Welcome to the Black Woman in Bloom Podcast, a semi-monthly podcast designed to uplift, encourage and empower Black Women by exploring wellness topics that promote self-care and mindfulness. I’m your host, TaReon Jael, a Certified Health Educator and Medical Lab Scientist. For more information, please visit blackwomaninbloom.com. While I hope you enjoy listening to and learning from the podcast, please remember that it is not a substitute for a relationship with a licensed healthcare provider.
Hello and welcome to episode 25.
I want to let you know that in this episode, I’ll be talking about my mental health story, including thoughts of suicide. So if hearing that will be upsetting, please skip this episode. If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call or text 988 to talk or chat with someone.
In the last episode, I mentioned that I would talk about self-expression and overcoming the tendency to censor ourselves as a way to avoid coming across as the “angry black woman.” I’ll cover that in a future episode, but something recently has been weighing on my heart and mind.
There's a message I keep hearing over and over again, and it does our community a disservice. I want to address it in today’s episode.
I've seen this message lately regarding managing different health conditions without medication, specifically mental disorders, especially when managing depression and anxiety without antidepressants.
I keep hearing this message repeatedly, especially on social media. If we believe that a person should or shouldn’t manage their mental health condition with or without medication, then we should first give context to explain where we’re coming from and then allow folks the freedom to make the best medical decision for them without shame.
In taking my own advice, I want to share a personal story about why I feel strongly about making the best medical decision for you.
I've shared the story about my experience with anxiety and depression. Much of what I do and share on this podcast relates to using mindfulness to help manage those conditions.
But I’ve never clearly shared my decision to take medication to help. And, I’ll be honest, I was scared to share my stance because I feared criticism and backlash. But that ends here because this is my story. This is my truth.
I share this not for pity or attention but with the hopes that my opening up will help normalize talking about mental health, especially in the black community. I also hope it will encourage others battling mental illness to reach out for help, whatever that looks like, when they need it.
In previous episodes, Episodes 7 and 8, I shared bits and pieces of my story, but I don’t believe I shared it concisely.
In 2009, a couple of years after finishing undergrad and into my new career, I started going through some things that I couldn't resolve or work through on my own. One of my coworker-friends suggested that I look into therapy because she knew people who went to therapy and found it helpful. I had never considered therapy until she suggested it, but I was open to trying it. So I found a psychologist in my area who was trained and experienced in working with people experiencing what I was experiencing and began meeting with her regularly. During our sessions, my psychologist uncovered that I was experiencing signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
I continued working with her and found those sessions helpful. That was my first introduction to mental health and therapy.
I moved to another state about a year later to begin grad studies. During that time, I was introduced to various complementary and alternative medicine therapies. I started researching the best holistic lifestyle practices for optimal well-being, especially as it relates to mental health.
I was experiencing some very intense bouts of anxiety and depression during and after grad school. So I tested some of those research-based practices in my own life and found, and continue to find, those practices helpful..
But here’s the part of my story I want to emphasize. I believed that all I needed to do to manage the anxiety and depression was to lean into those health and wellness practices. So that meant I needed to exercise more, eat better, pray and meditate more, keep going to therapy, and journal more, and everything would be fine.
For a long time, I believed that, and when I still felt the weight of depression, I blamed myself for not being motivated enough, for not exercising enough, for not praying and meditating enough, and for not being enough....of course, this was a symptom of the anxiety and depression, but it also stemmed from the mental health stigma that I had internalized and the belief that taking or even considering taking an antidepressant was terrible.
The anxiety and depression became crippling, and it got so bad that I reached a point where I was considering taking my own life. And I thought to myself, “I’m a public health professional and know that suicidal ideation is severe. So intellectually, I was scared of those thoughts. And yet, at the same time, I was numb to the fear. And again, of course, that was a symptom of the depression.
I realized that I needed to push past the emotional numbness and the stigma and open up to my close friends, family members and my healthcare providers to ask for help.
Once I met with my medical provider and decided to take an antidepressant, in addition to continuing my other health and wellness practices, things started to improve in my life.
I share my story because it's hard to hear this message about managing mental health conditions without medication. I know people are struggling and trying everything besides medication to manage their mental health conditions. They may have reached a point where they want to talk to someone about medication, but they’re hesitant because they've heard these anti-medication messages.
So as a health educator, public health professional, and scientist, I believe, instead of pushing our beliefs and opinions onto others, we should give people the tools, knowledge, resources, and freedom to weigh their options and make the right decision fro themselves.
