Lockdown in the UK has just been extended for another three weeks, meaning that a lot of us will be spending even more time in solitude. We spoke to our partner, Frontline Therapist founder Esther Sherato, about black mental health in the UK and what we can all do to ease self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Why does Frontline Therapist exist and what do you do?
Frontline Therapist exists because it is a solution to a not-often-spoken-about problem in our society, especially in the black and Asian community. Mental ill-health affects one in four adults in the UK. However, despite it being so common, it is often still seen as a taboo in the BAME community for several reasons discussed below.
Research indicates that black people are more likely than white people to be diagnosed with severe mental health disorders (like schizophrenia) but are less likely to access psychological support. Black people in contrast to their white counterparts are four times more likely to be detained under a section of the Mental Health Act 1983 (amended by the MHA 2007).
This gap is where Frontline Therapist comes in, as we provide short- and long-term counselling at an affordable price to the BAME community.
The coronavirus outbreak has meant people have to stay isolated in their homes, and may have to for the next few weeks or months. What are some ways people can deal with spending so much time alone right now?
It is essential to recognise that everybody responds differently to stressful situations. For many people during quarantine, they will experience waves of low mood, anxiety and stress.
The first step is to recognise what you are feeling; it is okay to feel sad, angry, upset, or whatever emotion you are feeling at this moment.
It might help to keep a routine during the coming days and weeks – a straightforward and achievable one to help you not only keep track of time but allow you the opportunity to tick off goals, embrace your hobbies and create new ones.
Current technology allows you to keep in touch with friends and family without being in the same country as them. Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts and Whatsapp Video, to name a few, are all mediums that you can use to keep and stay in touch, to connect digitally without feeling overwhelmed. You can space out your calls with people, connect with Netflix watch parties, virtual dinner parties and many more, and stay active with home workouts for every fitness level.
What are some ‘self-care’ activities you recommend?
During this coronavirus crisis, each person is going to use different coping methods. I think it is essential to be armed with the correct information and avoid misinformation that breeds fear. Seek advice from the government about what is available if you find yourself out of any earnings.
This might be a good time to start journaling: write down your worry, put it away. Once you have written it down, let it go. Do this daily.
Moreover, you can create a space in your home at a dedicated time during the day to speak and discuss anything relating to coronavirus. Let it be only during this time and in that space that you talk about coronavirus and nothing about it outside of it.
Furthermore, only consume what you can handle. Too much information can be overwhelming. Turn off your notifications, limit your consumption of news. Find a balance between your online and offline life.
It might not be easy, but take one step at a time. Do not put pressure on yourself, and you are not in any competition.
Try relaxation techniques, read a book, physical exercise at home or outdoors during your one form of exercise a day. Eat healthily and get good sleep.
The meaning of ‘self-care’ is to preserve and or improve your own health. So, there are various activities that you can do that can fall under self-care as long as when you engage in an action that you deem as self-care the intention is to experience soothing and comfort.
In your experience, how is mental health talked about in Black British community?
There are many topics in the black community that are rarely discussed or broached, mental health and ill-health being one of them. However, in the last five to ten years, this has been slowly changing due to social media, celebrities and social media influencers openly talking about their own mental health journey.
However, not enough has been done to normalise this as an everyday discussion from childhood to adulthood.
There are several reasons that the topic of mental health is seldom talked about or understood:
- The negative stigma around having a mental disorder.
- Misunderstanding of mental health and ill-health.
- Misappropriation of religious doctrine on causes of mental disorder
- Masking pain to be a ‘strong’ woman or, for men, to ‘man up’
- Black people come to services too late, when they are already in crisis
- Distrust of mental health services due to institutional racism and unconscious bias
- Black people often see engaging with mental health services as a degrading and alienating experience, the last resort
- There is a perception that mental health services imitate the experiences of racism and discrimination of black people in wider society
- Many black people, once in the mental health system, receive the more controlling and restricting aspects of treatment
These and many more factors contribute to the reasons why mental health in the black community remains a taboo subject.
How can we improve conversations around mental health?
By starting with being honest about what we do and do not know, bringing black people who have mental health issues and black people who are healthcare professionals and bridging that conversation between the users of service and the deliverers of it.
Have you come up against any resistance from non-BAME people who don’t understand the importance of culturally-sensitive therapy offerings, or from members of the black community who would rather not discuss mental health?
Frontline Therapist as a service has not come up against non-black people who question the importance and validity of culturally-sensitive therapy. However, as we grow we are sure that we will encounter a few. Their usual line of argument will be to question the need for such a service in the first place and to use the idea of exclusivity of non-black people as the basis of their argument.
Our simple response is this: if the evidence suggests that black people are four times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and seven times more likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic illness, then the current mainstream system is undoubtedly not doing enough to tackle this issue. Therefore, a service like Frontline Therapist aims to redress this imbalance, increase accessibility and provide psychological therapies at an affordable price.
Even if there is an improvement in the way we discuss mental health, do you see people being hesitant when it comes to committing to therapy or generally seeking help for themselves?
People will always remain hesitant towards things they are unsure of. The more people understand what their mental health means and the importance of it, the more open people will be towards investing in their emotional well-being.
For those that remain sceptical, if I may offer them some insight into what therapy is: therapy is like a mirror that is being held up, and through ongoing reflection and dialogue, you begin to see yourself more clearly in it. Like any investment, the results do not happen overnight, and it is about the long-term gain.
The reality is that therapy can be expensive. The market value for therapy in the UK, especially in London, is between £50-60 per session. Sessions are held weekly so imagine £200 minimum a month on your healing. For some people, they would feel that their money can be better spent on other things or they do not have the privilege of having £200 a month to invest in their health.
How can people use Frontline Therapist to get in touch with someone to talk to during the coronavirus pandemic?
During this quarantine period, Frontline Therapist are providing remote counselling services to new and existing clients.
We only charge between £20-40 per session depending on your income. If you or a person you love would like to receive therapy, all you have to do is book online for a virtual assessment, and after your assessment you will be matched with a counsellor.
Click here to use your Jamii discount for 50% off your first session