At the Intersection: Mental illness should not be shameful

USA TODAY College presents the second installment of its At the Intersection series – a podcast moderated by Jaleesa Jones.

At the Intersection offers a Millennial perspective and deeper dive on the issues that affect marginalized communities, including race, gender and sexuality.

In honor of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, Jones and guests Dr. Sha-Lai Williams of the University of Missouri-St.Louis and Jessmina “Minaa B.” Archbold, the founder of the online community, Respect Your Struggle, discuss mental health in the black community and ask, "Why don't we seek help?"

The speakers explore the factors that give rise to the disparity in use of healthcare services -- including community stereotypes, shame and reliance on spirituality as an exclusive solution.

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast covers sensitive topics, such as suicidal ideation and self-harm. Listeners should take precaution and remember to practice self-care.

If you need immediate help, call the National Suicide Prevention/Crisis Line at 1 (800) 273-TALK.

For non-urgent services, including general information on mental illnesses, referrals and support, you can call the information helpline at the National Alliance for Mental Illness at 1 (800) 950-NAMI. Trained volunteers are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.