Minority Mental Health Awareness in Ireland

This is to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face regarding mental illness. ‘Minority’ can be associated with racial, ethnic, or cultural minorities, expanding now also to a wide range of marginalized and underserved communities, including refugee and immigrant groups, religious groups, etc.

People of the culture can have a different perspective and interpretation of the term ‘mental health’. Speaking with my experience, perspective, and knowledge as an Afro-Irish: In the African community, family, community and spiritual beliefs tend to be great sources of strength and support. However, this is not always the case as Africans ( and in this case, Nigerians) generally rely especially on faith, family and social communities for emotional support rather than turning to health care professionals, even though medical or therapeutic treatment may be necessary.

Being a Christian, faith, and spirituality definitely helped me and others in the recovery process but should not be the only option to pursue. It is well-known that other ethnic communities may not share Western conceptualization or use Western language about mental health. In Black communities, mental illness and psychological distress are seen as weaknesses, historically and culturally.

Growing up, I have always struggled with mental health due to various and ongoing issues in my life. But I really didn’t allow it to sit with me until between the ages of 12-14. Even then it was still hard. Because growing up with two perspectives of cultures have always tugged my back and forth, back and forth. I had, being born and raised in Ireland, going through the education system, where we would have a “national week” dedicated to mental health in secondary school, guidance counselors, retreats, speakers coming in to talk on the importance of mental health. Naturally and psychologically, as humans, it’s easy to relate to someone; someone that looked like you and came from the same background or upbringing as you did. I understood the message but going back home to a different community, who aren’t really as to understanding or who weren’t bothered to be educated and advocate in this area, had always set me back.

At this stage, I was tired of looking elsewhere. It had to begin with me. I want to begin or continue to encourage black individuals and other ethnical individuals to take care of their mental health. To discuss it in a way that eliminates the stigma attached to seeking help, but explain that it is a sign of strength to recognize that you need help, accept it, and seek it out.

I want to fight against any biases and negative stereotypes of Black individuals and those from other cultural and ethnic backgrounds and commit to confirming their value in the world and in our health care systems. There are too many myths/misconceptions about mental health in minority communities

I want to be a part in engaging in moving toward change and equal opportunity by informing, educating, and accepting, with my experiences, that we do not know all that we need to about each other’s culture, but that we care enough to ask questions with cultural humility.

We need to continue to do much more and also diversely so that the message reaches all types of communities that we have in an ever-more cultural Ireland. In the words of Martin Luther King, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”.

Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their background. However, background and identity can make access to mental health treatment much more difficult. I want to be strong in the equality change that I wish to continue seeing.

I want to highlight the message across that mental health struggles do not discriminate on any grounds.