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Tiara Williams
ENG-123- H7142
Kassandra Ramirez
1/17/2024
Topic 1:
The Black community and mental health
Mental health in the black community is a topic that can either be shunned or spoken
about out in the open. On one hand we are a community that is all about support, unifying
and attempting to help others. On the other hand, we demonize and ignore many of us who do
have mental illnesses. Statistics show that 13.4% of the U.S. population identifies as Black or
African American of those, over 16% reported having mental illnesses in the past year. That
is over 7 million people more than the populations of Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia.
We are a community of people who are so willing to lend a hand to those in need except
ourselves and that is such a disappointment because we deserve the love we give to others.
Ignoring these issues will most definitely lead to a greater downfall of our community and
lead to sever consequences in the long run. But on a different note, if we continue to push
these things to the side our people believe that we can just work through the rest of our other
issues such as racial inequality, racism, discrimination, and mass incarceration.
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Topic 2:
Drug use vs Controlled substances
Drug abuse statistics as of 2020 show that Americans 12 years old and older, 37,309
million were current illegal drug users. The motivations for illegal drug use are as follows:
coping, peer pressure, and even enhancement. On one hand drug abuse can be very dangerous
and can leave a person disabled or dead. Drug abuse rates are very high because of the lack of
access to medical care/treatments. On the other hand, controlled substances and medical care
are particularly important and impertinent, controlled substances can save lives and improve
them. Controlled substances can manage pain, mental illness, and other conditions. While
illegal substances are uncontrolled and distributed without supervision or proper dosing,
controlled drugs are regulated by the DEA and the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
Sources:
https://www.mhanational.org/issues/black-and-african-american-communities-and-
mental-health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537318/
https://drugabusestatistics.org
https://www.utoledo.edu/research/rsp/RC/controlled-substances-and-dangerous-drugs/
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