Quote:
Originally posted by ClassyLady
Throughout this memoir, Harris writes of his recurrent bouts of depression. Harris writes "I began to wonder if depression ran in my family. Did my mother and grandmother do what many other blacks with depression do - simply ignore it?" (Page 5, Hardback version). Why has depression, and mental health as a whole, been so overwhelmingly ignored by our community? Could the high incidences of alcoholism and substance abuse within our community be a result of ignored depression? Why are non-spiritual forms of therapy so taboo?
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I think it has been ignored because some folks just accept it as a way of life. I mean as a Black community, we have been oppressed for so long and in such a widespread way that it has been the norm for us to have sorrows or the blues. I also think it has been ignored because depression and related forms of mental illness have so many differing symptoms. Plus we have been conditioned to shake it off.
Our incidences of alcoholism and substance abuse are definitely linked to ignored depression for SOME.
The non spiritual forms of therapy are still very taboo in our community because we have been conditioned to pray, talk to our ministers or spiritual leaders. Plus for some, it is considered taboo because telling folks outside of our family our business was a big no no. Also, for a long time most therapists were white and for a Black person to tell a white person their business was also
I was proud to see E. Lynn seek out therapy at the various points in his life.
I too see Basil as a composite of his past lovers, especially ol boy that took him through so much stuff and ended up staying with his abusive lover(name escapes me, book is @ home).