I am proud to be a black man in America and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am also aware however that as an African American male my peers and I have to deal with a host of circumstances that other men in America simply don't have to face. From institutional racism, underemployment, high crime and general stereotypes, there are a number of issues that often disproportionately affect black men. To compound the problem, many black men fall into the stereotype of having to be "strong" and handle issues on our own without professional help. There is nothing wrong with being a strong black man, but there are times when additional professional help is required to help you deal with the mental anxieties and problems of life.
Often times what you think is the normal way to deal with problems may in fact be symptomatic of a larger mental health issue that could require counseling or therapy. Below are some of the signs that you may need some professional help in dealing with areas of your life that may be problematic.
A pattern of dysfunctional and unfulfilling relationships
Complaints from partners inability/fear of intimacy
Lack of commitment
Difficulty sustaining employment
Lack of concentration
An inability to maintain and build on good things
An inability to regulate and manage anger
Moodiness
Physical ailments like high blood pressure, back aches or other chronic aches and pains
All of these things impact the ability for a person to function and all could be signs of deeper emotional issues. Many African Americans are depressed and for men this depression can manifest itself in anger, rage or any of the above symptoms.
After honestly assessing yourself and determining that you want or need professional help, it is imperative that you find the right professional for the job. Often times African American men are skeptical about going to therapists; fearing that a white counselor may not understand the issues of a black man. "The color of the therapist is not the issue" says Dr. Shawn Frugé of Frugé Psychological Associates (FPA). "It is the experience of the therapist that matters." When searching for the therapist you must find one who has had multiple clients and multiple years of experience dealing with clients similar to you. Ask your therapist how often he has treated depression in African American males. If he says he has had 1 client with that issue, then he is not the therapist for you.
Once you find a therapist you should expect positive results in a reasonable amount of time. Therapy is not a win-or-lose proposition. You are looking for incremental gains and changes in behaviors. "If you haven't seen some positive results after a few months of therapy, you may not have the right therapist" says Dr. Alexis Frugé of FPA. If after a year of therapy you should be substantially closer to the completion of your goals. Too much therapy provides diminishing returns. If you thinks you need years of therapy you may actually need a friend to talk to instead of a professional therapist.
When trying to decide what type of professional mental help to seek out, a lesser known option is the Master Clinician (MFT MA or LCSW). A Master Clinician provides encouragement and supportive basic advice and is a step below the psychologist who( including his/her advanced credential) provides personality and cognitive reconstruction to help change your belief system.
Insurance does pay for therapy, but many black therapists don't take insurance. Insurance companies can be very slow paying and too much of a hassle for many therapists. In fact, some therapists would rather treat a person for free rather than deal with the insurance companies.
Psychiatrists can prescribe medicine for treatment of mental illness, while most psychologists cannot. This is changing however as the poweful drug lobbyists are pushing to change laws to allow more psychologists to prescribe their pills.
When seeking a psychologist or psychiatrist you must ask about the background and experience of the therapists in dealing with your particular life circumstance (ex. African American urban males). This person should have many years experience and multiple clients who fit your profile.
Psychiatrists generally treat major mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.) with medicine. Psychoogists generally perform counseling and therapy to deal with mental issues, behavioral problems and/or personality disorders. Sometimes a psychologist will refer a severly mental ill person to a psychiatrist or institution for medical treatment.
If you want good therapy you should be willingly to pay out of pocket.
Medication should be a last ditch effort and should be used to stabilize an individual who should then get treatment. Drug companies encourage the "pills for life" program, but you should seek alternatives to meds from your therapist.
It is the mission of The Black Man Survival Guide to have the best and most comprehensive Resource Directory for African Americans to get the professional and organizational support they need. Any and all psychlogists, psychiatrists, therapists and counselors who want to be a stand for the community, please consider listing yourself in our Directory. The community wants and needs you.
Dr. Shawn L. Frugé and Dr. Alexis N. Green-Frugé of Frugé Psychological Associates were contributors to this article. To find out more about FPA, check out their listing in the Resource Directory.
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