Page 24 - THE EGO Ivy Informer Volume 3 Issue 4

THE EGO Ivy Informer

EGO ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mental Health Corner. In observance of Mental Health Awareness
initiatives, The EGO Ivy Informer will feature a “Mental Health Moment
with Dr. T.” in every issue. The topic for this issue: Awareness is Not
Enough.

Sorors, ask yourself is Mental Health Awareness enough? National Initiatives on
Mental Health such as Mental Health Awareness Week (October 1-October 6);
Mental Health Awareness Month (May) and Minority Mental Health Awareness
Month (July) operate with a specific goal of raising awareness about mental health
but given that African Americans are 20% more likely to suffer from serious mental
illness than other ethnicities according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). I submit that awareness of mental health is not enough when it
comes to minority mental health.

We perform a number of functions in conjunction with our roles as -wife, mother, friend, employee, supervisor,
and colleague on a daily basis. We commit to task lists and engagements, and tell ourselves we must seek
balance, but so often our perceptions about mental health impact our ability to seek services. However, talking
to a mental health professional doesn’t mean that something is “wrong” with us. Let us move beyond awareness
about mental health and confront our perceptions related to mental health. Have you ever been aware of a
strange noise with an appliance in your house; taken your car in for a maintenance check at a certain mileage
benchmark; or had a pesky pain in your body? If you answered yes, you moved beyond awareness by creating
the time to see a specialist and developing a plan of action. In the African-American community, statistics
indicate we tend to more readily address our physical ailments and maintenance of our possessions rather than
our mental health needs.

Pearl Mental Health Tip: Seek Mental Health services from culturally competent Licensed Professionals
such as those below:

Psychologist – Trained practitioner who provides counseling and assessment services.
Psychiatrist – Trained practitioner who has completed medical school and prescribes medication.
Counselors – Trained practitioner who works with individuals/ families/groups in treating mental, behavioral,
and emotional problems and disorders.
Clinical Social Worker – Trained practitioner who assists with family problems/ mental health conditions.

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC.
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