Medical school event to explore stigma of mental health within African American community

As part of Black History Month, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine will hold a presentation exploring mental health in the African American community.

Speakers for the event will be Azziza Bankole, professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine and chief diversity officer at the medical school, and Daniel Brooks, licensed clinical social worker and owner of Motivate the Game, a Roanoke-based company that coaches athletes in sports as well as mental health.

• What: Black History Month event as part of the school's Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Series
• Topic: Exploring Mental Health in the African American Community
• When: Noon Feb. 6
• Where: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, Virginia
• Registration: This event is free and open to the public. It will be offered virtually and in-person. Registration is required.

Bankole and Brooks said there is there is stigma surrounding mental health in the African American community similar to other cultures and often leading to resistance to getting help.

“In a culture where there is a lot of trauma, anything that makes you look weak is seen as something that needs to be hidden,” Bankole said. “Consequently, suicide rates have grown at a higher rate for Black adolescent boys than white adolescent boys.

Trauma may include things like poverty, segregation, discrimination, housing issues, environmental pollution, and disparities in education.

“We also know that children who have adverse childhood experiences have a higher likelihood of developing mental health disorders later in life.”

Brooks said the mental health stigma is growing because the needs among the Black community have grown.

“If trauma is experienced long enough, individuals begin to cope with mental health in ways that are not healthy. These become learned behaviors over the years,” Brooks said.

During the pandemic, Brooks started Motivate the Game, a company that works with athletes to help them become aware of their mental health needs.

“Our goal is to help athletes and coaches be aware of their mental health, to treat and support athletes suffering from mental health issues, and work with them to maximize their mental performance,” Brooks said.

The No. 1 takeaway during the presentation will be the importance of seeking help right away when something isn’t right.

“By delaying getting help, the more difficult treatment can be,” Bankole said.

Bankole and Brooks will also discuss various available treatments and how to seek help.

If you plan to attend this event and are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Stephanie Picado during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.