A major cause of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety in individuals is

stress. Defined stress is an internal response caused by the application of a stressor or anything

that requires coping behavior. For example the pressure of a job, supporting a family or getting

an education are stressors that can result in depression and anxiety. Individuals and groups that

have numerous resources or other coping mechanisms are better suited for coping with stress

than are those who lack such resources. As a result, social and economic circumstances in North

America suggest that the black and Latino communities have a higher risk for developing mental

disorders than does the non-black make up of the United States. Hence this paper will attempt to

demonstrate how due to socio-economic differences such as money, racism and increased

exposure to violence, blacks have a greater chance to develop mental disorders such as

depression and anxiety.

Some definitions: Stress, Depression & Anxiety

Stress is everywhere in our lives and it can be found in two forms. The life of Afro-Americans

is filled with both eustress and distress, but it is the high rate of distress due to socio-economic

circumstances that are responsible for higher rates of depression and anxiety amongst them.

Depression is an emotional state characterized by extreme sadness, gloomy ruminations, and

feelings of worthlessness, loss of hope, and often apprehension, while anxiety is a generalized

feeling of fear and apprehension. The number of reported cases combining both depression and

anxiety with Afro-Americans has dramatically increased since the civil rights movement, when

scientists began recording such causal relationships. In addition, statistics show that the rate of

violence demonstrates a positive relationship of mental health disorders within the black

community. Studies by Bell, Dixie-Bell and Thompson show that Afro-Americans have a 36%

higher chance of developing depression than do non-blacks (Bell, Dixie-Bell, & Thompson,

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p.53). It is felt that a portion of these results can be attributed to the high incidence of violence

and exposure within the black community.

Economic Distress

Poverty and unemployment are rampant in Afro-American communities in the United States.

Approximately 65% of the black community in the U.S. live in poverty or are unemployed (Bell

et al., p.53). In comparison to other ethnic groups, this is the highest rate with the exception of

the Latino community at 68.7%. The closest group above the blacks are the Chinese at 35%. Not

only are most blacks poor and unemployed but, the future does not look promising in terms of

job opportunities for Afro-Americans. This rampant spread of poverty within the black

community causes great distress within the family unit. Parents are unable to provide for their

children basic necessities for living, such as food or proper shelter. In effect this distress causes

individuals to demonstrate extreme sadness, feelings of worthiness and loss of hope. Their great

anxiety is because there is, "no apparent way out of the situation."(Friedman, p.77)

Socio-Cultural Distress

Despite the feeling that some substantial progress in terms of race relations has been made

since the civil rights movement of the 1960's, "Afro-Americans still feel that they are at the

bottom of the race poll." (Fenton, p.13) Much racism and prejudice still exists in America today

and with occurrence of certain events, racial tensions are definitely increasing. For example both

the Rodney King and O.J. Simpson trials, ignited intense debate amongst the population about

racial issues. Despite the conviction of Rodney Kings attackers and the acquittal of O.J.

Simpson, blacks feel as though justice was not served. "White America is still appalled at the

destruction the King verdict caused."(Harton, p.89) The reaction to the results of these two cases

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was caused by distress within the black community. In addition, it is this distress that will cause

blacks to suffer from high rates of anxiety.

Studies show that Afro-Americans demonstrate higher levels of fear and apprehension. When

asked what their anxiety was caused by, Afro-American teens said that their fear comes from fear

of dying before their 21 birthday and fear of losing a loved one to drugs or gang violence. When

presented with the same question, white teens responded their greatest fears were not getting into

grad school and not being considered popular at school. Thus it is evident, that the concerns of

black teens are more about, "actual survival than they are about their image or position in life".

(Friedman, p.63) However, it is important to realize that this does not mean that white teens can't

develop high levels of anxiety, just that the fear for ones life may be considered more alarming

than ones public image.

Violence Exposure

Studies by Bell and Jenkins (1991) found that, Afro-American teens living in the inner-city

have high levels of exposure to violence and this exposure causes them to demonstrate high

levels of stress and anxiety. The results found that by the age of 16, black teens had themselves

been or knew somebody that had been shot, shot at, killed, beaten, robbed with a weapon,

stabbed or raped.(Friedman, p.87) Of 13 girls who had been interviewed for this study, 11 had

been raped. 83% of the teen had witnessed severe violence in the community. Conversely, the

same study done in a suburban area found that only 21% of teen had actually witnessed extreme

violence or known somebody to have been a victim. However, it is important to note that in the

suburban case, of the students that had or new someone involved, "16% were Afro- American".

(Friedman, p.89) Evidently, blacks living in the States have a much higher exposure to violence

than do non-blacks. This in turn leads to higher levels of anxiety blacks than in whites.

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Additional Factors...

In addition to examining the relationship between socio-economic circumstances and violence

exposure, researchers wanted to see if there were any other factors that contributed to higher

rates of depression and anxiety in blacks. An examination found that higher levels of distress

were correlated with alcohol and illicit drug use. Also, results showed a positive relationship for

poor academic performance in school with exposure to violence and low socio- economic status

(under poverty line). Again black youths demonstrated higher levels than in white youths for

incarceration and pregnancy which were also listed as major stressors for black youths.

bbbFurthermore, black teens reported they did not feel safe at home, in their neighborhood or at

school. Therefore it is clear that blacks demonstrate a higher risk for developing a mental health

disorder such as depression and or anxiety than do white youths.

What should we do?

There is a great deal of information and research on the topic of depression and anxiety in

psychology. Much work has also been devoted to the causes and treatments of these two

behaviors. Unfortunately, however not much work has been devoted to mental health from the

Afro-American perspective. In order to reduce and control the rate of depression and anxiety

within the Afro- American community much more research must be done in this field.

Particularly this research must include Canadian samples because the effect that violence

exposure and socio-economic stressors have on black Canadian is bound to differ than that of

Afro-Americans slightly. In addition, research shows that blacks require different treatments than

whites and that black patients react differently to the same drugs given to white patients.

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Conclusion

The experience of the Afro-American patient is different than that of the white patient. Not

only does the black patient have to deal with stereotypes as a patient but the causes of his

disorders also differ than that of a white patient. Because of this, it is important that the health

profession beware that Afro- American patients require a different kind of treatment than white

patients. Furthermore, in depth research into this epidemic may provide blacks with new coping

strategies thus reducing the amount of stressors in their live. Eventually this type of thinking and

behavior will lead to a healthier lifestyle that includes more eustress than distress.

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underserved, 1, 175-185.

Brown, D.R., Gary, L.E., Greene, A., & Milburn, N.G. (1992). Patterns of social affiliation as

predictors of depressive symptoms among urban blacks. Journal of Health and Social

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Craig, Kenneth and Dobson Keith (Ed.). Anxiety and Depression in Adults and Children.

California: Sage Publications, 1995.

Kleinman, Arthur and Becker, Joseph (Ed.). Psychosocial Aspects of Depression. New Jersey:

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