Mental Health Awareness Month: Addressing Underdiscussed Mental Health Issues in the Black Community

When Amanda Seales revealed in her much-discussed interview with Shannon Sharpe that she had autism––an assessment she soon elaborated that was a self-diagnosis, the reactions were swift and not all kind. To be sure, many a doctor will tell you that it’s unwise and unhelpful to determine we have a condition based on our own research, and while Seales’ personal health situation is nobody’s business but hers, she did open the door to a wider conversation.  May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time devoted to expanding education about mental health issues and reducing stigma. And while Black Americans are steadily overcoming long-standing barriers and stigmas about getting mental health care, we still have a ways to go. Practically everybody knows a little bit about anxiety, depression, and maybe even generational trauma. However, there are more conditions, such as autism, that still aren’t discussed as much, let alone diagnosed, in the Black community. Here are some mental health conditions that Black therapists say could use greater understanding and acceptance of.  Autism  Research about autism, especially in adults, is growing. Still, in the general sense, autism is a broad range of conditions that can include challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors,...