Norwood on Depression
Singer Brandy Norwood opens up about her depression, and what that means for the Black community
Singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman Brandy Norwood has used her recent People Magazine feature to open up about her mental health struggles. Like many celebrities who started their career at a young age, their busy lives include many highs and lows- all of which are publicized. We often look at celebrities as a hot topic, failing to realize that they are scrutinized at a level everyday people cannot imagine. In Brandy’s case, this constant scrutiny has led to significant problems with her mental health.
Spending your teenage years and early adulthood on camera is no easy feat. With humble beginnings as a backing vocalist, Brandy signed to Atlantic Records and released her debut album at just 15 years old. Next came her hit show “Moesha”, a Grammy award winning duet, and plenty of other wins. However, with this success came the pressure to chase perfection in all aspects of her very public life. Brandy notes worrying about other people’s perspective of her, her relationships, and a tragic car accident she was involved in that took a stranger’s life... remembering that experience as “...one of the worst times of her life” (OWN, 2014). Following this accident, her depression was so intense that at some moments, she contemplated suicide.
Brandy’s candid interview regarding her long battle with depression and suicidal thoughts was likely not an easy one, as these issues are hard to speak about in front of the world, and even in front of our own families. We applaud her for opening up, as in our society, especially in the Black community, mental health issues come with a stigma. It is extremely important to shed light on issues that are not often spoken about, and Brandy’s transparency about her mental health struggles represents something larger for the Black community.
Unfortunately, mental health issues do not receive the attention they should among the Black community. Seeking mental health treatment can be considered weak, shameful, or even embarrassing, as there is a fear of appearing “crazy”. Studies have illustrated that among this community, “...mental health issues are often compounded by the psychological stress of systemic racism”, and what’s even more alarming is that one in three African Americans who struggle with mental health issues will ever receive appropriate treatment (White, 2019).
There is an urgent need for a shift in how we view mental health issues. Celebrities like Brandy and other well-known influencers speaking out about their mental health is an admirable feat, as it means so much for the Black community. With the help of therapy, meditation, journaling and her faith, Brandy says she's finally feeling back on track. Furthermore, Brandy has expressed that her daughter, Sy’rai, was a driving force in pulling her out of her depression. She says that “I had to pull myself together, I had to pull it all together and make it all make sense” and now she is "...in a place now where [she] can be proud of moving in the right direction." (Rubenstein, 2020). We need to understand that mental health issues are very normal, and acknowledging your issues and seeking help should be the norm. We cannot just “pray it away” anymore- important conversations need to be held for the sake of our health and our communities.
Check out this link for resources for Black African-Americans struggling with mental health: https://blackmentalhealthmatters.carrd.co/
References
OWN. (2014, August 3). Brandy's Tragic Freeway Accident: "One of the Worst Times of My Life". YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGRcr8U-WlM
White, R. (2019, February 12). Why Mental Health Care is Stigmatized in Black Communities. Retrieved from https://dworakpeck.usc.edu/news/why-mental-health-care-stigmatized-black-communities
Rubenstein, J. (2020, August 19). Brandy Reveals Her Darkest Moment of Depression and How Daughter Sy'rai Saved Her Life. Retrieved from https://people.com/music/brandy-reveals-depression-how-daughter-syrai-saved-her-life/