Mental Health Stigma in the Black Community Professor Ramos Blog

Mental Health Stigma in the Black Community 13.2 % of the U.S. population, that’s about 45.7 million people, identify themselves as Black or African American, according to 2014 U.S. Census Bureau numbers. Socioeconomic status is linked to mental health: People who are impoverished, homeless, incarcerated or have substance abuse problems are at higher risk for poor mental health. Despite progress made over the years, racism continues to have an impact on the mental health of African Americans. According to the US HHS Office of Minority Health [3]: African Americans are 20 percent more likely to report serious psychological distress than adult whites. African Americans living below poverty are three times more likely to report serious psychological distress than those living above poverty. African Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than are adult whites. African Americans are less likely than white people to die from suicide as teenagers, Black/African Americans teenager s are more likely to attempt suicide than are white teenagers (8.3 percent v. 6.2 percent). African Americans of all ages are more likely to be victims of serious violent crime than are non-Hispanic whites, making them more likely to meet the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. We have all of these facts yet mental health is such a stigma in the community. According to a study conducted by Ward, Wiltshire, Detry, and Brown in 2013 [5]: African Americans hold beliefs related to stigma, psychological openness, and help-seeking, which in turn affects their coping behaviors. They state that the participants in the study were not very open to acknowledging their psychological problems but were open to seeking help. Black men in particular are concerned about stigma. They are to taught to be strong, prideful, not to cry, deal with our own problems and acknowledging that you have a psychological problem would contradict that. Stigma and judgment prevents Black/African Americans from seeking treatment for their mental illnesses. Instead of seeking professional help for conditions such as depression and anxiety, many in the community resort to self-medication (drugs, opioids, alcohol, etc.) or isolation in an attempt to solve their problems on their own. Many Africa n Americans also have trouble recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions, leading to underestimating the effects and impact of mental health conditions. African Americans believe that mild depression or anxiety would be considered â€Å"crazy†. I have heard this all of my life. â€Å"You want to see a therapist? Why? You crazy! That’s for white people.† Since when did seeking help to resolve mental health become a â€Å"white thing†? Furthermore, many believe that discussions about mental illness would not be appropriate even among family. Without mental health, we cannot be healthy. Without proper treatment your mental health conditions can get worse and make life harder for you to function on a day to day. Mental health is psychological, meaning it can affect your brain, which is muscle. Just like every other muscle, if not properly maintained, it can fail you. Anyone can develop a mental health problem. It isn’t your fault or your family’s fault. Seeking treatment can help you live a fulfilled life and can strengthen you and your family for the future. I have learned through experience how useful and helpful seeking psychiatric help has been. . Research has found that many African Americans rely 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. This is another thing that I have heard all of my life. Growing up in a Christian home, I would always hear â€Å"pray about it† â€Å"God will get you through it†. Although at the time I believed that, I now see that without work, faith holds no weight. That’s like wishing to become a millionaire and expecting the money to fall into your lap. Without working towards that goal, it will never be reached. Same goes for mental health, without seeking professional help, you probably wont resolve that issue effectively. Yet only 33.6% of African Americans with depression seek professional help. Positive mental health allows people to realize their full potentials, cope with the stresses of life, work productively, and make meaningful contributions to their communities. Having solid mental health doesn’t mean that you never go through bad times or experience emotional problems. We all go through disappointments, loss, and change. And while these are normal parts of life, they can still cause sadness, anxiety, and stress. But just as physically healthy people are better able to bounce back from illness or injury, people with strong mental health are better able to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. This ability is called resilience. People who are emotionally and mentally resilient have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook. They remain focused, flexible, and productive, in bad times as well as good. Their resilience also makes them less afraid of new experiences or an uncertain future. Even when they don’ t immediately know how a problem will get resolved, they are hopeful that a solution will eventually be found. Mental health awareness is being advocated more all over the world and I am truly excited about it. Most schools now have mental health supports available to students. Mental health challenges can start young, so awareness and services should as well. Whether you’re looking to cope with a specific mental health problem, handle your emotions better, or simply to feel more positive and energetic, there are plenty of ways to take control of your mental health. If we are unable to remove the negative stigma surrounding mental health in the black community, we are willingly allowing another generation to grow up without access to counseling and mental health improvement resources that can help them live a happy, healthy life.

