Erykah Badu helped to increase awareness to mental illness by posting a shocking self-portrait on Instagram.com.
The 46-year-old singer/songwriter wrote an unintelligible caption under the image, which was “liked” by over 157,000 people.
According to recent studies, mental illness affects more people in the black community than any other race or nationality.
Technology and social media have opened the door to people with mental disabilities who are not equipped to handle online negativity.
Doctors fear that exposing mentally disordered people to social media only worsens their mental problems.
Badu, who has 3 teenagers with 3 rappers, is a vocal supporter of mental health issues.
“We don’t discuss mental illnesses enough but we do numb it,” she said at the fashion show of Kerby Jean-Richmond, who dedicated his show to mental awareness at New York Fashion Week in 2016.
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The freakin headline though. WTF!! I’ll be back…I just can’t right now.
You are aware she is in Japan and that is Kabuki make-up right? AND she is an artist sooo….
She is pretty sick… look what she told a fan https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/339d61f3d18ef1da8678b2d778d5502011dae3c7836cee1b4f8dce6259ae57f4.png yesterday…
Oh lord… more attention seeking
I don’t know why black people specifically, are afraid to discuss or acknowledge mental illness. not only are we not educated to what metal illness is, how it affects are day to day, our life, but, we continue to shame, ridicule and minimize it. So many of us live with depression and anxiety and don’t even know or understand the medical aspects of what we are dealing with. We self medicate, and we don’t even use the correct medicinal properties to assist us properly (i.e. not all canibus is created equal) WE chalk it up to just a bad day or a menstruation gone a muck. We must do better.
Something is wrong with her! The sad part it is, she is somebody’s mother… 3 times and she talks and act like teenagers would
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LMAO!! this is not real life…did that really happen
You better speak that TRUTH!
True factual occurrence
She is naturally beautiful.
There’s a stigma attached to it because we’re taught to go to church if we have problems. Sadly I didn’t really get a clear understanding until my brother committed suicide and that was my aha, this really exists moment
Imma tell rit-hur-and- naow!!! ..im not her for no Baduism bashing!!! Did i miss read the post? I thought it read, that she is a vocal party to mental illness for the sake of awareness, i didn’t read that she herself suffered from it. “good job SR” (side-eye)
well…Nobody asked for treasureisland’s opinion on fashion and its not required for Erykah to tell you anything so…
Yes she is,I hope I look half as good at 46.
Oh we diagnosing now?
Dont do it Sandra…smh
LMAO!! im sorry…that is funny as heck to me. But you know sometimes you just want to be an asshole and some days you don’t…haven’t you ever had one of those days where you are a complete bitch? then you go home look in the mirror and say to yourself: “self, you didn’t really have to tell the neighbor kid if she left her bike in the middle of the street again, you were going to crawl into her window and beat her parents with it…now did you?”
I dont cape for people I don’t know, especially celebrities but Badu is a bad girl who isn’t apologetic about who she is and what she wants to say. Give me that over a fake smile anyday…”come correct” or “don’t come at all” type personality…Men get away with this all the time. Women get a difficult to work with or mental illness label….FOH
Lol never been on the Badu train. I seem to only show up times like this. Lol its usually within context.
If she is suffering from a form of mental illness, Emphasis on “IF”…you don’t think she should have had children? you think because she has a youthful spirit, or an eccentric, playful spirit, she didn’t have the right to procreate?
I’m an oncologist and my sister’s a psychiatrist. Between the both of us we’ve lost count of how many AA just do not believe in mental illness and refuse to seek help. On the other hand, other nationalities are super responsive to a referral. It’s maddening. I’ve literally heard patients say “I’ll pray about it”. After those comments I politely change the topic. Bc I know from experience they will never hear me going forward in regards to seeking mental help and will even accuse my of being anti-religion. It’s sad.
Hi I go by the name daughterofaqueen I like halloween and spooky shyt, I’m decorating as I type this, my jeep is brown and so is my skin & hair. I’m a wonderful wife and mother…does this make me a candidate for mental illness?
