By Danila Cambanco
“In our communities we always have an older person to talk to, but in this country, we don’t have that sense of community,” said 41-year-old barber Mitch Momodu, who is originally from Nigeria.
Mental health is an issue that affects everyone, regardless of their race or ethnicity. Members of the Black community, however, face frequent challenges in the UK when it comes to mental health.
“I believe there’s not enough support and understanding when it comes to mental health,” Momodu added.
Black people are 40% more likely to access mental health treatment, and are less likely to receive psychological therapies than other ethnic groups,, according to research. Many Black individuals face barriers in accessing mental health services, due to a lack of insurance coverage, limited availability of culturally competent providers, and especially financial constraints.
On the other hand, the issue of mental health in the Black community is often overlooked by the Black community itself. Mental health is often seen as a taboo subject that is not to be discussed, leading to a lack of understanding about individuals’ mental health conditions.
Daniel Brown, 30, who was having a smoke outside London Metropolitan University, said: “I think there should be more Black specialists in the field of mental health, because I think a Black person will understand my problem better because we have similar cultures.”
Traditionally, many African societies have attributed mental health problems to supernatural causes, such as witchcraft, spirits or curses. “I think we have to see mental health as a real problem, I’m Nigerian and in my culture having mental problems is a lack of prayer or spiritual issues, it’s not seen as a problem that can be solved with medical help,” said Isaac a 26-year-old student.
Mental illness is seen as a sign of weakness, especially for men.
Momodu says that “creating spaces where Black men feel empowered to share their struggles without judgement is essential to building a sense of community and encouraging help-seeking behaviour”.
The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network is working to change things. “One of the primary aims of BAATN is to address the inequality of access to appropriate psychological services for Black, African, South Asian and Caribbean people, which is a well-recognised reality,. it says on its website.
Promoting moments of vulnerability is the key to solving this problem, which is why Momodu has transformed his lounge into a kind of counselling room where people can talk without fear of being judged.
What a great article.
This article was very insightful and inspirational. The writer allowed the readers to understand the importance of speaking about mental health in the Black community, it was a great idea to interview a barber because of his experiences.