Take off

Take off Take off Take off By Maeve Maddox A reader asks about the phrase â€Å"take off†: I read a line that said take off Saturday, which I had always understood to be â€Å"to take Saturday off.† What do you think? â€Å"To take off† is a phrasal verb used with more than one meaning. When the sense is â€Å"to stay away from work,† the particle off may appear next to take or following the day mentioned as being taken off. For example: I felt wiped out, and I was dreading Sunday each week, so I decided to  take Saturday off  to have a very simple day to read and explore my purpose in life.   The new law entitles  workers  at factories, eateries, hotels, movie theaters and private hospitals to  take off Saturday  or Sunday.   â€Å"Take Saturday off† may be more common, but â€Å"take off Saturday† is not incorrect. Here are some other examples of take off used as a verb: Do you take your shoes off while on a plane? (remove) The video shows a UFO that appears behind a commercial airliner taking off from the airport. (leaving the ground to fly) Have you ever  watched  someones  career take off  and wondered Why isnt that me? (become successful)   Its not  like  her to just  take off like  that.  (leave suddenly without telling anyone) You’ve booked your trip, researched the must-see attractions, recharged your electronics, packed your bags - and now you’re ready to lock the door and take off on your big vacation. (leave, get started) Here are examples of the noun take-off: When you fly, at  take-off, there is a strange  feeling  in your body, not explicable, but strange.  (the moment an airplane lifts off the ground) There seems to be a lot of things going on during the crucial moment of take off, and to a good extent, setting up for a take off. (the moment a surfboard connects with a wave) Tomlin sings â€Å"I Got You Babe† with Scred the Muppet and does a take-off on scat singing with some of the cast members, dressed as Bees. (a parody of) Because the verb take off has so many meanings, its use can lead to ambiguity, especially in contexts intended for non-native speakers of English. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business EmailsDoes "Mr" Take a Period?6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know

Human resource Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human resource - Case Study Example It is pretty obvious from the case itself that the company is facing problems in retaining the customer service representatives. According to the representatives some of the causes for high rate of attrition have been working on weekends, very little contact with the other departments, hesitance for cold calling, lack of remuneration for success, etc. Therefore in order to solve the problem of employee retention these problems need to be take care. Here are a few recommendations that may provide a way out. One of the major causes of retention has been working on weekends. Customers can need help or support at any point of time in the day, hence the customer care representatives need to be there for help even on weekends. However, the each of the customer care reps the may not have to work on each of the weekends. For example a customer service rep may work on two weekends in the month and may get rest on the other two. The reps should be given some extra remuneration for working on the weekends. Another root cause for attrition has been the lack of fact between the reps. and other members. Hence from time to time job rotation policy can be used. This can reduce the boredom as well as give the reps an opportunity to understand the way the other departments function. It can come in real handy while handling the customer queries. Another problem has been lack of recognition for the reps. hence there could be a token of appreciation for the best customer service rep. of the month. Also th ey reps should be provided some extra incentives for each sale they make. This can also minimize the problem of hesitance in cold calling. But that is not all it has been mentioned by the reps that most of time problems faced is something beyond the control, such as billing issues or late delivery. Hence the organization should make sure that the end product is being delivered to the customers in time,

Application of the Scientific Method Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Application of the Scientific Method - Assignment Example Which is the best detergent to use when cleaning dirty clothes? Many detergents exist all for the purpose of cleaning. Some have the best advertisements and are thus popular; others have the chemicals that clean clothes without much effort, while others have negative effects on the user’s skin when frequently used. Some detergents are also used not only because of the effectiveness in cleaning but because they have fair prices and are cheaply available to many. Liquid detergent cleans clothes faster and more thorough than powder detergent. To prove this hypothesis, both types of detergents have to be used on the same type of cloth containing an equal amount of dirt or stains and under the same environmental conditions in terms of temperature of water used and also the type of the water itself, whether soft or hard. Such conditions ensure that the detergents are tested on fairgrounds and that the results obtained can be reliable when it comes to making conclusions on the best detergent. Testing this hypothesis is important in making comprehensive conclusions. To test the hypothesis, a piece of clothing of a reasonable size, say one square meter, could be dirtied with mud, oil, food spills and colored fluids. These should be evenly distributed on the piece of clothing to ensure that every part gets an equal share of dirt. The clothing could then be cut into two pieces, each of equal size. Water from the same source should be put in two different buckets. The powder detergent could be dissolved in one bucket and the liquid detergent in the other. The two dirty pieces of cloth should be soaked into the two buckets for the same amount of time. The amount of dirt removed from the pieces of cloth by soaking should be compared. The pieces of cloth could then be hand washed in the detergent and the amount of time and effort taken to clean each noted.

