Unlearn harmful views about mental health [Video]

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a time to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It impacts how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

While all ethnicities and cultures face mental health challenges, African American communities often deal with more stigma and discrimination, and can receive compromised care. Black people develop mental health conditions at a rate equal to anyone else. But the repercussions of slavery and discrimination continues to influence our social and economic standing. The CDC has declared racism a serious threat to public …