The article examines how Black suffering is often misinterpreted in mental health settings, particularly in psychiatric care. It discusses two case studies of Black patients who were diagnosed with severe mental illnesses, suggesting that their experiences reflect responses to systemic racism rather than true psychotic disorders. The notion of double consciousness, introduced by W.E.B. Du Bois, is explored as a framework for understanding the emotional and cognitive toll of navigating a racially discriminatory society. The piece ultimately posits that mental health professionals must reconsider the impact of racial trauma on psychological diagnoses.
Black distress is often misdiagnosed as psychosis instead of recognized as a response to racial trauma.
Double consciousness may explain how racism causes cognitive and emotional strain in Black individuals.
Racial discrimination is linked to paranoia, dissociation, and hallucinations in Black communities.
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