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Book, "Strong on the Outside, Dying on the Inside," Addresses Taboo
of Depression in "Strong" Black Women
Washington, DC - (BlackNews.com) -- Lisa M. Brown,
Washington, DC business owner and managing director of a national
consulting firm, explores why African-American women often resist
treatment for depression, and charts a way out that includes prayer,
professional help and strong family support. The book, entitled
Strong on the Outside, Dying on the Inside, targets Black
women who consider themselves strong and accomplished and uncovers
the challenges of dealing with a condition that many in the African
American community equate with weakness. The book is published by
Xulon Press and is available at
www.xulonpress.com.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),
"depression is a highly treatable disorder affecting some 17-20
million Americans annually." The National Mental Health Association
(NMHA) reports that only one-third of all persons with major
depression ever seek treatment. Even more startling, NMHA reports,
African-Americans and persons over 65 years old are the least likely
to seek professional help. And among affected African Americans,
only 12 percent of women actually seek treatment. This resistance to
getting help is most often attributable to the belief in the Black
community that depression is a White woman's illness and not a
legitimate health problem.
Using her own experience and the biblical story of Hannah, Brown
pulls the cover off of this taboo subject to encourage Black women
who consider themselves strong and accomplished to face their
depression and seek professional treatment. Citing business leaders,
authors and psychologists including mental health advocate, public
relations mogul and author, Terrie M. Williams, Brown explores the
unique challenges that Black women face in confronting their
depression and getting help. "There's simply not enough being said
about depression in the Black community. It affects so many of us,
yet our cultural norms and traditions - particularly in the Black
church - have rendered us silent. This book will be an important
step in the right direction for many, especially church-going
women," says Williams, author of Black Pain: It Just Looks Like
We're Not Hurting - a defining book on the issue of depression in
the Black community.
The book will be available through Borders and all other major
retailers in early March.
About Author
A dynamic and passionate entrepreneur and mother of three, Lisa
Brown overcame depression to lead a thriving Washington, DC-based
consulting firm. She brings her rich Christian heritage and her
experiences as a Black woman living in America to the very important
issue of depression.
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