Im in love with you now….#carryon
so sad!!! BUT don’t stop reaching out to us. We’ll get it eventually
Yup. I was just about to say this…her comment needed to be checked…fuuk her feelings…LMAO unfollow me Ho…
right!! Exactly… Don’t do Erykah do google bish.
lmao
ACCORDING TO GOOGLE:
When broken down by racial and ethnic groups, the highest rates of serious mental illness occurred among adults who reported two or more races (9.3%), followed by Native Americans or Alaska natives (8.5%), whites (5.2%), Hispanics (4.6%), blacks (4.4%), Asians (2.6%) and native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders (1.6 …
_________________
What were you saying Sandra?
lol…..
Sandra… I love you but leave Badu alone… lol
Me to
I love this lol.
I almost forgot because I’m ole skool I prefer joints over blunts?
She is a he, enough said. Don’t get caught up in this
She looks amazing. Badu always been different. Probably a little stoned. Social media does not allow for full sentences..
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL HEALTH:
Rates of mental disorders are generally low among African Americans. In 2014, 3.8% of African American adults ages 18 and older had a past-year mental illness and a substance use disorder, while the national average was 3.3%. The 2014 national average for any mental illness in the past year for adults was 18.1%, compared to 16.3% for African American adults.
African Americans face higher rates of death from major diseases and higher rates of HIV infection than their Caucasian counterparts. African Americans in 2010 accounted for 44% of HIV infection cases in the country.
I love Badu, she’s very eccentric when I first saw that for the d challenge video she looked strung out could have been the makeup but then again shes eccentric.
Quite beautiful (crazy makeup aside)
She isnt the only one. Alot of us need help and self medicate with alcohol drugs xannaxx off the street instead of getting help. Especially alot of these kids. And people think they are out popping pills for fun. I look deeper into things
In the past we use to be afraid of the psychologist because they were mostly white and feared they would do more harm than good. In this day and age where there are plenty of black ones some still have a stigma about it. We have got to stop allowing fear to dictate our health I have one question and if anybody can clear it up please help me understand.
We go to a dentist when our tooth hurts
We go to a chiropractor when our back hurts
We go get surgery when there is an internal issue
We go yearly to our Primary for our checkups
But when you are dealing with a mental issue you say Imma go to Jesus?
So why didn’t you with the other four issues? See how that doesn’t make sense. Not knocking anyone’s belief I believe in God %100, but If God called all these people into the health field to help heal, why is the physiologist or psychiatrist excluded.. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9eb2b76e506e38d5072dd1cf3ad262774eb5ffcb7856de93eefa3205f33fbcb1.gif
Nope I did not say that at all. We were put on this earth to reproduce. Im’ saying by her calling another chick a ho and her snappin and buggin on someone for askin her a question is like come on act your age. So ummm yeah don’t think to much into what I said, it wasn’t that deep.
It’s a comment by a random….Erykah Badu needs to learn the ‘if it don’t apply, let it fly’ rule.
So many people locked up because of this thought process too. Instead of getting mental help they suffer major consequences.
She’s crazy. And does indeed have a mental instability for which she refuses to take meds for so is using marijuana and other herbal substances. She also can’t take criticism well.
She’s always been crazy and covered it up by portraying herself as “eccentric”.
And to add point.. those of us who are Christians should know that the man is a three part being, body, soul(mind or Greek term psyche), and the spirit.
Genesis 2:7 states that Man was created as a “living soul.” The soul consists of the mind (which includes the conscience), the will and the emotions.
Eryka is just another bird chile.
Oh well…I don’t know her…she seems to be getting along just fine to me…herbal substance/weed is her way of coping…she ain’t shot or stabbed anybody…her kids seem functional…I fail to see the problem…
The first page of the manual says, “We cannot cure you.” Mere sorcery, is why. Saves a tremendous amount of money too.
Sounds like you’re coping well with what we live around from day to day…keep it up?
