Black Men Addiction Recovery & Mental Health Resources

Several programs focus on helping Black men overcome substance abuse issues. Treatment services often include counseling, support groups, and medication-assisted treatment. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities funds research on culturally tailored approaches.

Local community centers may offer free or low-cost recovery meetings. Some churches also host faith-based recovery programs. Online support groups provide a convenient option for those unable to attend in-person sessions. Black men can face barriers to accessing mental health care. Several organizations aim to bridge this gap. 

Addiction Recovery Resources

• SAFE Project offers addiction recovery resources designed specifically for the Black community.
• National African American Drug Policy Coalition provides education and advocacy for drug policy reform and addiction treatment.
• Addiction Recovery for the Black Community has information and resources tailored for African Americans struggling with addiction.
  
• Black Faces, Black Voices is a Facebook support group for Black individuals in recovery.
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Helpline for African Americans can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• The Association of Black Psychologists Therapist Resource Directory is a dictionary where black men can find culturally competent therapists specializing in addiction.
• National Association of Black Social Workers offers resources and support for addiction recovery.
  
• Young People in Recovery is a non-profit organization that has chapters all over the country. As the name implies, this is a community of young people who are in recovery from substance abuse.
  
• The Temper – Black Recovery Memoirs article details 12 autobiographical memoirs written by Black People about struggling with addiction and finding recovery.
  
• Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment, and Recovery acts as a hub for information about addiction, addiction recovery, and the African American community.
  
• Concerned Black Men of America is a community outreach and community-building organization founded by Black people for Black people. Its primary focus is to re-invigorate the inner city communities that have been hit hardest by drug addiction and violence.
  
• Addiction in the African American Community: The Recovery Legacies of Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X, written by William White, Mark Sanders, and Tanya Sanders and first appearing in the Journal Counselor in 2006, this paper takes an inside look at the history of addiction in Black communities in America.
  
• Recovery Dharma – BIPOC is a section of the Buddhist-inspired Recovery Dharma fellowship that is specifically for and by Black and Indigenous People of Color.
  
• The Transformation Center is a Maryland-based non-profit organization that works to help Black People in the local community. Their website also has an expansive resource page that lists helpful resources nationwide.
  
• Word In Black is a community of Black news publishers from all across the country who have come together to publish stories uniquely for and by Black people.
  
• Black Recovery Stories: Speaking to Individual and Collective Wellness by Emily Lordi is an in-depth article that examines the impact of addiction and mental health on Black America over the past several decades.

Mental Health Resources

• Black Men Heal offers limited free mental health service opportunities for Black men.
• Therapy for Black Men is a directory that helps Black men search for a therapist.
• Black Mental Health Alliance provides training, consultation, support groups, and referrals.
• The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation offers mental health support and resources to the Black community.
• Sista Afya provides mental wellness services for Black women but also offers resources relevant to Black men.
• National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide provides education and resources for suicide prevention.
• The Steve Fund offers mental health support for young people of color.
  
• Brother, You’re On My Mind is an initiative to raise awareness about Black men’s mental health challenges. This program was developed by the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., in partnership with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).
  
• My Brother’s Keeper is an initiative launched in 2014 to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young Black men.
  
• Ourselves Black is a digital platform that promotes mental health awareness and well-being among Black men.
  
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, is a 24/7/365 crisis line that can provide care to anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of suicide. Dial 988 from any phone within the US.
  
• Call Blackline is a crisis line devoted to Black people who are struggling with mental health issues. Call 1-800-604-5841 for help.
  
• Crisis Text Line is a text-only crisis hotline that can be reached anytime, 24/7/365, by texting HOME to 741-741.
  
• Lee Thompson Young Foundation was created by the family of Lee Thompson Young, a Black American actor and entertainer who took his own life after struggling for years with bipolar disorder and depression.
  
• In Our Own Voice: African-American Stories of Oppression, Survival, and Recovery in Mental Health Systems, written by Vanessa Jackson and made available online by the National Empowerment Center, this 37-page historical retrospective tells the story of the struggles of Black America in overcoming mistreatment and discrimination within the mental health institutions of the time as well as the authors’ personal story of recovery from mental health challenges.

Video Resources

• The Confess Project offers video content addressing mental health concerns in the Black community.
• Black Mental Health Alliance YouTube Channel provides webinars and video resources on various mental health topics.
• The Black Mental Wellness Lounge is a YouTube channel discussing mental health issues in the Black community.
• Therapy for Black Girls YouTube Channel, while primarily focused on women, also discusses issues relevant to black men.
• NAMI’s Black & African American Mental Health Video Series has created a video series called “Sharing Hope” that focuses on mental health and wellness in Black people.
  
