The Many Faces of Mental Illness in Black America

By Aswad Walker Mental illness is way more prevalent in the Black community than most want to admit. And with it comes specific challenges impacting our relationships, behaviors, and more. It has been discussed endlessly Black people’s aversion to seeking the help of mental health professionals. And maybe it needs to be discussed even more, because far too many of the roughly 37 million people in the U.S. who identify as Black, suffer from mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. Former Houston Rockets great Vernon Maxwell knew during his NBA playing days something wasn’t right with his mental health, and privately he was having those issues addressed. But neither he nor the larger society was open to sharing or receiving personal testimonies regarding mental health challenges. “They already thought that so they were going to really think I was crazy,” said Maxwell, who played for the Rockets from 1990-95 and was a key member of their two NBA championship teams. “I thought if I go to them and I tell them, `Man, I’m talking to somebody about my problems on my mental side;’ I was just too nervous to tell my teammates or tell anybody that. I was too...