Illegal Immigration Speech Essay Example for Free

Illegal Immigration Speech Essay Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. These words are engraved on the Statue of Liberty that was assembled in 1886. The statue was meant to be a beacon of hope for all immigrants that enter the U.S. Do we still agree with what those words say? I’m not against all of the immigrants who want to start a better life here by becoming legal citizens. I’m against the millions of illegal immigrants that come to the U. S. and cause trouble and make things harder for the legal immigrants that are already here. Illegal immigrants have long been a problem in the United States, and there have always been so many controversies about illegal immigration Today, I would like to inform you about the serious problems illegal immigration could cause. First, by giving you all the facts, and by explaining how illegal immigration, if continued, will affect our lives. Transition: I’ll start by telling you about some illegal immigration facts and its history. Body 1 Americans have always been realistic about illegal immigration, but if it continues at the rate it is, we will be in trouble. a The biggest issue is the fact that the U.S. is in the middle of another great wave of illegal immigration. b In 2000, the US Census Bureau puts the estimate of illegal immigrants at 8.7million. Since then, United States immigration officials have said the number has grown by as much as 500,000 a year. c If immigration continues at current levels, the nations population will increase from 301 million today to 468 million in 2060 a 167 million, or 56% increase. 2 Did you know that the country is spending massive amount of money on illegal immigrants each year? a According to illegalimmigrationstatistics.org Illegal immigrants costs the U.S. $130 billion each year b And each year we’re paying $1117 each year to support the illegal immigrants. 3 Illegal immigrants are a great danger to America. According to the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, more than 50% of illegal immigrants that come to America break laws, steal, rape, murder, form and join gangs, sell drugs and engage in the trade of illegal weapons. a Statistics show that illegal immigrants cost the federal prison and court system over 1 billion dollars each year. b 95% of outstanding warrants for homicide in Los Angeles are for illegal immigrants Transition : Transition: If proper steps are taken to reduce illegal immigration, we will see a great  improvement in our society. 4 Most Americans know our basic laws regarding illegal immigration. It is illegal to enter the United States without permission. The first time an illegal immigrant is caught in the US it is a misdemeanor civil offense. This is because we want to be able to quickly return illegal aliens back to where they come from, when they are caught at the border without the rigors of a jury trial. a After the first offense, being caught a second time is a felony! b It is also against the law to overstay a visa issued by the US Government and illegal for an employer to knowingly hire illegal immigrants. Transition. With the government working together to reduce illegal immigration, we are bound to see improvement in our county. Conclusion If illegal immigration can be stopped, many people all over the country will receive benefits. a The U.S. will save money if we don’t have to spend it on care for illegal immigrants, and then the U.S can use that money for better causes, like more money for education. b The U.S. will become a safer place for us to live in, without the increased crime rates illegal immigrants caused. Transition: Now that you have a better understanding of the harms that illegal immigration causes, here are a few things you can do. 1. Read the paper and watch the news. New developments are occurring everyday in our society; know what is going on in the world around you. 2. Spread it out, talk to people about this, have discussions with them. 3. Register to vote. What’s the first thing you do when you turn 16? You go out and get your driver’s license. When you turn 18, make registering to vote your first priority. 4. I’ve explained to you the facts of immigration and how, if continued, will affect your life as an individual. So now that you are informed. Have a say in your future and stand up for what you believe in. It all has to do with how you want to live your life.

Tension and Suspense the Novel and the Opening Scene of the Film Jaws E

Tension and Suspense the Novel and the Opening Scene of the Film Jaws Peter Benchley wrote "Jaws" the novel before it was made into a film directed by Steven Spielberg. "Jaws" is a thriller with the main aim being to build up suspense and tension. In the novel Peter Benchley uses many variations of language techniques to emphasise important points that build up suspense. He also uses sentence and paragraph structure to affect the reader in many different ways. Steven Spielberg on the other hand uses different camera angles and shots alongside lighting effects to create atmosphere and tension. In the background he uses music and sound effects to add to the dramatic visual images he creates. Finally Steven Spielberg uses specific dialogue to show the victims feelings and emotions. At the beginning of the film the soft, relaxing underwater noises of communicating sharks instantly sets the scene and creates the feeling of being deep underwater. The familiar beach sounds have a calming effect, which immediately lulls the audience into a false sense of security. The black screen that appears at the start of the film doesn't provide the audience with anything interesting to look at so the focus is strongly on the soundtrack. When the opening credits appear, the contrast between the bold, white credits and the plain black screen really stands out. The white credits could symbolize the innocence and vulnerability of the victims against the black, evilness of the shark. As the credits start to roll the first note of the chilling "Jaws" music is struck. The peaceful aquatic sounds are abruptly interrupted by the slow, deliberate minor strokes ... ... him and Chrissie really creates atmosphere. Every time the camera switches to the boy the audience is reminded of how frantic the atmosphere around Chrissie is. The contrast of these two opposite atmospheres makes the attack seem far worse in the film than in the novel. I think that the film involves the audience more than the novel because the use of camera shots can bring the audience close to the action. The shark's eye view is a very good shot and ultimately brings the audience into the middle of all the panic and confusion. It also build suspense as the audience can see exactly what the shark can see and when the shark is advancing towards Chrissie's legs they know exactly what the shark is aiming for. When the attack is going on the close-ups at water level make the audience feel like they're in the water.