Well I suggest you not go to a pharmacist to get ANY medicine because pharma is the root for pharmakia or guess what..WITCHCRAFT..there saved you alot of money as well happy dying…
You got a point there.
Well I suggest you not go to a pharmacist to get ANY medicine because pharma is the root for pharmakia in Greek terms it means what..WITCHCRAFT..there saved you alot of money as well happy dying…
That comment I made wasn’t for you Tennessee sorry It was for Cleo upstairs
i didn’t think THAT MUCH into it…TRUST
You’re the one that used instances of her being a mother. I was just asking for the gram.
Because Mental Illness doesn’t physically hurt. That’s what I think. If Mental Illness caused headaches people probably would go.
i love raw …the cones actually are my fav….they move slow and you don’t have to smash the tip when you’re done. It will dissipate on it’s own
the fan is automatically jealous? lol
But those are all diagnosed numbers. You have to account how many of us do not seek treatment.
Yeah, we already know Erica is nutty Dallas hoodrat…but I got other questions though….
…according to what studies (stating that blacks suffer from mental illness more than any other race or nationality)? Who does these studies and how do they get their data? How legitimate is it? Where can we see it? What types of mental illnesses? ALL of them black suffer from more than anyone else? YEAH OK…
…NEXT!!!
Chile, some black people aint never seen a dentist, called a chiropractor or know what a yearly checkup is. Of course they are not checking for mental health like that but it needs to change.
……instagram allows for as many sentences as you want to type. different from twitter. definitely shes stoned
I have heard a lot of people equate mental illness as being as weak minded. Like they would say what’s wrong with u, u think life is tough well spend a day in my shoes. Which will make that person feel worse and less likely to seek help.
You better leave her alone before she puts a spell on you Auntie…
Here concerts are the shyt. I got a taste of Baduism in New Orleans and I was like wow!!!
since when did being a free spirit, lover of cannabis and having a unique style of dress and makeup equate to mental illness? Mental illness is being a woman of color( that happens to be lesbian) from a different county running a successful business( blog) using your platform to spew right wing conspiracies, blindly supporting their countless racist views and all out unabashedly love for our ignorant and racist president.
Erica is funny and that was funny.But like you I need receipts.Because I have never heard of a black serial killer,white people always want to go to war not black people.White people are red,when you smack them blue when there cold,and pink all day but call us colored the kkk is way bigger then any blood or crip gang but they call us violent. Your speaking facts,white people have alt facts.We don’t believe you you need more people.
You called Kylie Jenner a teenager on her pregnancy post and she’s 20, and you identify Erykah’s EIGHT year old daughter as a teenager?
https://www.ranker.com/list/black-serial-killers/ranker-crime
Unfortunately, there have been Black Serial Killers. Click the link.
You mean gently laced placebos. Look at how many Percocet and pain pills ppl take to alleviate pain. Not enough medicine in them. Mind over matter can make anything work. I don’t take pain pills, and my blood pressure pills are really water pills, to pee the salt out. Psyche medicine helps to manage demons, not cure them. Deliverance is the cure. Rehab is a scam, only you can stop forest fires. Research the marine kingdom and how it applies to make-up and mental illness. Don’t come at me with be happy dying, bec I will, and not afraid.
Having three different baby daddies is a sign of mental illness.
I’m glad she addressed it because I always thought there was something up. Hope she’s being treated–good luck and blessing, Miss Erykah!!
OOH don’t do that. Don’t you dare do that LOL.
Can’t stop mental illness it has to be controlled. Our first traumatic experience is being born, you’ve all seen babies jump/jerk out of nowhere when they’re sleep that’s not spasms that’s the effect of being born. Now how we handle the new world of the child can either control the situation or deepen the illness. You know like the spanking (the abusive crap just because!
I love her …she can do no wrong
Kimora Lee and so many others qualify as well if that’s the determining factor
LMAO
This might be accurate.
Having mental issues don’t mean shit! It don’t mean you’re weak minded. Some people go through hell and need help. Others just have a chemical imbalance and need that to be fixed. IMO if ya need the help? Get yourself fixed. Some people making it a stigma when it’s not. It’s 2017 the entire world sucks; surprised we aren’t all nuts.
