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January Is Mental Wellness Month

Mental illness affects people differently. Children ages 6-17 are three times more likely to repeat a grade if they have mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems. Those with severe mental illness have a life span of 10 to 25 years shorter than the general population. 64% of jail inmates have a mental illness compared to 21.6% of the general adult population.

Published

4 months ago

January 6, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock,

By Scott Knight

January is a time to recharge and recover from the holidays. It is also National Mental Wellness Month, which recognizes the importance of mental health and aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

According to the National Institutes of Health, 57.8 million adults lived with some form of mental illness in 2023. The severity varies from person to person. Understanding mental health statistics in the U.S. can raise awareness and garner support for those in need.

Anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental illness and women are more likely than men to experience depression. 17% of adolescents ages 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode. And 33.5% of adults with living with a mental illness also has a substance use disorder.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) collects data on substance use and mental health. Their 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that multiracial people had the highest rate of mental illness at 36.7%, followed by Whites (24%), American Indian/Alaskan natives (23.5%), Hispanics (20.6%), Blacks (19.4%), and Asians (18.1%).

National Mental Wellness Month involves highlighting the resources available to equip individuals with the capacity to cope with life’s difficulties; have healthy relationships and take care of their mental well-being before issues arise.

Wellbeingtrust.org tells us that having a purpose in life offers many benefits, including being happier, living longer, sleeping better, and improved heart health. To find that purpose explore your interests, volunteer, consider what you love to do, talk to friends and family, and try new experiences.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 46% of people who die by suicide had a known mental illness.

The Jason Foundation is a valuable resource if you feel that a friend or loved one is struggling with a mental illness. JFI is dedicated to the awareness and prevention of suicide through educational programs that equip youth, parents, educators, and the community with the tools and resources to identify and assist those who may be struggling mentally.

Visit www.jasonfoundation.com to learn how to make a difference and find the closest Jason Foundation Affiliate Office.

About the Author

Scott Knight is the Education Specialist at the Jason Foundation.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 14 – 20, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 14 – 20, 2025

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

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The Best Advice for Raising Children: Discipline That Makes Sense

In his book Developing Positive Self Images and Discipline in Black Children, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu suggests that primary aims for socializing Black children should be: establishing goals related to God and the church; familiarizing children with religious texts like the Bible or Quran; educating them of Black culture like Khemetic (Egyptian) Civilization; enlightening them about Black leaders like Malcolm X and Sojourner Truth; and teaching them to strive to be employers, not employees.

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2025

Oakland Post

Headshot of Dr. William A. Thomas. Photo courtesy of Dr. William A. Thomas.

By William A. Thomas, Ph.D.

In many African societies, the primary aim of socialization is to raise children to be socially responsible and eventually provide economic support to their parents and extended families. Ghanaian philosopher Kwame Gyekye taught that children are raised to be respectful of the wishes of their parents and extended adult family members.

In his book Developing Positive Self Images and Discipline in Black Children, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu suggests that primary aims for socializing Black children should be: establishing goals related to God and the church; familiarizing children with religious texts like the Bible or Quran; educating them of Black culture like Khemetic (Egyptian) Civilization; enlightening them about Black leaders like Malcolm X and Sojourner Truth; and teaching them to strive to be employers, not employees.

Effective disciplinary strategies appropriate to a child’s age and development teach them to regulate their behavior; keep them from harm; enhance their cognitive, social, and emotional executive functioning skills; and reinforce the behavioral patterns taught by their parents and caregivers.

Below are some specific guidelines for disciplining children.

Listen to what children are talking about with interest and show them you understand their feelings. Remember, children mirror and learn about their emotional selves by hearing their feelings reflected back to them. Staying on target also means avoiding labels. When children fail to do what is expected, discussing it is helpful rather than saying how stubborn, lazy, dumb, or bad they are. By the same token, more positive labels can be helpful.

Dependability is another essential component of the discipline process. When parents are dependable, their children learn what to expect and are helped to feel secure. When parents are consistent, children learn to trust, that is, predict their parents’ behaviors with certainty. A child thinks, “When I spill something, I will always be asked to wipe it up.” A child thinks, “If I use foul language, I will always be corrected.” A child thinks, “If I take something that doesn’t belong to me, I will always have to give it back.” The ability to predict with certainty leads children to rely on their parents and the village/community in which they live. Children feel safe when they know what to expect.

Conclusions

It takes a village/community to raise the divine gift that is the Black child. Parents look to therapists for guidance concerning a variety of parenting issues, including discipline. Keep in mind that evidence suggests that corporal punishment is both ineffective in the long term and associated with cognitive and mental health disorders. When parents want guidance about the use of spanking, a child therapist can explore parental feelings, help them better define the goals of discipline, and offer specific behavior management strategies. In addition to providing appropriate education to families, the Bay Area Association of Black Psychologists (Bay ABPsi) can refer them to community resources, like parenting groups and classes.

About the Author

Dr. Thomas is a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in the SF/Oakland Bay Area and Beaumont. He is a member of Bay ABPsi, a healing resource committed to providing the Post Newspaper readership with monthly discussions about critical issues in Black Mental Health. Readers are welcome to join us at our monthly chapter meetings every 3^rd Saturday via Zoom and contact us at bayareaabpsi@gmail.com.