“Should I really be here?” Exploring the relationship between Black men’s conceptions of wellbeing, subject positions and help-seeking behaviour

In the UK, Black men are over-represented at the coercive end of the mental health system but under-represented in terms of seeking help voluntarily. This situation reflects longstanding inequalities that arise from multiple sources. Amongst these are the conceptions of wellbeing and help-seeking that would enable Black men to access appropriate help at an early stage and the ways in which mental health service providers could adapt practice to meet the needs of Black clients.
The objectives of this study were to investigate the discourses Black men draw upon in talking about themselves and their psychological wellbeing and in help- seeking for psychological distress. Nine Black men were recruited via community centres in London, interviewed and the transcripts analysed employing Foucauldian discourse analysis. Four discourses were identified; oppression and discrimination, Black masculinities, communities and professional systems. The discourses demonstrate ways in which Black men are discouraged from seeking help for psychological distress. The findings have implications for policy, service delivery, clinical practice and research.