NAMI Blog

"With all that my culture had to deal with throughout history, present-day African-Americans feel we don’t need help mentally. All we need to do today is the same our ancestors did, which is: 'Pray about it. Give it to God.' But you wouldn’t tell someone with cancer, diabetes or heart problem to just pray about it or give it to God, would you?"

"Becoming a mental health advocate and motivational speaker was not an easy journey, especially with the mental illness stigma being so strong in my community, but I defied cultural traditions, faced community stigma and became stronger for it. And so can you."

"Stigma around mental illness and therapy is deeply rooted in my culture. It’s seen as a weakness or a 'made up' ailment and going to therapy is a luxury reserved for those of white privilege. But by the time I reached adulthood, I realized I had to do something."

"I was raised in a rowdy Puerto Rican family. We spoke our minds about anything and everything under the sun. If we had an opinion, we had it at the top of our lungs. We took pride in our strong emotions. But pain was the exception to the rule. Pain was something you kept quietly under wraps."

Many people are unable to attain their highest level of mental wellness for several reasons, and the culture of mental health is just one barrier. Understanding why cultural disparities exist and persist in the mental health field is difficult because the issue is complex. The following is some of what we do know on the topic.

More than 55 percent of U.S. counties are currently without any psychiatrists at all. Even in areas that do have mental health professionals, there are simply not enough providers to go around. Telepsychiatry offers an alternative. 

Culture, race, ethnicity and sexual identity can make access to mental health treatment much more difficult. We can all help ignite change against these disparities this Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.

"I may not have all the answers, but I now know one thing: I can love and be loved as a person with invisible illnesses. And no one can tell me otherwise."

Borderline Personality Disorder is one of the field’s most misunderstood, misdiagnosed and stigmatized conditions. Studies show that even some mental health professionals have stigmatizing views about BPD. Learn more here.

A person with BPD may behave in a way that’s hard to understand. When symptoms flare, you may feel as though your relationship is falling apart. You may even feel personally attacked and extremely confused. If you’re feeling lost, here are a few suggestions on how you can help yourself.