Look at you girl got the lingo down pack??
We know Erica Crazy….And???..But we love her still…The saying is theirs a thin line between genius and crazy!…Praying that she able to manage it##TeamErykah
Erykah has some problems. You all can call her Queen if you want too….???
So we diagnosing people now? lol
Mental Health issues and or counseling are simply not priorities to many black folk, primarily because we have other things to worry about. Simply put most of us are not about to pay to “talk to someone”. I know that’s minimizing the importance of counseling, but I think it’s seen as a privilege more than a priority in our community.
Exactly!!!…We are all a lil crazy in our own way!It is what it is….The key is to be able to manage it….We LOVE Erykah….Stop hating Sandra…Hell we think your ass crazy ASF too…(Agent Orange Supporter) #ShadyassSandra
Ditto!
Hmm, I don’t know about blacks suffering most from mental illness, where did these statistics come from? Considering that blacks are the least diagnosed for mental illness and we damn sure can’t use it as an out in court.
I wish people would just get help and stop being so stubborn and embarrassed about shit. I’ve been to therapists and I’ve seen psychiatrists, but so what??? Who gives a shit?? Had it not been for them, I would be dead in the ground and I wouldn’t have had the chance to experience more of the world, nor would I have had the chance to be a mother to my child. So to every mental health worker, therapist counselor, psychiatrist, and psychiatric nurses, I say thank you for all you do to help those in need and to save lives because life is worth living.
P.S. There are ways to receive mental health treatment at low cost or at no cost to you. Research and use your resources.
I’m a huge advocate for mental issues in our community. I have family member who have suffered in shame, became drug addicts from self medicating and committed suicide. Jesus is not the answer. SIDE NOTE: Sandra, this is not the “face” of mental illness..smdh.
ok
Badu is an eccentric QUEEN!!! So does this alos mean Janell Monae and Lady Gaga also suffer from mental illness? And contrary to what people believe she does not smoke weed lol. She is holistic and earthly and a Dallas treasure!
im a cali girl!!! FAH-LIFE
Kimora was married to two of the fathers of her children.
Erika not so much.
let’s discuss keke wyatt. erykah is fine.
Does it matter though IJS the kids still have different daddies and none of the relationships worked out whether it was on paper or not
Noooooo but thanks 4 keeping me woke I didn’t no that.I try to learn something new everyday thanks
Erykah is so beautiful.
I’m lost! How did you come to the conclusion that she’s the face of mental illness? ? I am part of those IG followers that liked her post. ?????
Yeah I hear yeah!
Yeah I hear yeah!
Hahaha…spoken like a serial baby mama
We’ve been enslaved, raped, lynched, fed to alligators, put in zoos, forced to work over 220 million hours for free and you don’t know how we lead in mental illness?
She loves to paint and therefore painted her face. Nothing to read into.
So am I. I don’t get how she is mentally ill from a post on IG I am confused too. I get where she is coming from truth be told she is as real as they come.
Sunni there are a lot of Black people that deal with mental illness I have a few people in my family trust me it is real. In the Black community we still see this topic as taboo. We don’t take this illness seriously.
Eryka isn’t mental, She’s artistic…. She marches to a different drum. Her style is crazy but I think that’s what her fans like about her. She definitely isn’t conforming to what’s considered normal…
It is more of a necessity than a privilege I get what you are stating though. We need to make it a priority just like we do everything else.
Excellent post^5.
And that’s why I like her.
She definitely isn’t conforming to what’s considered normal.
How do you know if her kids are functional? We hardly ever see them and we damn sure have never heard them speak lol
Okay…Sandra is just being messy with this article….there’s no connection to this picture to her work around mental illness and you mention she has three baby daddies….that is just messy and shady.
I agree that it should be prioritized, as everybody could stand to go. Trust me I have been dating a Counselor for 5 years now, so I get the importance. But realistically middle to lower classed black family is likely not about to pay or afford counseling anytime soon.
