May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Here’s A Caribbean Perspective…

May is all about Mental Health and I wanted to share a Caribbean perspective on Mental Health Awareness Month via the podcast.

This Mental Health Awareness Month starts on the heels of one of the deadliest months in the world. In the month of April, Coronavirus Disease – COVID-19 really put its stamp on the world. Along with its deadly health effects and crippling economic impact, came debilitating stress-related and anxiety-inducing mental health issues. To date, there are 3.2 million cases of COVID-19, over 1 million people recovered, and 233,000 deaths, worldwide.

Many people around the globe are battling mental health issues at this very moment. From the loss of employment to the stresses of working from home and homeschooling to the loss of a loved one and the inability to publicly mourn to the loss of their normal. Clouds of uncertainty, sadness, and depression have blanketed many parts of our world.

Caribbean American Mental Health Podcast

In New York State there has been over 18,000 deaths with over 12,000 of those coming from New York City – where many of the victims are in predominantly Caribbean-immigrant neighborhoods – like Wakefield in the Bronx, Flatbush, East Flatbush and Crown Heights in Brooklyn, and Jamaica in Queens, as mentioned in The New York Daily News.

The Caribbean islands have had very few cases, however, the global lockdown is impacting every single country in various ways. So what happens now?

Black Women Professionals Give Us Tips & Tricks For Reducing Anxiety

I have been a mental health advocate for a few years now and last May I created the IN MY HEAD with Jay Blessed podcast, which is a mental health-focused podcast, from a Caribbean perspective.

My mission, as a Caribbean blogger and podcaster, is to break the stigma within our Caribbean community surrounding mental health issues by using my platforms and voice to bring awareness to the ills in our society. I seek to disrupt the status quo and unhealthy norms and create safe spaces for healthy discussions and positive changes – one person at a time.

As we enter yet another month, I share with you a few IN MY HEAD with Jay Blessed podcast episodes that you can listen to and share, which encourages healthy discussions around our mental health and wellness and will remind you that we are all in this together.

Top 10 Mental Health Caribbean Podcast (#HeadwithJB) Episodes

1. Ep. 34: “Managing Your Mental Health During A Pandemic” with Seneca Williams, LMHC – How do we grieve our old normal while taking control of our mental health during these unprecedented and uncertain times? Seneca Williams, LMHC, gives 5 helpful tips to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Ep. 2: “I Suffer From Depression, Do You? – Jay Blessed shares her battle with depression. Listen to the 12 methods she uses to combats those feelings, including great sex and masturbation!
3. Ep 19: “Be Easy With Yourself” – In this episode, Jay explores the unhealthy habit of self-sabotage. Listen as she encourages her audience to give to themselves the same patience, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness that they offer to others.
4. Ep. 10: “I’ve Been Numbing My Pain” – What do you do when you feel like you’re a walking zombie…a sad clown…not yourself…just numbly existing? How do you manage the loss of a loved one, a child, a relationship, a job, a pet? Listen as Jay shares how she’s been dealing with a loss.
5. Ep. 3: “I See A Therapist, So Should You!” – Jay Blessed reveals her decision to see a therapist and breaks down the myths behind mental health from a Caribbean woman’s perspective. After addressing the stigmas and stereotypes in the Caribbean community, she encourages listeners to choose therapy as a courageous form of self-care.
6. Ep. 5: “Letting Go Of Toxic People…Including Your Family!” – What happens when your peace of mind, self-worth, and happiness are constantly in conflict by your relationship with a friend, a spouse, or a parent? Jay gets personal as she painfully reveals why she chose to let go of the relationship with her mother.
7. Ep. 7: “Am I The Toxic One?” – Most people would never admit to their toxic traits and unhealthy behaviors. In this episode, Jay takes responsibility for the mistreatment, dysfunction, and toxicity she allowed into her life and admits her own toxic behavior.
8. Ep. 24: “Surviving Domestic Violence” (with The Heather Hurley Foundation) – Nicole Sharpe, founder of The Heather Hurley Foundation and board member Dionne Davis share their personal experiences with Domestic Violence. From abuse that led to murder; this episode is a cautionary tale of how staying in an abusive relationship can ultimately kill you and leave your children forever traumatized. This episode includes free resources to help victims escape abusive and potentially fatal relationship.
9. Ep. 8: “Stop Wasting Time On ‘Waste Ah Time’ People!” – Using Cassie and Diddy as a relatable example, Jay reminds us to stop wasting years on people we know are not helping us be our best selves and who aren’t giving us what we really want in life. Listen and get your life!
10. Ep. 27: “My Daughter Is Dead And Deserves Justice” (with Courtney K. Williams) – The father of 4 daughters, relives the moment he got the dreadful call about his youngest, Kendell. Listen as this strong father and grandfather share his deepest thoughts and rawest emotions on his daughter’s death and encourages Caribbean men to seek therapy.

BREAK THE STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH IN THE CARIBBEAN

I don’t know what our new normal will be, but in this month of May, I hope to continue raising awareness of Mental Health in our Caribbean community so that we can be stronger mentally and healthily, and ready to deal with what is to come.

If you have not yet subscribed to IN MY HEAD with Jay Blessed, please get on it today and gain access to weekly episodes. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, Soundcloud, Spotify, and now on Pandora!

The official hashtag #HEADwithJB represents Healing and Educating through Accountability and Discipline with Jay Blessed.

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @RealJayBlessed for daily inspiration and light-hearted content, as we navigate this crazy world…together.