Before I share my tips for making the most informed medical decisions, I know that I need to address a huge barrier: our misgivings about the medical system. I acknowledge that I can't talk about making informed medical decisions without mentioning Black folks' history with the medical system in this country because making educated decisions requires being knowledgeable about that history.
I understand how we, as Black folk, have misgivings and trust issues about Western medicine. And it’s fueled by a long, traumatic history. Many of us know about the Tuskegee Medical Study. Or the story of Henrietta Lacks. We also know the story of J. Marion Sims, who was called the father of gynecology who performed numerous medical surgeries and procedures on slave women without anesthesia. We know about the current Black maternal health crisis. Sadly, I can continue with story after story like this.
And we also know that complex and traumatic history has influenced and continues to influence how medical providers respond to our concerns.
I understand our misgivings about trusting Western medicine, especially when taking medication.
However, there is value in educating ourselves, weighing our options, and making a decision for ourselves, a decision that is free from the stigma that’s been forced on us. So, let's talk about it.
I’m starting my tips by assuming you’ve already researched and selected a provider you feel you can trust. It’s been my experience that I need to feel like I can ask this provider as many questions as I need to and see that my provider takes the time to listen to my concerns and takes their time to answer my questions with thoughtfulness. I don’t want to feel like I’m being rushed out of the door. I also don’t want to feel I’m being judged negatively, talked down to, or receiving half-baked answers. Another thing I don’t want to feel is that my provider is insensitive to my concerns. So when you’re looking for a provider, if the vibe feels off, then feel free to keep searching until you find one that treats you with respect.
And I acknowledge that when I say this, it comes from a place of privilege because, sadly, in this country, money and health insurance status often dictate who we can and cannot see for our medical care. So there may be times when you have to meet with a medical provider because that one provider is your only option.
Regardless of the medical provider you’re seeing, these tips for making an informed medical decision still apply. In full disclosure, I’ve gotten most of these tips from an article on VeryWellHealth.com which was written by Sherri Gordon. I’ve included a link to the article in the show notes.
So let’s say your provider has suggested a new medication or another type of care. Now, is your opportunity to ask questions. What are your provider’s treatment goals? What will happen if you choose not to follow their advice? Are there other options besides what they’re recommending? What are the side effects? Do the risks outweigh the benefits? How likely will this route address the problem? How much does each option cost?
Once you feel you’ve had the opportunity to ask questions, if possible, take some time to think about your options. Schedule a follow-up appointment to meet again. Then do some research of your own. Learn about your options using resources from the library, friends, and reliable websites. Ensure the information you gather is based on sound medical research.
The important thing here is to gather as much information as possible to understand the provider’s recommendations. At this stage, you may decide that you want a second, third, or, even, fourth opinion. If that’s the case, then meet with other providers and discuss your concerns.
The next step is to consider your values and goals
Once you’ve done your research, consider what’s important to you. How do you feel about the options you’ve been given? Is there one option that makes more sense to you than the others? Ideally, you want to base your decision on the option that is most likely to result in the outcome that aligns with your values and goals.
Try making a list of the pros and cons of each option. Decide what matters to you most and identify your desired outcome. Ultimately, you know what’s right for you.
The third step is to visualize the impact of your decision
Once you’ve made your choice, write down your expectations. Explain how you see your treatment progressing and anticipate the outcome. Then, share this with your healthcare provider. Ask them if your expectations are reasonable.
Make sure you completely understand the side effects, cost, and long-term outcome of your choice. Determine if this decision still feels right to you.
The fourth tip is to create an action plan.
After you and your healthcare provider have decided, find out what you can do along the way to ensure you’ll have the best possible outcome.
Write down what you need to do and any next steps you should take. Put it together in a plan that makes sense for you.
Making informed medical decisions is crucial to maintaining good health. It requires understanding your options, asking questions, seeking reliable information, and working closely with your healthcare provider. By taking an active role in your healthcare decisions, you can ensure you receive the best possible care and improve your overall quality of life. Remember to prioritize your health and well-being, and don't hesitate to contact your healthcare provider for guidance and support. And if my personal story resonated with you, please know you’re not alone. And it’s okay to allow yourself to be vulnerable and ask for help when needed.
Thank you for listening to the episode.
If you’d like to receive this episode's journal prompts and guided meditation straight to your inbox, join the email list by heading to blackwomaninbloom.com/episodes/25. The link to the journal prompts and links to the references and resources I mentioned in the episode will be there.
References
https://www.verywellhealth.com/keys-to-making-informed-health-decisions-4129589
https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/be-female-anxious-and-black
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-among-african-american-women