This year for Women’s History Month, we are highlighting different women each week who, although you may have not heard of previously, have contributed greatly to society.
First to be highlighted is Katalin Karikó, PhD, for her contributions to mRNA technology and the COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Karikó is a biochemist, adjunct Professor of Neurosurgery and researcher at Penn Medicine.
Dr. Karikó and her colleagues invented the modified mRNA technology used in Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infection.
Katalin Karikó, PhD. Source: Consent – GMX
Born in Hungary, she has been working in the USA since 1985 at the University of Pennsylvania and more lately at BioNTech as a Senior Vice president. More than 15 years ago at Penn Medicine, Dr. Karikó and co-collaborator Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, found a way to modify mRNA and later developed a delivery technique to package the mRNA in lipid nanoparticles. This made it possible for mRNA to reach the proper part of the body and trigger an immune response to fight disease.
These laboratory breakthroughs made mRNA safe, effective, and practical for use as a vaccine against COVID. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received FDA approval in August 2021, and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized by the FDA for emergency use.
Now she is being honored for this by the Würzburg Societas Physico-Medica in Germany. She is “the woman behind the vaccine breakthrough”, as Euronews writes. She made “a discovery that now seems worthy of a Nobel Prize to many experts”, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. And for the New York Times, she is “the woman who helped protect the world from the new Corona virus”.
This award is the highest award in the life sciences at the University of Würzburg, and this is the first time the Societas Physico-Medica has awarded the prize to a woman.
“Without the fundamental work of Katalin Karikó, it would not have been possible to develop an effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 within such a short time.” – Professor Manfred Schartl, Chairman of Physico-Medica
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
This year for Black History Month, have been highlighting different mental illnesses each week and two prominent members in the Black community who have spoken out about their experiences with them. We aim to highlight that even though someone has a mental illness, they can still be successful.
Michael Jackson, aka the King of Pop, was an American singer, dancer, entertainer, and recording artist. His music career began in 1964 at only six years old, as part of the Jackson 5 – led by their father. Motown records signed the group, producing hit singles including: “I Want You Back,” and “ABC.” Jackson’s father pushed his music career so far that he was often physically abusive. Jackson wrote in Moonwalk, his 1988 autobiography, “We’d perform for him, and he’d critique us,” “If you messed up, you got hit, sometimes with a belt, sometimes with a switch.”
In the late 1970s, Jackson started his solo career and his claim to fame wasn’t long after. His second solo album, Thriller, had 110 million global sales and 29 million sales in the U.S. Jackson became the most famous pop singer in the world.
Despite Jackson’s worldwide success, he was thought to have Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). In the late 1980s, it became seemingly noticeable that Jackson had several cosmetic procedures that changed his facial structure, especially his nose. In a 1993 interview with Oprah, Jackson revealed his vitiligo – a skin disorder that causes the skin to lose its color. Skeptics were led to believe that he was using bleaching treatment to intentionally look white.
African Americans are less likely to seek treatment than white Americans because historically, they have received poor care by health professionals. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of Minority Health, Black adults are more likely than white adults to experience persistent symptoms of emotional distress, such as sadness, hopelessness, and feeling that they have to dedicate extra effort to everything they do. Similar to Jackson’s case, his own insecurities led to many surgical procedures in an attempt to match societal standards.
In Jackson’s final stages of life, he was in preparation for the This Is It tour to show the public that he still had what it takes as an entertainer. Unfortunately, his behavior started to portray signs of “paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-disorder-like behavior,” found in a series of emails written by director Kenny Ortega. Right up until his death, Jackson had an upbeat mentality and a strong enthusiasm during his final rehearsals, though appearing emotionally frail and physically thin. Jackson died at age 50 from cardiac arrest caused by an overdose of propofol – a sleeping pill.
Michael Jackson. Source: nme.com
Michael Jackson isn’t the only iconic Black singer that that faced challenges with mental illness. So has American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer, Mariah Carey.
Carey’s parents divorced at three years old. At age four, her mother, a voice coach, noticed her talent for operatic singing and gave her singing lessons. At age 18, she was signed by Colombia Records, after hearing her demo tape. Her first album included four No. 1 singles including: “Vision of Love,” “Love Takes Time,” “Some Day,” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry.“
In 2001, Carey was admitted to the hospital and put under psychiatric care after what her publicists called a “physical and emotional collapse.” At this point in time, she was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder.
