Hi, need to submit a 3750 words paper on the topic Depression and the African American Woman-misdiagnoses, disparities in access.

Hi, need to submit a 3750 words paper on the topic Depression and the African American Woman-misdiagnoses, disparities in access. Very often depression is ignored. however, it is a serious illness that needs cure and the affected person is required to seek help as soon as he can. If left untreated, depression can not only adversely affect the patient’s life but also that of those around him. Sometimes depression can become so severe that the patient may end up committing suicide. In fact, it is the top reason for suicide in the United States (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2009). Although depression affects both men and women, it is more common among the latter. All women with depression do not show the same signs and symptoms. Besides that, the severity and frequency also varies. A woman can also develop other health problems if her depression is not cured. It is not unusual for a woman to be sick while depressed. She may have eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, and more seriously, heart problems, cancer and diabetes. Therefore, it is extremely important for a depressed person to approach a counselor or obtain health care at the earliest. She will need to be first diagnosed properly following which appropriate medication and treatment will be applied to her. Depression can be ignored to a certain limit only. After the limit has been crossed the person’s productivity and dreams start getting affected. The most common treatments include medication and psychotherapy, and it is very important for the affected person to seek treatment immediately for in the long run depression can definitely destroy her. Thesis Today the world has advanced phenomenally and the once discriminated African American women are now reaching out to new heights and milestones. They have managed to gain this status through continuous hard word and education. Now even African American women have successful careers and respect in society. However, one thing they are still behind in is healthcare, both physical and mental. This is obvious from the reports that suggest that African American women have an almost 50% higher depression rate than Caucasians. An important reason behind such a trend is the stigma attached to seeking help in such cases. The psychological factors are what hold the Blacks back from going to a counselor. Now, black women and depression do not really go together. at least not in the society. Black women are not supposed to have depression – they are supposed to be the strong females who take care of their family without complains and who never need any help. However, what happens in reality could not be further from this attitude, as Black women also suffer greatly from depression yet they are unable to admit to it due to what is expected of them and the societal stigma attached with mental illness such as depression. For my thesis I want to explore depressive disorders in African American women and their access to mental healthcare. African American women are most likely the primary caregivers in the family as well as for extended family members. The African American women’s emotional wellbeing not only affects their health – both physical and emotional. but also the emotional wellness of their children. There is limited research on the rates of depression in women of color, let alone African American women and access to therapeutic interventions. Practitioner bias and misinterpretation of symptomology has hurt African American women’s access to appropriate care.