Five ways to fight depression in your senior years

By Gabrielle HowardAFRO Internghoward@afro.com Being able to maintain mental health and knowing the potential signs of declining mental stability are imperative in the Black community. Keeping track of the well-being of loved ones is important, especially during a time when mental health is on the decline.This week, the AFRO spoke with psychiatrists and mental health experts about the significance of maintaining mental health during the golden years and how to recognize the signs of declining mental health.“Mental health” might be a buzzword, but it is certainly not an issue to gloss over– especially within marginalized communities. (Credit: Unsplash / Marcel Strauß)1. Change the narrativeDr. Tedre Anderson-Brown, a respected psychiatrist in Durham, North Carolina, spoke with the AFRO about the Black community, mental wellness and the importance of changing harmful narratives.“For a long time, we’ve learned that if you say something about [mental health], people will treat you differently,” expressed Brown. “We really have to change that narrative by being open and talking about mental wellness and how we can change that narrative.” It’s hard to fix something when the solution is kept secret. Mental health resources are available outside of the doctor’s office these days, and help can often be...