Black Masculinity and Mental Health: How to Move Past Outdated Roles and Encourage Better Care

Black Masculinity and Mental Health: How to Move Past Outdated Roles and Encourage Better Care

Posted on November 30, 2021

The effects of systemic racism on Black Americans have been persistent and profound, as the National Alliance on Mental Illness points out, and the increase in media reports and images of police brutality and violence inflicted upon members of the Black community has added insult to injury. As mental health challenges continue to rise in this community, some Black Americans still aren’t receiving the mental health care and treatment they may need. This is especially true for Black men, who are not only affected by the general barriers to medical treatment, but also have internalized certain behaviors of Black masculinity, impacting their help-seeking behaviors. Despite suspected mental health issues, Black men are often reluctant to seek treatment. Lack of access to services is another factor that prevents adequate mental health care, according to NAMI. Resources can be difficult to obtain when people don’t have health insurance, have demanding shift jobs, live in locations with few services, or don't have reliable transportation. NAMI is a great resource for guidance on the different types of mental health care providers and how to select an expert.