But the paint or makeup doesn’t match nor does in coordinate with the rest of the colors. WTH??? I love doing my makeup too, but not like that! And if you want to paint, why not put it on paper???
SMH at this mess…
This is true.
I can see how it leads to aggression, hate of our oppressors and even self hate and the family dynamic. But mental illness na, not to say it doesn’t exist.
I feel you but an artist can paint anywhere and anything with any colors. They do not always have to match. Abstract.
Self hate is mental illness
Dumb article. Nothing mental about this artist.
In the words of Ms. Badu…”What you gone do when they come for you?”
Watch out Sandra…Erykah Badu just might take 2 minutes out her day to set straight…BACK TO THE A!!!!
This is what you call ain’t sh”t to post today, so Imma make some sh”t up…..LOL…I mean…..REALLY SANDRA….For why tho? Leave Erykah alone….
You didn’t get deleted? You at least got blocked.
Kudos to you for seeking help. It’s so taboo in today’s culture….but foreal tho…Sandra was reaching for the stars with this one…She could’ve just did a Medical Minute and left Badu out of it….but nooooooooo
“I’m sensitive about my ish” is one of my favorite lines from her. Any true artist, feels exactly like this, especially when you create for yourself and not for others to criticize…… And criticism coming from persons who can’t or don’t do what you can, is annoying.
Sorry, sweetie I work in Psychiatric and Behavioral Sciences and YES…Black Men especially are walking around cray cray because its so taboo in our culture…at the very least we have a lot of depressed men…I digress…this post would be be 50 pages long…we definitely go untreated and we usually stash that crazy aunt or uncle in the room upstairs….
Just the way other celebrity kids let their demons be known. Be it paps pics, arrest, volunteering info via social media…. Disturbed celeb kids always come to light.
How do you know they’re not functional?
Lmao!! I can attest to this.
What credentials do you have to diagnose Badu as mentally ill? ? Lets not act like Badu just started marching to the beat of her own drum…She’s always been different…
I’m “mentally disordered” but I’m clear that I’m smarter and more productive on the internet than the author of this article. I also work in mental health so I’d really like to know what “doctors” is she talking about?
You add to the stigma with this article and should be ashamed of yourself. Perpetuating a stigma against an entire community just to have a blog post is reprehensible. If I were a person who never sought treatment, this article would be more likely to discourage me than encourage me. Try again please and be nicer to the black people who need help and need to feel safe and accepted while doing it.
Sure hope sandra doesn’t get sued by this article or just the tittle alone.
Only one she’s was married to
Sandra, Auntie, boo, Erykah got bars. She understands rhythm and rhyme and syncopation and all kinds of other wonderful things about sound. That’s what that is. She’s actually being brilliant; ill, but not mentally ill.
Probably so. Erykah seems to be a free spirit and she gets dogged because she has a lot of kids with different men. Well, if she does need help, I hope she gets it. She’s probably just a little weird like me. I’m a free spirit too, I just march to the beat of my own drum, not trying to follow or conform to anyone or anything. She’s always been very pretty though, still looks so young :)!
P.S. The paint on her face doesn’t match though! LOL!
Yep.? Imma savage…gotta be nowadays.
Celebrity kids are hot topic for these celebs…I haven’t heard anything about her kids. Must be kinda quiet and well behaved…yes quiet=good kidsTo mEE…
I’m high ,never mind mee
Sandra, don’t be jealous… none of us will look as good as Badu when we turn 2,221,146! ?
Say it again!! Sandra be sounding so salty…?
Mental Illness is a serious issue, and more needs to be done about it. Glad Erykah Badu is speaking on it. She has such a pretty face, looking like she is 23.
well shes always been given a “hall pass” for her antics and expressions bc shes music royalty and always will. shes crazy as hell and likely on drugs… as the entire entertainment industry is.
Oh please
a pretty, artistic chick paints her face in a creative & colorful way and that signifies mental illnessess?????
