Damon Young, a writer and author of "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker," dives into the complex barriers Black men face in mental health care. He discusses how traditional notions of masculinity and societal expectations often suppress emotional expression. Young emphasizes the historical neglect of mental health in the Black community and the urgent need for more Black mental health professionals. Through personal stories, he advocates for creating safe spaces and fostering open dialogues to encourage vulnerability and seek help.
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insights INSIGHT
Representation and Reality
Black men are less likely to seek therapy, mirroring their underrepresentation in media portrayals.
This disparity reflects systemic flaws and distrust within the healthcare system.
insights INSIGHT
Socialization of Men and Emotions
Societal expectations teach boys to suppress emotions, hindering their comfort with vulnerability.
This conditioning often limits men's emotional expression to anger, making it difficult to discuss anxiety or sadness.
insights INSIGHT
Emotional Shielding and Racism
Black men face unique pressures to hide emotions due to racism.
Some parents encourage this as a protective mechanism against potential dangers.
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In *What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker*, Damon Young offers a provocative and humorous exploration of what it means to be Black in America. Through a series of essays, he delves into themes such as racial identity, masculinity, and the absurdities of everyday life as a Black man. The book is both a celebration of Blackness and a critique of white supremacy, offering insights into Young's personal struggles and societal observations.
Medical apartheid
The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present
Harriet A. Washington
Medical Apartheid details the ways both slaves and freedmen were used in hospitals for experiments conducted without their knowledge—a tradition that continues today within some black populations. It reveals historical practices such as grave-robbing, unauthorized autopsies, and dissections, as well as the pseudoscience of eugenics and social Darwinism used to justify experimental exploitation and shoddy medical treatment of Blacks. The book also exposes shocking details about the government’s notorious Tuskegee experiment and similar medical atrocities conducted by various institutions. It provides the fullest possible context for understanding the roots of the African American health deficit and the deep distrust of the medical establishment among Black Americans.
The start of a new year can push us to think about how we take care of ourselves – our bodies or our minds. And for some people that can mean seeking help for mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
In some ways, being open about pursuing treatment for mental health concerns is becoming more commonplace. But for men who are socialized not to express vulnerability and keep emotions in check, seeking therapy may feel taboo.
Black men must also contend with the long history of neglect and abuse that has influenced how generations of African-Americans feel about health services, a lack of Black mental health professionals, and the understanding that shielding emotions are a way to face the pressures and dangers of racism.
Host Michel Martins talks with writer Damon Young, author of What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays, and psychologist Earl Turner of Pepperdine University, on making therapy more accessible for Black men.
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