Book, “Strong on the Outside, Dying on the Inside,” Addresses Taboo of Depression in “Strong” Black Women

Washington, DC – (BlackNews.com) — Lisa M. Brown, Washington, DC business owner and managing director of a national consulting firm, explores why African-American women often resist treatment for depression, and charts a way out that includes prayer, professional help and strong family support. The book, entitled Strong on the Outside, Dying on the Inside, targets Black women who consider themselves strong and accomplished and uncovers the challenges of dealing with a condition that many in the African American community equate with weakness. The book is published by Xulon Press and is available at www.xulonpress.com.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “depression is a highly treatable disorder affecting some 17-20 million Americans annually.” The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) reports that only one-third of all persons with major depression ever seek treatment. Even more startling, NMHA reports, African-Americans and persons over 65 years old are the least likely to seek professional help. And among affected African Americans, only 12 percent of women actually seek treatment. This resistance to getting help is most often attributable to the belief in the Black community that depression is a White woman’s illness and not a legitimate health problem.

Using her own experience and the biblical story of Hannah, Brown pulls the cover off of this taboo subject to encourage Black women who consider themselves strong and accomplished to face their depression and seek professional treatment. Citing business leaders, authors and psychologists including mental health advocate, public relations mogul and author, Terrie M. Williams, Brown explores the unique challenges that Black women face in confronting their depression and getting help. “There’s simply not enough being said about depression in the Black community. It affects so many of us, yet our cultural norms and traditions – particularly in the Black church – have rendered us silent. This book will be an important step in the right direction for many, especially church-going women,” says Williams, author of Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting – a defining book on the issue of depression in the Black community.

The book will be available through Borders and all other major retailers in early March.

About Author

A dynamic and passionate entrepreneur and mother of three, Lisa Brown overcame depression to lead a thriving Washington, DC-based consulting firm. She brings her rich Christian heritage and her experiences as a Black woman living in America to the very important issue of depression.