Years later in 2018, she told People she refused to acknowledge her diagnoses. “Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me,” she said. “It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore.”
The stigma associated with mental illness is backed by the cultural belief in the Black community that only people who are “crazy” or “weak” see mental health professionals. Erica Richards, chair and medical director of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Sibley Memorial Hospital, says, “Anyone can experience mental illness. There is no group, gender, sexual identity, race or cultural belief that can prevent it from occurring.”
Carey turned her life around and reached out for help with therapy and medications. She is in a good place mentally and hopes one day that the stigma with mental health issues is eradicated. “I’m hopeful we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone. It can be incredibly isolating. It does not have to define you and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me.”
Mariah Carey. Source: npr.org
According to the Mayo Clinic, Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health disorder in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can’t be seen by others.
Signs and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder include: • Being extremely preoccupied with a perceived flaw in appearance that to others can’t be seen or appears minor • Strong belief that you have a defect in your appearance that makes you ugly or deformed • Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way or mock you • Engaging in behaviors aimed at fixing or hiding the perceived flaw that are difficult to resist or control, such as frequently checking the mirror, grooming or skin picking • Attempting to hide perceived flaws with styling, makeup or clothes • Constantly comparing your appearance with others • Frequently seeking reassurance about your appearance from others • Having perfectionist tendencies • Seeking cosmetic procedures with little satisfaction • Avoiding social situations
According to the Mayo Clinic, bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
People with bipolar disorder experience periods of unusually intense emotion, changes in sleep patterns and activity levels, and uncharacteristic behaviors—often without recognizing their likely harmful or undesirable effects.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
This year for Black History Month, we continue highlighting different mental illnesses each week and two prominent members in the Black community who have spoken out about their experiences with them. We aim to highlight that even though someone has a mental illness, they can still be successful.
Brandon Marshall was one of the NFL’s top wide receivers and best-known players during his 12-year professional football career. Success on the field didn’t translate to his personal life off the field, however, when something prematurely ended his NFL career, marriage, and nearly caused incarceration.
Drafted in 2006, Brandon played for Denver Broncos, going on play for the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, New York Giants, and finally the Seattle Seahawks in 2018. All the while setting numerous records and voted MVP at the 2012 Pro Bowl.
Brandon Marshall believes 1-4 Jets are in ‘perfect position’ to make playoffs. Source: thecomeback.com
However, his life off the field wasn’t as successful. Year after year he was charged with numerous infractions, including DUIs, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, suspicion of domestic violence and assault. By 2011 friends and family told him he needed help and that summer he went to the McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, where he was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
Learning about the disorder that had plagued him his entire life was a game changer. “When they diagnosed me, I just … exhaled — like the biggest exhale of my life. It was just a huge relief.”
“My emotions had been controlling me, and I was trapped — not by anything external, but by things that were inside me. But I couldn’t be the one to help myself. I needed to seek help.”
With football as his platform, Brandon aimed to show others that it’s okay to seek help for BPD. He spoke openly about his struggles with mental health, one of the first well-known athletes to do so.
“When I first heard the term mental health, the first thing that came to mind was mental toughness. Masking pain. Hiding it. Keeping it inside. That had been embedded in me since I was a kid. Never show weakness. Suck it up. Play through it. Live through it. Now, I realize that mental health means the total opposite.” Marshall regularly addresses groups about how important it is for people to seek help with BPD. He and his wife Michi cofounded Project 375 to increase awareness of BPD and other mental health issues to combat the associated stigma and raise funds for treatment.
Madison Bailey. Source: Bing Images
Well known Netflix series “Outer Banks” actress Madison Bailey has opened up in recent years about living with BPD in an interview Monday. She was diagnosed at age 17, but that did not stop her from becoming a successful actress.
“I got my diagnosis, and that’s what I needed — a word to call it other than ‘crazy.’ I started realizing my own triggers.” Now 23, Bailey told Entertainment Tonight that she manages BPD through meditation and crystals and by being aware of her own triggers. She also said there are some upsides to the diagnosis. “One of the main [pros] is that likes and dislikes change often, so my aesthetic changes often. My music taste changes often,” she shared. “I have a very broad personality, which allows me to connect with a lot of people.”
