Millennial Psychotherapist Margena Carter Talks About How Mental Health Should Be Treated and Managed

IS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ACTING UP?!

October is a month that shines a light on mental health for Mental Health Awareness Week (October 7-13, 2018) and World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2018).

Celebrities like Kanye West (bipolar disorder), Mariah Carey (bipolar disorder), Ariana Grande (anxiety), Kid Cudi (anxiety and depression), Michelle Williams (depression) and Demi Lovato (addiction, bipolar disorder) are among the list of big names in the entertainment industry who have come out of the shadows, and shared their struggles with some sort of mental illness.

The good news is, like any illness, it can be treated and managed with medication.

Today, people are becoming more open about the state of their mental health. Slowly, but surely, the stigma is disappearing. Instead, it’s become a necessary discussion that’s popping up in pop culture.

For Mental Health Awareness Week, we talked with psychotherapist Margena Carter who specializes in matters of the mind (mental health) and the heart (marriage and relationships).

She offers her thoughts on mental health and encourages those who are struggling to come out of the shadows and get some help.

Carter is a licensed psychotherapist and founder of Carter Care Therapeutic Services, based in Los Angeles.

To Carter, a healthy mind equals a healthy body.

Millennial Psychotherapist Margena Carter Talks About the Stigma of Mental Illness

Black Girls Allowed: You have this cute saying of “Is your mental health acting up?!” Exactly what is a mental illness?

Margena Carter: A mental illness is a chemical imbalance in the brain. Just like the body, the mind can get sick too. The chemical imbalances of the brain can be treated with the right medications and therapy, just like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

BGA: In general, how common is mental illness?

MC: In general, mental health issues among adults are very common. One in five adults in America experience a mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). And 1 in 25 adults (about 10 million people) live with a serious mental illness.

BGA: Why is there a stigma attached to mental illness, especially in the Black community?

MC: Mental illness is not a THEM thing. It’s an US thing. We can’t pray it away. African Americans struggle with mental health issues just like the rest of the population; but tend to ignore the signs and suffer in silence because of the stigma and toxic shame associated with the disease. In the African American community, somehow having a mental health condition shatters the illusion of being “a strong, Black person.” It makes it hard for people of color to feel safe in seeking help.

Because mental illness is a disease of the mind, people are labeled as crazy. Who wants to be called crazy? No one. In the Black community people with mental health struggles are considered weak, ostracized, labeled and ignored. Furthermore, a mental illness goes against everything we, as African Americans, believe in as a culture because a mental illness is only meant for the weak.

BGA: Colloquially, we use the term “crazy” or “psycho” when talking about someone we feel may be a bit “off,” but I understand the term, especially crazy, is frowned upon in your profession. Why?

MC: Yes, in my profession, we avoid terms like “crazy” and “psycho” because it’s derogatory! It’s making light of, poking fun at, and dismissing the pain and shame associated with mental illness. It also perpetuates the stereotype that all people with mental illness are dangerous. Being called crazy is the worst thing you can say to someone who is struggling daily to remain positive and sane. Having a mental illness is not a choice.

BGA: Lately, it seems like the topic of mental health is making headline news, especially as it relates to celebrities. Why do you think celebrities are being more transparent about their mental illness?

MC: To answer this question, I’d like to quote actress Jenifer Lewis of ABC’s “Blackish,” whose been very vocal about her struggles with her bipolar disorder: “You’re only as sick as your secrets.” People no longer want to suffer in silence and they want and need support. Celebrities are asking for help and support, and want to use their platform to help de-stigmatize mental illness and educate others for awareness and understanding.

BGA: It seems like the issue of mental illness is really coming to light, especially in the wake of mass shootings. Why do you think a mental illness is always an underlining cause of these incidents?

MC: Often times, these mass shootings end up as murder-suicides, and suicide is a symptom of a mental illness. A mental illness is not something that’s develops overnight; instead, there are warning signs that have been ignored by friends and family members. I think a lot of these mass shootings could be avoided if the person is diagnosed and treated.

BGA: Do people with a mental illness always know that they have a problem?

MC: Well, I am going to give you a light-bulb moment. When the body is sick, it’s the brain that communicates that message to you. However, when the brain is sick, there’s nothing to tell the brain that it’s sick. So, depending on the severity of the disease, the brain may not tell itself it’s sick. This is why mental illness goes untreated for so long.

For a severely chronic mental disease, the answer is no because the brain is so badly damaged by the disease. But, YES, people can recover from mental illness with the right diagnosis, treatment and psycho-education (therapy). Once a person learns about their symptoms and how it affects his or her body, then he or she is able to identity it when something is wrong.

BGA: If you suspect someone has a mental illness or disorder, how can you help?

MC: Talk with the person about what you’re noticing. Encourage him or her to seek professional help. Support the person and let him or her know they’re not alone because the idea of a mental illness can be very scary and difficult to understand. If the person is a danger to himself or others, get him or her psychiatric care immediately! You will help save a life.

Final thoughts for Mental Health Awareness Week: Just like any part of the body can get sick, so can the brain. Developing a mental illness is not a choice, and it doesn’t discriminate against, race, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic class. Treat the health care of your mind like your body. Contact your primary care physician, get a diagnosis, get treatment and feel better. Listen to your body and save yourself.