A Change in Pyschology by Kimbria

A Change in Pyschology by Kimbria - June 2020 Scholarship Essay

A recurring issue that I’ve noticed in the Psychology career field is the way people perceive it. Most of the time when people think about counseling and therapy, their minds immediately think of people who are unstable or deranged. This belief is merely invalid and I hope our society can learn to normalize regularly attending counseling or therapy sessions. You don’t have to be crazy or out of your head to benefit from seeing psychologists; in fact a person who is completely sane can reap just as many positive outcomes. Therapists help different people cope with different problems and it’s beneficial to discuss repressed emotions. It’s simply contradicting to wish for a positive world while many have negative mindsets. If there’s a never ending battle between our own thoughts, how can we hope to fix anything else? Change starts from within; therefore our society must alter how we view Psychology as a whole if we plan to make the world a better place.

As a young black woman, I know exactly what this perception looks like. Growing up in an African American family, therapy and counseling is often looked down on and abhorred. Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety are prevalent in the black community, frequently because we fail to acknowledge and treat mental disorders the proper way. While some people simply don’t have the money for counseling, I’ve noticed that most black families merely condemn the idea of professional psychological help. As the black community ignores mental illness, the issue prevails and worsens. We are only hurting ourselves by scorning therapy. The few times I have recommended therapy within my household, it was swept under the rug or ignored as if it was a frivolous joke, and this behavior is not okay. Black children are often told phrases like, “just pray about it” when the discussion of mental health comes up. Children are the future, yet often grow up damaged and despaired simply because of parents who had a negative outlook on therapy. Regardless of your race, gender or religion, everyone has experienced their own trauma and hardship, and everyone can use a confidant. As a whole, we have normalized mental illness just to avoid normalizing mental assistance. I hope that a change can be made and black families, as well as everyone else, can soon change their perspective on Psychology.

To say the least, there’s a lot going on in today’s world. From a sudden pandemic outbreak to racism protesting, it is natural to feel overwhelmed and it is okay to need mental help. Psychology should not have a negative connotation in today’s world. It shouldn’t be an insult to recommend therapy and it shouldn’t be embarrassing to share how you utilize it. Once accepting mental help becomes normalized, I believe the world we live in will be taking a step in the right direction. I want to educate others on the benefits of psychological help, that way they can become open to the idea and share it with others. As we see so many people unfortunately take their own lives, or take the life of others, when will we seek change from within? When people feel so hopeless that they end their own journey, or so angry that they murder another’s loved one, we must realize how important mental health is. When you step back and think long term, Psychology has the power to save lives and it is a career field meant to assist others through mental healing. There is nothing wrong with seeking mental help and I hope our society begins to see it for what it really is.