing the

likelihood of treatment avoidance, or long delays before presenting proper care are as follows:

lack of knowledge about the features and treatability of mental illnesses, ignorance about how to

access assessment and treatment, prejudice against people who have mental illness, and

expectations of discrimination against people who have a diagnosis of mental​ illness. 

(​Thornicroft, 2008) Research shows that African American college students are facing negative 

stigmas towards their mental health on a daily basis, based on the lack of support systems and the 

perceived available social support in their communities.  

Stigma 

Stigma has been noted as a major obstacle for African Americans in regards to mental 

health. When first looking at stigmas towards African Americans' mental health, an individual 

has to know the signs of the universal mental health stigma.  

Mental health stigma is conceptualized as a set of negative attitudes toward people with a 

psychological disorder, such as that they are unpredictable or hopeless in recovery. 

(Anderson, Edmonds and Masuda, 2012) 

Mental health has always been a taboo topic in the African American community for a 

variety of reasons. One reason would be because of the history of periodical confinement in 

psychiatric hospitals for individuals that speak up about their mental illness. So to avoid the 

mistreatment and unfair diagnosis, the African American community decided to forgo treatment 

altogether and stick to religious therapy. Another reason would be the data collected on surveys 

of what disorders African Americans are associated with and how they differ/coincide with 

Whites.  
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African Americans are overrepresented in high need populations. Because a high proportion of 

African Americans are incarcerated and confined to mental hospitals, are homeless, and 

live among the inner-city and rural poor, African Americans with significant mental 

health needs will be underrepresented in household surveys.  

(Snowden, 2001) 

Even with little evidence concerning research behind mental health stigma, there has been a 

large predictability of the usage of mental health services among African Americans. Based on 

research, a majority of African American college students associated with mental health stigmas 

are less likely to receive the necessary services. The college students have notable 

self-concealment towards mental health. Self-concealment is defined as a negative attitude 

reflected on oneself.  

Scholars also have noted that self-concealment is particularly relevant to African American 

college students, as it overlaps with Afrocentric cultural values, such as collective 

harmony and communalism, as well as historical maltreatment of African Americans in 

the United States. (Anderson, Edmonds and Masuda, 2012) 

Social Support 

Social support is the reality and recognition that an individual is being looked after, has 

available assistance from other people, and most importantly, that one is part of a supportive 

social outlet. These supportive resources can be emotional, informational, or companionship; 

tangible or intangible. ​Based on the article, it is stated that mental illness can be reduced by the 

assistance of social support systems; it allows an individual to have an outlet to unwind while 

talking to others with similar symptoms how you feel. Persistent stressors and being exposed to 
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certain life events increase an individual's chances of suffering from a plethora of mental 

illnesses. (Dressler, 1985) 

It is believed that social support can serve as protection from a series of 

unfortunate events: death, depression, or alcoholism. The best method of dealing with 

mental illnesses and/or disorders for African American college students is having a safe 

haven to truly be yourself in a surrounding of people whose support can put a reduction 

on how much medication the individual(s) may need. Social support serves to stop the 

consequences that may be unfortunate or detrimental to an individual, due to change or 

instant crisis. (Cobb, 1976) 

Perceived Social Support 

African American college students have limited contact with mental health institutions 

and/or social support groups for various reasons. A factor into why African American college 

students do not seek mental health institutions to disclose personal information is because of the 

cultural family cohesion.  

Current estimates suggest that 1 out of every 20 to 25 urban Blacks is likely to encounter one of 

the traditional Western treatment-correctional institutions each year. 

(Baldwins, 1984) 

Results from a study show that family cohesion and support relate towards an African 

American college student reacts towards their mental health. Their perceived family ties is the 

major focus of how they go about discussing their mental health. If ties are strong, they confided 

in family; but, a lack of family ties will cause students to not seek a support group or rely on 

religious figure heads.  

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One major reason being the historical context of mental health as institutionalized 

segregation method. The alien cosmology behind mental health support groups is based on the 

knowledge and research proved for e White individuals; therefore, African Americans are not at 

the forefront of the traditional practice. The segregational method was to force African 

Americans to be belittled and not have a formed of outlet, which caused African Americans to 

develop a self-consciousness when it comes to mental health and/or any form of negative shine 

on their lifestyles. 

In short, under such a condition of disorder in Black personality, the natural African survival 

thrust of African Self-Consciousness becomes distorted to an anti-African/ 

self-destructive “alien survival thrust”. (Baldwin, 1984) 

Conclusion  

Mental health in the African American community can be categorized into three 

sub-categories; stigma, social support, perceived social support. With stigma, it is proven that 

African Americans are overrepresented in high-need populations. This is due to a large amount 

of African Americans being incarcerated and confined to mental hospitals or are homeless. 

Mental health is often looked at in a negative light or has negative connotations around it, 

especially in the African American community.  

When students get to college, it is easy for them to let mental health consume them 

causing them to lose themselves. Social support is essential to the safety and well being of 

individuals who are suffering from mental health. Social groups serve as a safe space for the 

individuals who need more attention and assistance with coping with feelings and emotions of 

mental health issues. Perceived social support explains how the cause for a lot of African 
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Amerians not reaching out for mental help is because it is instilled in them that they do not need 

it or can just “pray it off”. This dates all the way back to segregation when African Americans 

were belittled and talked down to; moreover, it caused them to have a forever guard up, which 

we are still witnessing to this very day.  

   
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