FEATURED ARTICLE
MENTAL HEALTH
MATTERS
P O S T T R A U M A T I C S L A V E S Y N D R O M E … T H E S T R U G G L E I S R E A L!
FEATURED ARTICLE
In 1852, an American physician spent hours researching and eventually proposed a mental illness known as Drapetomania, as the cause of enslaved Africans fleeing captivity. The idea of an individual wanting to be free from physical, mental, and emotional bonds of an oppressor meant something was terribly wrong with them. This was the message being sent to Black Americans.
Some of you will disagree with the notion that slavery continues to have a psychological impact on the mental health of African Americans in 2025. While some understand the implications, others are still in denial that an entire group of people can experience the residuals of bondage less than 200 years ago. To put it into perspective, my mother’ s grandmother was the daughter of a slave.
By Jeanette Blake, MSW, LCSW
size of a mustard seed; having more money will help me heal; or I just need a fresh start and moving will solve all my problems”. Once upon a time, the very same notions plagued my existence as I focused on surviving rather than healing, while wearing a mask to cover up the impact.
Dr. Joy DeGruy, an African American author, academic, and researcher has coined the term, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome( PTSS). Dr. DeGruy’ s theory provides insight on the impact of the intergenerational psychological trauma in the African American community present day. Additionally, new research argues that DNA can be altered by trauma, which can be passed onto offspring.
While there is intentionality in supporting the mental health of African Americans, there is still much work to be done. The African American culture continues to struggle with the scarcity syndrome( the psychological mindset of focusing on limited resources which can be linked back to generations of oppression). This mindset can lead to anxiety and depression. It has been my experience as a black mental health professional that some in our community don’ t recognize the value or the urgency of receiving mental health treatment whether taught in the home or overlooked in the church, as God is the healer. The notions of too many become,“ if I just have Faith the
My first experience with witnessing mental illness occurred when I was a young child. I vividly recall hearing my maternal grandmother from another room in the apartment scream in fear of little men trying to hurt her that were not visible to anyone but her. The confusion and fear I felt was never addressed, nor an explanation of the experience provided. Life continued as“ normal”. My grandmother was a quiet, sweet and reserved woman. Looking back, I can’ t help but wonder if her personality masked the fear and pain she felt within.
September 25, 1990, I became a mother at the age of 19. It was the saddest pregnancy as I lived in between family homes, was single, with no income. I cried the majority of the pregnancy, many days I had absolutely no idea why and at times experienced suicidal ideations. Some of it was hormonal but was also the impact of my traumatic childhood experiences. I was clinically depressed and to many it looked like I was lazy, incompetent, and destined for failure.
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