Behind the Silence
Shining a Light on Men’s Mental Health in the BAMEMSA Community
The Mental Health “Tsunami”
According to the American Psychological Association, experiencing discrimination and institutional racism is associated with higher reported stress and poorer reported health - what the APA referred to as the “mental health Tsunami”.
Research by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) shows that individuals who experience racism may be at an increased risk of certain mental and physical health conditions, including:
Insomnia.
Anxiety.
Mood swings.
Ulcers.
Social and emotional withdrawal.
The Status Quo
In the BAMEMSA community, men are often taught:
Emotions = weakness
Struggle = failure & incapability
Silence = strength
Seeking Help = shame
This can lead to layers of pressure & expectations:
Be the provider.
Uphold faith & culture
Protect the family.
Don’t speak of pain.
The Stats
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for Black men aged 15–24.
Only 30% of Black adults with mental illness receive care.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
46% of Black and 55% of Asian adults struggle to find culturally competent mental health providers.
Nearly 1 in 12 American Muslim men have attempted suicide - with Islamophobia contributing heavily to their mental health struggles.
The Stories
"We grow up being told to 'man up,' but nobody explains what that means or where we’re supposed to put the pain."
-Trevor Noah
“As a man, you get a lot of slack for it [therapy] … I don’t subscribe to that. Everyone needs to unpack and talk ...Your mind is so powerful. It’ll push your body past a threshold it would’ve given up on the way before.”
-Michael B. Jordan
"We are taught to work through it, to bury it. But the truth is - talking saved me."
-Kumail Nanjiani
"There’s pressure to be the strong one… but you also need space to be real with yourself."
-Riz Ahmed
Take Action
This Men’s Health Month, let’s:
Talk about mental health at home.
Normalize therapy in our mosques, temples, and community centers.
Check in on brothers, fathers, sons, and friends.
Silence should never be the only option.
Join a virtual support group, like Khalil Center’s 10-week virtual support group for men.
Find more Mental Health Resources: cphb.org/mental-health-resources
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