Education Theatre Essay

â€Å"CAN you still remember your Grade I teacher? † This was once the by-line of an advertisement of one financial institution. This is also the base concept of the play â€Å"Ang Guro† staged by Stairs Production and Imagination Beyond Events Philippines at West Negros University Gym last Saturday, January 21. The musical play was written by occupational therapist Paul Ballano. This is his form of loving tribute to his Grade I school teacher, Mrs. Cecilia Resontoc, who was instrumental in making him pursue, work and reach his goals, despite all odds. As Paul fondly recalled after the curtain call, Mrs. Resontoc made him believe in what he can do, what he can achieve, and what he can become. The soft–spoken yet talented singer Karel Marquez performed the lead role perfectly. Comely, gentle yet versatile, Karel took in the part of Ms. Amelia Resontoc, a young high school teacher who has the knack of understanding and motivating her students. With her strong convictions, she encouraged her students to keep on going by singing â€Å"The Climb†, as she accepted each of their individual differences in â€Å"True Colors. † Izzy Trazona, one of the Sex Bomb Dancers, showed off her acting and dancing prowess as one of the talented yet late bloomer students of Ms. Resontoc. Sheila Asuncion, who plays the mother of Karel, not only played her role well but also belted out one powerful, heart–rending rendition of â€Å"The Prayer† together with the lead singer. Together with Charina Ramirez, Kath Jarabelo, Zac Celadania, Yab Aragones, Jake Duquiatan, Vida Masakayan, Jess Ibasco, Juddie Fe Suarez, Ahmee Galguerra, Owen Siy, Sweet Reyes, Jen Galope, Kiana Rodriguez, Armand Go, and playwright Paul, they composed the powerhouse of a cast which made the play a natural success. Moreover, the play’s universal theme on the crucial role that teachers play in the molding of the country’s young minds and the nobility of the teaching profession are great ideas which need to be brought to light. No wonder why the Department of Education and the West Negros University supported the staging of the musicale. The stage set and backdrop were to the minimum. Same with the costumes. But the plot thickens with almost real-life dialogues and scenes which every teacher and student or school administrator in the audience could easily identify with. The different personalities of teacher and students, and the varied circumstances which caught each web of each other lives provided the audience with hearty laughs, and flowing tears. The end of the play may have been tragic, but all good works do not go in vain. Especially that of the noble teacher Ms. Amelia Resontoc. Directed by Sweet Grace Ballano, â€Å"Ang Guro† may still have to undergo some minor refinements in stage blocking, but it has carved a better niche for itself in the world of stage plays. The cameo roles which some WNU dancers and students did in the play are also worth mentioning. But because the play is conceptualized and brought to different schools all over the country with no thought of a bigger profit, except to fulfill the writer’s dream and to bring forth the messages of acceptance, honor, love and understanding. It’s just quite sad to note that not everybody in the teaching profession or those who are enrolled in education courses have watched the play. But still, like a good book, or a worthy movie, the musicale â€Å"Ang Guro† has touched hearts and minds. And if all the student-members in the audience took leave of their seats to go thank their teachers in the audience and give each a warm hug, such is indicative that the musicale has brought its message across its audience’s hearts. Thus, warm kudos to the members of production and the cast of â€Å"Ang Guro† and to the wonderful people and sponsors in Bacolod who brought the musicale here. Well, what or who then is the â€Å"guro†? Probably they could be as specific as Socrates, Anne Sullivan, Marva Collins, Mary McCloud Bethune, Bel Kaufman or, from the namesake of the lead player in the musicale, Mrs. Cecilia Resontoc – all of them having one thing in common: they were all teachers in their own time. Or in generics, a â€Å"guro† can just be a â€Å"he† or a â€Å"she† – nameless or faceless yet gentle and wonderful beings who have long been forgotten but whose valuable lessons and strength in character will always be remembered by their students. So, at this point, can you now recall your Grade 1 teacher? Or even your other teachers? I hope you can. I would like to end with a part of a speech of John Schlatter of Cypress, California which I adapted. â€Å"Throughout the course of the day I have been called upon to be an actor, friend, nurse and doctor, coach, finder of the lost article, money lender, psychologist, substitute parent, and a keeper of faith†¦ I am allowed to see that life is reborn each day with new questions, burst of ideas and young friendships†¦ I know that if I build with love and trust, what I build will last forever†¦ I am a warrior, daily doing battle against peer pressure, negativity, fear, conformity, prejudice, ignorance, and apathy. But I have great allies: curiosity, intelligence, creativity, faith, love and laughter which all rush to my banner with indomitable support†¦ I AM A TEACHER. † Dear teachers, our hats off you. GOD BLESS.