Shizophrenia and the African American Community

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Jen Fad Nurse at Healthcare Thanks for the post Will, but sad to say I don't think you will ge many more responses that the one I am giving you right now. Friday, September 26th 2008 at 2:57PM

Jen Fad Nurse at Healthcare I was thinking of the movie 'A Beautiful Mind' while reading your blog. How many in our community have beautiful minds, but due to mental illnesses aren't able to function in society to the degree that you and I know they could because they are walking around with undiagnosed and therefore untreated mental illnesses. The use and abuse of drugs & alcohol further compound the problem in an desperate attempt to 'run away' from these demons. Hopefully one day the subject of mental illness will not always be a taboo subject in the black community Friday, September 26th 2008 at 3:18PM

agnes levine Part-Time Teacher at Baltimore County Public Schools hey Will, I am so sorry that I did not read this earlier, but it is never too late. I have been trying to catch up this week. This is a great post that is so easy to understand. Thank you for participating in Mental Illness Awareness Week!:) I want to also tell you that I read the article you sent me about Assisted Suicide for the mentally ill. I have many thoughts about that beginning with IT should NEVER be done!!!! Even with terminally ill patients, and I say this because so much living can be done despite an illness. I know all about the painful experience because my dad suffered with colon cancer. Yes, there were times he was in so much pain he wished for death. But he lived a good life until the end. The peace he found in God was the key to his transition. His life beyond his diagnosis followed the normal stages of anger, depression, and acceptance and reconciling with his God. I would hate to think that in his anger stage, his life was ended with the assistance of his doctor. He actually lived 18 months past his expectancy post diagnosis, too. He used that time to bond and solidify his legacy in each of his children. He gardened and sat long days enjoying the sun and birds and flowers and loving his grandchildren. What I have learned about depression spiritually, is that it is anger turned inwards. Meaning that the anger rips away at the soul and spirit. Assistance is needed from God to over-come that anger. When my dad recognized the source of his anger, he was able to work through it. The "Why me?" The anger associated with leaving life and the things he enjoyed. However, he transitioned believing that the new life awaiting him would be soooo much more fulfilling and peaceful....no sorrow, no more pain. In my own diagnosis with Bipolar, I struggle with depression and especially in the early days. Honestly, I'm just getting over a bout with depression, too. Yes, I thought about suicide at times early on, too. I was not able to comprehend completely what death would mean, too. I just wanted relief from the black pain. I think...no, believe that a person with a terminal illness can get pass those stages. Then there are miracles, too. Nobody knows what God has in store for the future so I believe that doctors should focus on the relief of as much pain as possible and not death expedited as an option. As a community, we have a long way to go with dealing with mental illnesses. Untreated mentall illnesses are really a slow, tortuous death! Being debilitated by a sick mind is cruel and when a person has lived with a mental illness and then finds treatment, they are the first to testify about how their quality of life has significantly improved. They are the first to contrast the dark days with the bright ones and work to live in brightness! I witnessed my own children's self-esteem climb when I fought to gain a quality of life rather than let the Bipolar defeat me. I learned so much about fighting for life from my dad's bout with cancer. My point is that there is a purpose in everything God allows and man should not attempt to alter that and we as a community must start believing the glass is half full. Lastly, because I read the comment from my friend about not getting many responses, I have to ponder if I share my story despite stigmas for me to get a response from others or for others to learn something about mental illness that might make a difference in the life of them or their loved one? Prior to being diagnosed with bipolar, I never picked up anything about it and read it. I was raised like most black women about depression. "Keep it moving!" The slaves did it, great-grandma did it, mama did it, so you do it, and I showed my daughter to do it, too. "Just get through it. Of course, my message is very different now. First God had to allow me to see that my writing had a purpose. Then He showed me my life in words had a purpose. That is my miracle and that is what somebody else will have, too. It only takes one person, as they say, for word to travel far. Word of mouth is what black people are expert at. We will share how great-grandma made oxtail stew, etc. Now we can share how grandma went to the doctor and he took that 'thing' from her just like that! It won't be a secret, though. We will all know that that thing was a mental illness and the doctor gave her medicine. She will talk to her family about how good she feels and we will learn from her experience. It's alright with me if folks don't respond because that is what black people do and how we do it, but we will talk about it in our circles. It is our responsibility to make sure we are talking about mental illnesses and treatment for the mental illness. Then our future generation will know how we 'just got through it.' Smile. Now the movie, "A Beautiful Mind" actually came out in my early days and I went to see it all by myself. It was sooooo inspiring to me because inside my head, the thoughts were there that I was capable of living a quality of life. I knew the education I had still existed. It was difficult for me to balance my moods and motor skills at that time still. That movie inspoired me to do what it takes to express myself the way I wanted too and not succomb to stigmas and diagnoses. People did not understand me and because of the diagnosis, I was dissed as just being crazy. I had to prove myself to even my family and closest friends. I decided to enroll in school and pursue my Masters Degree after I saw that movie. I don't know if that movie was a "hit" or not, but my point is this, we are each capable of reaching just one person to make a positive difference in his or her life. Thus, the saying, "Each one, teach one." Maybe that day I went into the movies all by myself (which was a major thing for me at that time because I was 'afraid' of people and I always traveled with my husband or children because I was scared of what I might do and be locked up or institutionalized again), I was the "one" person to change my life. Need I say more.... Agnes B. Levine Author of: "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An African-American Bipolar Woman" ISBN 0975461206 Winter 2008 Release Pending www.myspace.com/coolingwellwater (Subscribe Now) Founder/President: Levine-Oliver Publisher, the Exclusive publishing home of Swaggie Coleman. Visit Swaggie's Voice© at: http://swaggiecoleman.blogspot.com and win prizes! Friday, October 24th 2008 at 7:13PM

agnes levine Part-Time Teacher at Baltimore County Public Schools Thanks again Will for the great post and thank you Jen for responding. You are courageous and supportive in so many ways on so many topics. Friday, October 24th 2008 at 7:15PM

Marta Fernandez CUNY -Queens College class of 1985 Even in politics..Farrakhan said it 15 years ago , to be Black in America is to be psychotic..that's one view..the real is that "mental conditions" are multi-dimensional. Sometimes Agnes, one man's illness is another man's genius. Friday, October 24th 2008 at 7:56PM

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