Privilege, Oppression, and Mental Health: Recognizing Our Pasts Through Our Testimonies
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| SSOHIS MENTAL HEALTH |
"The world I inhabit and the world that inhabits me are inseparable parts of the whole that is the 'I' that I am.
In this complicated society, mental health is a topic seldom broached. It would be an understatement to suggest that discussions on mental health are off-limits in my culture. We rarely talked about things like depression and anxiety when I was growing up in my traditional Yoruba home on Lagos Island.
It wasn't until I sat across the desk from a former professor that I truly grasped what it meant to deal with one's feelings. When I first started having problems with my mental health, it was extremely difficult to convince anyone, including myself, that I needed help. Recognizing mental illness is the first step on a long and winding road that doesn't necessarily lead somewhere.
The patriarchal nature of Yoruba society doesn't help. While women are constantly pressured to suppress their true selves for the sake of a society that sees their independence as a threat, males are given unattainable standards of machismo. Many guys are taught that showing emotion is weak and that they should "be a man" or "don't weep like a girl" if they feel it. The sad subordination of women by a dominating society not only breeds an atmosphere of fear and guilt but also produces ill males. Socially organized expectations and their implications on mental health are rarely discussed. And the repercussions are devastating.
Realizing that every culture has its own unique shades of settings that prevent the existence of healthy spaces, my focus is on dismantling the standards that give rise to these conditions.
Undoubtedly, economic disparity, cultural diversity, historical context, and political climate all play a role in shaping individuals' mental health. Throughout human history, and particularly in Africa, there have been many oppressive systems. The legacy of slavery, apartheid, and systemic discrimination has resulted in pervasive oppression that still lingers today. African people have been subjected to profound injustices and continue to face disparities in areas such as education, employment, and healthcare—all of which contribute to a significant burden on their mental health.
We must acknowledge as normal the idea that trauma can be passed down from one generation to the next and that the struggles faced by our ancestors can impact our own lives. The threads of my story were spun long before I was born. Just because you may not see the effects of systematic oppression on the younger generation's life does not mean they do not exist. As Leonardo Da Vinci famously said, "Our lives are made by those before us."
I'd like to explore this world. I have often wished to understand what this world means to me. Much of the pain in today's world stems from feeling left out, an experience most of us have encountered at some point. Does being black define who I am? It doesn't, but it has significantly influenced how I navigate the world. I've had numerous conversations about privilege, like being straight in a world that's only just starting to understand individual truths, being a man in a predominantly male society, facing economic limitations, witnessing the suffering of my peers in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and being black in a world where people of color still struggle for the basic right to live with dignity.
Each of us comprises various facets that shape the way we perceive the world. Our complex lives do not exist in isolation; they interact and impact each other. This reality can make us outsiders in some situations and privileged in others.
All that I am is human. You are a human being. In my view, life is like a maze with many entrances and exits. Throughout my lifetime, I expect to occupy several different roles. Some will grant me advantages, while others will compel me to bear the burden of being "different" in the pursuit of a meaningful cause.
My objective is to comprehend these distinct yet interconnected truths, to sit with them, and to find ways to improve so that everyone I encounter in these diverse spaces can feel free to be themselves. I hope to enhance my self-awareness in these situations to foster greater kindness.
Acknowledging that our actions may unwittingly contribute to another person's suffering is an act of extraordinary courage. It may symbolize who you are, but it should not serve as a reason to dismiss the suffering of others simply because we may not know how to alleviate it.
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