ignore you and pull away from you (but try not to nag them, that’s annoying). Show them that they are loved, even when they don’t love themselves.
If you are battling a mental health condition, know your warning signs and triggers, make a care plan, and seek quality care as soon as the symptoms and signs are recognized.
Each condition has its own symptoms, but some common warning signs can include:
- Excessive worrying or fear
- Feeling excessively sad or low
- Extreme mood changes
- Avoiding friends and social activities
- Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
- Changes in eating habits (increased hunger or lack of appetite)
- Overuse of substances (alcohol or drugs)
- Inability to carry out daily activities
- Thinking about suicide
RELATED: Mental Health Myths That Should Be Left In The Past
Closing
I know this topic is heavy, but this topic has been brushed under the rug and ignored too many times. If you know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and confidential, and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Be on the lookout for more articles from “SPEAK UP!” interns. If you are or know of any Black college-aged and enrolled women interested in advocating against tobacco cessation on HBCU campuses, please visit Save a Girl, Save the World (SAGSAW) for more information.
Resources
Here are a few resources for more information on Black Mental Health:
- Therapy for Black Men
- Sista Afya
- Therapy for Black Girls
- Melanin and Mental Health
- The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
Aravia Patterson, MPH, is a 26-year-old intern with SAGSAW/SPEAK Up! She is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Louisville studying Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences.