• Black Men Speak & Men of Color is a project dedicated to spreading a message of hope and healing through the art of storytelling. Their media page provides videos of recorded talks and stories.
  
• Stories of Hope & Recovery – Jordan Burnham is a video where Jordan shares his story of addiction, mental health issues, and a suicide attempt. He also shares how he changed his life and overcame his addiction.
  
• TED MED – Let’s Quit Abusing Drug Users is a TED Talk by Professor Carl Hart that discusses treating addiction as the disease that it is and removing the stigma behind the addiction.
  
• TEDx Talk by Phillip J. Roundtree—Black Mental Health Matters is a discussion by Phillip Roundtree. In this inspiring video from TEDx Wilmington, Roundtree tells his personal story of recovery from trauma and mental health challenges.
  
• TEDx Talk by Billy Johnson – Rediscovering Hope Through Self-Forgiveness is where Billy Johnson retells his journey from the depths of self-imposed hell to an awakening that has empowered him to forgive himself and discover a new way of life.

Podcast Resources

• The Black Mental Health Podcast explores various mental health topics from a Black perspective.
  
• Melanin & Mental Health discusses mental health issues affecting communities of color.
• The Breakdown with Shaun King addresses social justice issues, including mental health in the Black community.
• The Homecoming Podcast focuses on mental health and personal development for Black men.
• Black Mental Health Alliance Podcast discusses various mental health topics relevant to the Black community.
• The Mind Terrorist is a podcast about mental health from a Black male perspective.
  
• The Breakdown with Dr. Earl explores various mental health-related topics in the Black community.
  
• Black Mental Matters, co-hosted by Vince Bailey and Makeba Reed-Johnson, tackles a wide range of issues that Black Americans face every day. Its website also provides an extensive resource page with mental health and addiction recovery resources.
  
• Let’s Talk Bruh is a haven for discussing issues affecting the contemporary Black Man.
  
• All Black Men Need Therapy is focused solely on the challenges faced by Black Men and how mental healthcare is more crucial now than ever in the Black community.
  
• Getting Your Sh*t Together with Cynthia details the challenges of getting sober as a Black person in your 30s. Hosted by Cynthia, the podcast focuses on the challenges of sobriety, mental health, and life in general in today’s Black America.
  
• The Friend Zone discusses mental health, mental wealth, and mental hygiene and is hosted by three friends, Dustin Ross, HeyFranHey, and Assante, who all have personal experience with mental health challenges in the Black community.
  
• Dear Black Boy: The Therapeutic Podcast for Black Men is about uncovering and healing mental health issues. This includes mental health disorders as well as mental health conditions formed through trauma. 

App Resources

• Liberate Meditation offers meditation practices designed for the Black experience.
• Ayana Therapy matches users with licensed therapists based on their unique experiences and identities.
• The Safe Place is a mental health app geared towards the Black community.
• Shine is a self-care and meditation app co-founded by a woman of color.
• BetterHelp is an online counseling platform with options to match with therapists of color.
• Talkspace is an online therapy platform with diverse therapists.
  
• Transparent Black Guy is an Instagram account dedicated to celebrating Black Men and supporting Black Men’s mental health.
  
• ​​REAL provides many tools for improving mental health and developing new coping skills. These tools are available in the app, which streams live events.
  
• MindRight is a text-based app that provides daily inspiration and motivation through text messages.
  
• Somewhere Good is a novel app that focuses on audio as the primary method of interaction. With a wealth of voice memos, recorded monologues, and dialogues, this app is geared towards slowing down and connecting with your community.
  
• WEconnect is a personal growth and wellness support app that also helps you connect with others who are looking to improve their mental health.
  
• Minds of the Culture, designed by Dr. Chanda Reynolds, includes journaling exercises, a Black therapist directory, and various videos to help improve mental wellness.

National Resources

• National Alliance on Mental Illness offers education, support, and advocacy for individuals affected by mental illness.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides information and resources on substance abuse and mental health services.
• National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities researches and provides resources on health disparities.
• American Psychiatric Association’s Mental Health Facts for African Americans offers best practices and guidelines for mental health professionals when treating African American patients.
• National Association of Black Social Workers offers resources and support for mental health and social issues.
• Association of Black Psychologists provides resources and a therapist directory.
• Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) offers training, education, and advocacy for mental health in the Black community.