She sounds quite intelligible in the actual article:
“I had the pleasure of styling PYER MOSS’ 2016 fall show. [Kerby] decided to focus on Depression as the theme of his show. I was focused on helping him communicate this. DOUBLE BIND, the title of the show, is a term that describes two conflicting ideas. Bi-Polar disorder or Depression is a subject that is discussed very little in our community and is over shadowed by what people would rather call “crazy.”
Now if you’re looking for a truly mentally unstable public figure on social media, I can point you in the right direction…
Touche! LOL!!!
According recent studies mental isllness affects more blacks then any other race”? Yea fkn right sandra. I really think thats the craziest thing you have ever said! What studies say this? Based on what lady.. smh how the hell do you account for all these mass murders that are actually not taking place at the hands of black people. The lies you tell women. Smh I hope yall dont believe this bs ..
Facts! I dont consider her music royalty tho ?.
I love her. At least she is not Lauren Hill. Now that is bat shix crazy.
Where did this recent study come from and who did it? How many people in the community were subjected to this so called study…all of em? I don’t recall being tested or questioned.
?.
Sandra, as you are also popular on social media, did you not consider her “2,221,146” reference to mean how many followers she might have???????
.. And I think you would be correct! Sandra does the mostes! ? ?
She’s just really eccentric…. But we all know she smokes big herbs! ?
And u betta SAY THAT SHIT! ?? ?? ?? ??
I agree it is.
… But, she don’t hear you tho!
Blog hostess, doin the mostest! I like it. Lol! ?
Oh so you do use witchcraft to heal or are you not on bloodpressure pills.. why isn’t your mind telling your body to lower its blood pressure? If rehab is a scam but part of the medical world then all of it is.. I see you still can’t distinguish mental from spiritual issues.. the spiritual issue are handled SPPIRITUALLLY ie deliverance… please read the bible or better yet google the scripture that states we are a three part being mind body and spirit..the doctors are dealing with the mind as such as a medical deals with the body…again only God can deliver the spirit..but I can’t continue to argue the truth at you.. you take care.
indeed. That is why sooo many of us are dealing..sometimes in secret, mental issues.. look the brain is an organ just as the heart kidney and lungs..and if those organs can have issue..it stands to reason that the brain can also.. thanks for your comment.
I think it’s her age in days.
She would be a great model for microblading…
Yes, I did. But what does that have to do with anything? The rest of her comment is unintelligible and childish.
Lol stop
“I really think thats the craziest thing you have ever said! ”
I’ll take that as a compliment.
She’s futuristic lol
Most brilliant musicians are mentally ill. Google it.
if you say so…. opinions…. noses…. etc. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/68bc52b2a4f54f3dc0d4dea29ec0c12c203c19b65d4d18beb2fbbd13d0be6a55.gif
… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/615d380290005c75f2b73b61063d678adb00cb683258e4273a2f5c12b8d5723d.gif
Smh
I LOVE HER!
Okay I dont get it and dont want too.
If that’s the case, this should have been said a few albums ago lol
So being eccentric or artistic signifies mental illness?? I’m confused? I guess other eccentric artists that are selling are mentally ill too.
“…Badu, who has 3 teenagers with 3 rappers, is a vocal supporter of mental health issues…” Yeah…she would have had 4 babies from 4 different rappers, but Common had enough sense to keep his condom on.
Jess, this website is following the journalistic license that Facebook took during the Trump election, “…if it is posted on social media, then it cannot be fake news.”
Girl, Keke is not mental, she is just stupid.
Chile, Rohan Marley made Lauren Hill go crazy. Rohan played that same mess on Lauren Hill that his dad played on Rita Marley. Rohan is a product of a relationship his dad had outside his marriage to Rita Marley. Like father, like son. SMH
Smh.. thats a dam shame, because this is the biggest lie I have ever seen in my life. Woe
wow i got blocked that hit a nerve
Lol! Yeah, she blocks and deletes when you don’t agree or spit truth against her agenda….don’t take it personal, she takes her cues from Trump.