Your Health & Wellness News The Hidden Secret

are afraid to tell anyone they feel like not getting out of bed some days.

Women today are inundated with managing various tasks all at the same time.

It sometimes feels like a roller coaster that keeps going up and down, around and around. Women are juggling work and raising kids or grandkids. They are the chauffeur, the lunch lady, the tutor, and the coach, and many have assumed the responsibility of caring for aged parents. These are what I call “women in the middle.” They end up taking care of everything and everybody but themselves. They work in their communities and churches while handling a busy dayto-day life. It’s a lot, and adding being a black woman on top of all that, is a whole other layer.

Black women experience unique challenges that can impact their mental health, such as systemic racism, discrimination, and socioeconomic factors leading to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Black women often face multiple forms of oppression, sexism, racism, and classism, increasing the risk of developing mental health issues. In addition, when these mental health issues arise, many women feel a stigma attached to seeking care for their symptoms. According to John Hopkins Medicine, part of the challenge in getting care is the cultural belief that only people who are “crazy” or “weak” see mental health professionals. Access to culturally competent mental health providers is a barrier to black women seeking treatment.

Black women are more likely to experience maternal mental

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