To promote education about men’s health issues worldwide, organizations observe International Men’s Health Week from June 10 to June 16 and Men’s Health Month throughout June. These observances not only seek to raise awareness of men’s mental and physical health issues but also encourage men to ask for help when needed.
About 6 million American men suffer from depression every year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. However, there is a gap in data on Black men’s mental health. Studies show that adult Black Americans are 20% more likely to have serious “psychological distress” than white adults but are less likely to receive mental health treatment, according to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. This untreated distress paints a grim reality for Black males: Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for Black males ages 15 to 24, while Black men ages 20 to 24 have the highest suicide rate among African Americans, the organization found.
Despite the disturbing data, there is often a stigma placed on men’s mental health that leaves this silent problem under the radar. However, studies suggest the more it’s talked about, the more likely it will be addressed and encourage others to seek help.
In the first of a two-part series, with one part focusing on mental health and the other on physical well-being, Capital B Gary interviewed Virgil Gregory Jr., an associate professor at Indiana University’s School of Social Work. Gregory, who holds a doctorate in social work, specializes in the intersection of mental health and racial injustice for Black men. He discussed the roots of this critical health issue, disparities in care, and potential solutions.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Capital B Gary: Why is it important to consider mental health, particularly in Black men, in this effort to create awareness about men’s overall health?
Virgil Gregory Jr.: It’s important because, as men, we’ve had a history of always thinking that we shouldn’t cry; we have this hypermasculine stereotype that we have to adhere to. A lot of that hypermasculinity stereotype is contrary to taking care of our mental health. For example, asking for help if we need it. So during this month, if there are efforts to promote things such as expressing ourselves, asking for help if we need it, or being vulnerable even when sometimes that’s looked down on in dominant society and at times in our own communities, I believe this month could be an opportunity to address some of those issues.
But there’s also a lot of laws and policies; there is systemic or structural discrimination. These macro factors impact lower-level factors like mental health and physical health. It’s hard to have good physical health if you don’t have good mental health, and vice versa.
What are some of the most prevalent mental health issues that you see in Black men?
I have seen Black men with psychological problems that stem from their experiences in the criminal justice environment. It can be an issue with the police. Sometimes, it can be an issue with black-on-black crime. That can be the basis for mental health issues like unresolved trauma. It could be an issue with struggling to get employment. Those are some of the big ones. I would say anxiety, depression, interpersonal problems, like relationship problems with family members, spouses, things of that nature.
What do you think contributes to these prevalent mental health problems?
I think one of the big contributors is some of those structural issues, like beliefs that Black men are one-dimensional or aren’t allowed to express the full range of emotions. If we get angry, then it is viewed as the traditional, scary, angry Black man who could be violent.
I believe that, on some level, some of us may start to internalize some of those stereotypes. And once those stereotypes are internalized, it’s hard to go out and ask for mental health treatment if you feel like that’s not what a man does. No, that’s actually exactly what a man does if he needs it.
Another contributing factor would also be when we ask for help and show up at our physical and mental health clinics. Sometimes, as Black men, we’re disrespected. We’re treated poorly. We’re not treated like our white male and female counterparts. Many of us are sensitive to that, and that can be a deterrent from getting mental and physical health treatment. There’s already a legitimate distrust factor.
There’s a lot of data about disproportionate physical conditions that occur in Black men. Are there disproportionate mental issues that Black men deal with?
One of the more disproportionate things is the disparity in getting treatment. So, Black men get less mental health treatment than Black women. And to be honest, there’s not a whole lot of research about Black men. So we’re still trying to figure out some of this. But Black men experience depression and anxiety. Trauma is a big issue because, as Black men, we are disproportionately exposed to it and experience a lot of it.
Sometimes, when we come into a mental health environment, the diagnosis is more indicative of the global American stereotypes rather than the actual condition. I recall frequently throughout my career seeing Black men getting diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder when there were other, more possible diagnoses that were more reasonably explained and indicated a more appropriate treatment than that. So, in the same way that there are biases in the clinic, there are also biases in the research.
We need to look at the social environment and the political and historical context, too. The diagnosis informs treatment. So if you misdiagnose somebody, then the treatment is probably not going to be appropriate, and if the person is not getting the appropriate treatment, then they probably won’t want to come back because they’re not benefiting from it. So, they all kind of co-relate with each other.
So what are some solutions that you feel like we can bring to the table?
Okay, I think we, as providers, need a two-pronged approach. We need to address Black male mental health at the individual level. We need appropriate, evidence-based, culturally responsive treatments and therapies that also take into account the individual’s unique circumstances and their preferences. That’s one prong.
On the other level, we need laws and policies and implementation of laws and policies that create trust in Black men to access professional physical and mental health services. Some of the trauma could be created by some of the laws and policies, for example, the war on drugs.
If you could wave a wand and fix this, what does that look like? What’s the ideal solution?
I would have laws and policies that are against mass incarceration for Black men, I would help decrease financial barriers to Black men accessing and sustaining mental health and physical health treatment, and then I would adequately train physicians, social workers, psychologists, anybody providing services in the health care industry on culturally responsive health care or therapy with Black men. We need a just justice system and a more fair and equitable society. I know that sounds really abstract and high-minded, but that’s truly what we need.
Another thing is that we need more Black providers, because people come in wanting Black providers specifically. Then, we need to build trust through the systems and institutions in America that show themselves trustworthy. Trust would have to be earned. When we see changes in how Black people are treated in the justice system and how we’re treated in America, these are legitimate and effective ways of, in my opinion, increasing trust in our community.
If you or someone you know is currently experiencing thoughts of suicide or a mental health or substance use crisis, please call 988 to reach Indiana’s Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and speak with a trained crisis specialist 24/7.