Black women are faced with so much intense pressure and challenges to always maintain their strength. However, the toll of balancing work, family, relationships, etc. has proven to be stressful for a lot of black women today. It has caused many to develop symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, these are just two of the conditions that aren’t talked about enough amongst our community, leaving many black women to suffer in silence. Let’s examine these mental health struggles along with two others that black women don’t talk about.
The Pressure to Be the “Strong Black Woman”
In society today, we as black women are held to high expectations to be “strong women.” If we show any signs of fragility, we are deemed weak. We can’t show that we can’t take care of ourselves without a husband in our lives. Other characteristics of the strong black woman include being able to handle challenges independently, demonstrating self-sufficiency, and speaking up for oneself.
However, it’s not always easy to live up to these high expectations. Sometimes, it could seem like our families, friends, or others who rely on you expect so much out of you. They may seem to think that you’re “superwoman.” But whether you’re a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc., you’re still above all else, a human being. Carrying this pressure to always stay strong can lead to an increased risk of long-term stress and burnout.
High-Functioning Anxiety Often Goes Unnoticed
Another mental health struggle that black women have suffered in silence involves exhibiting high-functioning anxiety. These are people who appear to have things all together on the surface. They’re happy, healthy, and successful. But deep down, they’re deeply stressed, worried, fearful, and anxious. People who are usually like this are perfectionists, people-pleasers, overthinkers, and even overworked.
In black women, this form of anxiety often goes unnoticed because this constant activation, which wears down the nervous system, is often normalized. Most black women may feel that staying busy and always productive is a good thing and helps them take their mind off their problems. But in reality, this could potentially lead to emotional exhaustion. So if you’ve been finding your sleep to be heavily disrupted, your body is remaining on high alert even without danger, and your daily stress starts to feel normal rather than harmful, you may want to seek the mental health support you need.
Depression Doesn’t Always Look Like Sadness
When most people think of depression, they often think of consistent sadness or always being in a down mood. But it could be more than that if we catch the other glaring signs early on. It’s not talked about in black women because we view it as a form of sadness only, and could overlook other symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, emotional numbness, and withdrawal. These symptoms are often minimized or ignored by the black community as not being a big deal. Most may think of them as temporary issues that will pass and aren’t worth agonizing over. But if these symptoms start to show signs of impacting every aspect of your health, it’s definitely time to seek professional help.
Burnout from Constant Caregiving and Responsibility
Caregiving, whether it’s for a sick or elderly family member, friend, or someone else, is a responsibility that has become very widespread amongst black women. Several women I know have become caregivers, including my mother. While it’s a job that could be rewarding and self-sacrificing, many women are burnt out and mentally exhausted from it. However, there are many black women who are suffering from burnout in silence. The impact of the high expectations that a caregiver puts on herself could create some overwhelming chronic stress. There are also physical issues that could occur that are linked to caregiver burnout.
Healthy Ways to Begin Prioritizing Mental Wellness
So, what are some healthy ways we can begin to prioritize our mental health and stop suffering in silence with these struggles? One of the most well-known ways is journaling. Keeping a journal with some of your personal thoughts enables you to pour your heart out about your biggest fears, problems, regrets, etc. Breathing exercises are also very helpful for some people. Getting enough rest is always vital. However, another big one is giving yourself permission to ask for help. For some black women, it could be hard to swallow our pride and admit that we need more support. But it’s absolutely necessary for those who are caregivers or who are feeling overwhelmed with life’s activities and responsibilities.
These mental health struggles that black women don’t talk about much need more attention and care. Strength should not require suffering alone with no one to help you. So reach out to the next person you care about and share with them your personal struggles today.
What sort of mental health struggles do you think black women don’t talk about? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. As always, be sure to like or share this post with the next black woman you know who’s suffering in silence.
