No More Excuses: Your Healing is Your Responsibility

Calling out the excuses we use to avoid therapy

Photo by Antoni Shkraba Studio

Therapy ain't a bad thing, and it's not limited to sitting in some fancy office, telling your business to a stranger.

Having fun with friends can be therapy. Setting a new routine, journaling, meditating, reading, anything productive can be therapeutic. Small steps get you closer to the results you seek.

As Black People, we're responsible for our own well-being. We've been shown this time and time again. America doesn't want us healed, which is exactly why we need to heal.

Photo by Innocent Khumbuza

Don't wait for the media to jumpstart your healing. It's not meant for us. It's entertaining and can be therapeutic at times, but 90% of the media targeted toward the Black community is controlled and meant to tear us down even more.

For years I've heard things like, "People did the best they could with what they knew," or "Therapy don't work, you're just telling your business to a stranger."

These are the kinds of excuses that lead us to repeating cycles.

Once you have kids of your own or start to want a different life, it's your duty to get help. No one will hand you the answers or map out the way. They expect you to already know.

Photo by nappy

Get serious about your mental health. If you find yourself feeling weird or not able to think straight, say something. Research why you feel this way, ask—questions. The answers are there, you just have to want them.

Stop making excuses or telling yourself you're fine to feel normal. It's okay to notice something is wrong, and do something about it.

Not everything will be an easy fix, but at least you're trying.

When we seek help, we're often misdiagnosed out of fear and the need for us to stay controlled. Don't let this keep your mind trapped. Use the information you're given to your advantage, or seek out a black healer—someone who fits your vibe.

Whatever you do, it's your life and you're the one who has to live it. No one else.

So, whether you get help with healing or find another excuse not to, you're the one who has to live with the choices you make.