written by Erika L Harper LPC
Strong Black Woman Syndrome (SBWS) is not a technical term but right away most of us are aware of the description. Over time it has morphed into an extremely damaging stereotype but it was originally created by us to protect ourselves from the horrors afflicted upon Black African families during American slavery. Many women today suffer from this syndrome due to our ancestors unknowingly and devastatingly passing down their trauma genetically into us. The trope of the strong Black woman is the reason why Black women have always been viewed as physically stronger, less prone to pain and more verbally aggressive compared to our white counterparts despite there being no evidence to support these claims. It is for these reasons that Strong Black Woman Syndrome is the perfect shield for masking persistent depressive disorder. written by Erika L Harper LPC
Strong Black Woman Syndrome (SBWS) is not a technical term but right away most of us are aware of the description. Over time it has morphed into an extremely damaging stereotype but it was originally created by us to protect ourselves from the horrors afflicted upon Black African families during American slavery. Many women today suffer from this syndrome due to our ancestors unknowingly and devastatingly passing down their trauma genetically into us. The trope of the strong Black woman is the reason why Black women have always been viewed as physically stronger, less prone to pain and more verbally aggressive compared to our white counterparts despite there being no evidence to support these claims. It is for these reasons that Strong Black Woman Syndrome is the perfect shield for masking persistent depressive disorder. Depression doesn’t always appear the way people think it does. The problem is that when we only hold room for the extremely sad view of depression it delegitimizes people who do not exhibit these exact symptoms. Most of us can easily rattle off a number of general depression symptoms when prompted. Undoubtedly, among these examples will be lethargy, lack of motivation, apathy for previously enjoyable activities and sleeplessness. It’s true that exhibiting any number of these descriptors either by themselves or in conjunction with one another may indicate some level of depression. Black women are at particularly high risk for depression because of need to maintain the appearance of the proud, strong and unbothered Black women. For this reason, sometimes our symptoms don’t seem to match typical depressive symptoms. This often can lead to the people around us staunchly refuting that we are depressed in the first place. This is what is referred to as high functioning depression. High functioning depression is sneaky leaving even those who are currently falling within its clutches in denial. The key to understanding it Is understanding that although it shares the same symptoms of other types of depression, the lack of external and sometimes internal perception of depression keeps the sufferer from seeking help or feeling as if they’re worthy of being helped. Presently, the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists 9 types of depression, each with their own unique markers but for the sake of brevity I’ll focus on one of the most confusing types- persistent depressive disorder- colloquially known as high functioning depression. Some other symptoms associated with this disorder are feelings of worthlessness, inability to make decisions, feeling tired most of the time, trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep and weight loss or gain. Persistent Depressive Disorder can sometimes start in childhood and, as the name suggests, persist throughout adulthood. People living with this disorder won’t tend to think that they’re suffering because they are usually a little depressed most of the time. In essence, they’re so used to suffering that they’ve normalized it as their usual state of being. They also report that moments of non-depression generally last no longer than two months before their depressive symptoms set in once more. Persistent depressive disorder tends to render the sufferer just functional enough as to appear as if nothing is wrong to the casual viewer. It is not uncommon for a sufferer to be successful at work, to smile and attend functions, to be an excellent mother and wife all the while feeling as they are broken inside.It’s crucial that everyone understands the difference between a person simply exhibiting depressive symptoms and any one of the several diagnosable conditions. Depressive symptoms or sadness or usually triggered by a particular event. For example, if one experiences the death of a beloved parent it is within the realm of normal behavior to cry, have an inability to concentrate and to experience a lack of or excessive appetite. However, these symptoms are episodic and are tied specifically to that incident. Further, experiencing sadness about the loss of a parent won’t necessarily prevent you from being able to care for yourself. Depression sets in when the symptoms start to generalize to most other normal life activities for an extended period of time. This is an important difference for loved ones to note as picking up on this sign can mean the difference between life and death with some sufferers.While there is typically nothing wrong with largely viewing oneself as a strong, smart and capable Black woman, we have to allow space for us as individuals to fall apart. We are black and human and it is normal to be flimsy and fragile sometimes and resilient and glorious in other moments. Not allowing ourselves the sacred time to be torn down and rebuilt leaves us stagnant and unable to provide any of our light to others who may need it. The major problem with persistent depressive disorder is not necessarily that the people around her may not recognize the symptoms, it’s that the woman suffering may not recognize them. Becoming self-aware is half the battle. Our birthright as women is to experience happiness and joy, not disaster and gloom. There are a number of treatment options for both women and men suffering from persistent depressive disorder including therapy, medication or even modalities like yoga that appeal to a person’s self-talk and expression in addition to the health component. If you are suffering or think you may be suffering reach out to a professional who can assist you. If you’re not a sufferer, go out of your way to have a conversation with your strong or successful friend. You could be inadvertently helping someone who is desperate for change.
Erika L Harper is a licensed mental health counselor, sex therapist, yoga enthusiast and writer. In her spare time she enjoys running, reading, watching movies and eating good food with her family. Connect with her on Instagram here