In the “shop” you discuss politics, religion, sports, education among other issues. It is a fast-paced environment where Black men of different backgrounds come together for a brief period of time to listen to a barber standing center stage who serves as part therapist (they listen to all your problems), Jedi master (they can tell when something is wrong) and prophet (they always know when your team will lose).
Unfortunately, only on rare occasion do barbershops discuss mental illness, an issue that continues to quietly impact the lives of Black men from various backgrounds.
Within the Black community mental illness is like the elephant in the room. We talk around the issue but don’t take time to discuss how it impacts families and communities. For example, instead of acknowledging when a family member is struggling with a mental illness, we offer comments that they are “different” or “always behaved that way.”
Black men seldom discuss mental illness and mistrust the healthcare system. Personally, I had the opportunity to offer a friend support but failed to follow up.
A few years ago I tried to reconnect with a friend from college, after a few attempts I spoke to a family friend who indicated that my classmate was struggling with a mental illness. I finally spoke to him after several years but I didn’t feel comfortable asking him if he was seeing a therapist or taking medication. He never brought up the issue and I still feel guilty not finding out what, if anything, I could do to help.
My apprehension is part of a bigger problem among Black men; far too many brothers are struggling in silence. According to Dr. F. Abron Franklin, Epidemiologist and Director of Treatment and Prevention Services, Volunteers of America, Oregon, “African American men are socialized by a definitional architecture of manhood that promotes the integrity of a man or manhood is premised on a man’s level of resources to address his own issues and not to ask the help of others. Therefore, out a fear of appearing weak or infirm, African American men are less motivated to utilize mental health services.”