Though she’s still young, Madison Bailey takes her platform and the voice it gives her seriously. The TV star often uses her Instagram and other accounts to talk about issues that are close to her heart. As a Black woman and a member of the LGBTQ+ community herself, Bailey has spoken up about social justice for those communities.
According to the Mayo Clinic, borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is a mental health disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others, causing problems functioning in everyday life. It includes self-image issues, difficulty managing emotions and behavior, and a pattern of unstable relationships. Signs and symptoms may include: • An intense fear of abandonment, even going to extreme measures to avoid real or imagined separation or rejection • A pattern of unstable intense relationships, such as idealizing someone one moment and then suddenly believing the person doesn’t care enough or is cruel • Rapid changes in self-identity and self-image that include shifting goals and values, and seeing yourself as bad or as if you don’t exist at all • Periods of stress-related paranoia and loss of contact with reality, lasting from a few minutes to a few hours • Impulsive and risky behavior, such as gambling, reckless driving, unsafe sex, spending sprees, binge eating or drug abuse, or sabotaging success by suddenly quitting a good job or ending a positive relationship • Suicidal threats or behavior or self-injury, often in response to fear of separation or rejection • Wide mood swings lasting from a few hours to a few days, which can include intense happiness, irritability, shame or anxiety • Ongoing feelings of emptiness • Inappropriate, intense anger, such as frequently losing your temper, being sarcastic or bitter, or having physical fights
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
This year for Black History Month, we will be highlighting different mental illnesses each week and two prominent members in the Black community who have spoken out about their experiences with them. We aim to highlight that even though someone has a mental illness, they can still be successful.
Earl Simmons, better known by his stage name DMX, is a multi-Platinum American rapper and actor. He grew up in the projects, where robbery was commonplace. He robbed from drug dealers and spent much of his adolescence in and out of juvenile detention and youth home groups. As an escape route, he found his passion for Hip-Hop rapping.
At age 14, DMX was introduced to crack cocaine after being tricked into smoking a cigarette laced with the drug. For years, he downplayed his mental health and substance abuse issues and intended to focus on his music career. However, in a Dr. Phil interview, he revealed his suffering from bipolar disorder – a disease that causes severe mood swings between mania and depression.
DMX wasn’t the first Black artist to open up to the world about his mental health. Other black hip-hop artists like The Notorious B.I.G. introduced “Suicidal Thoughts” in 1994 and the Geto Boys 1991 release “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” about the realities of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) from living in the hood.
As studies have shown, Black Americans are less likely to seek psychological help than white Americans. The main reasons are that Black people have historically received worse care from health professionals, leading to more misdiagnoses. Mental-health issues often aren’t seen as being “real” within the community, especially Black men, indicating signs of weakness. DMX’s internal struggles were made a part of his narrative; he focused on living his truth, disregarding these beliefs. This was groundbreaking for Black men.
In DMX’s last years, he focused more on sobriety and connecting with God. “Every day, I start my day off with a prayer to ask the Lord to guide my steps. Cover me and keep me safe. Every album, there’s a gospel song and a prayer. Every album, from the beginning.” For him, mental illness was not seen as a weakness, rather a strength to share his story and help others dealing with similar situations.
DMX. Source: subliminaltees.com
Black women also face challenges with drug addiction, like American musician, actress, and model, Mary J. Blige.
Blige had a troublesome childhood due to her mother’s alcoholism and her father’s abuse. Her father left the family when she was 4 years old.
Blige and her mother moved to the projects to escape the abuse, but it seemed to follow them. According to Biography, she said, “I’d hear women screaming and running down the halls from guys beating up on them,” People chased us with weapons. I never saw a woman there who wasn’t abused. It was a dangerous place.”
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul’s 1994 album, “My Life” was inspired by these difficult childhood circumstances. She admits to severe depression during this part of her life. According to the New York Daily News, she said “‘My Life’ is probably my darkest album at one of my darkest times I had,” Blige says in the trailer, according to the New York Daily News. “Most of the times, I was just depressed and didn’t want to live.”
At just the age of 5, she was sexually assaulted. The detriment from this unsettling experience led to substance abuse in her teenage years and adulthood. Her alcoholism and substance abuse became an escape route from the childhood trauma.
Eventually, she was able to turn her life around and find a stable peace of mind. In 2021, she featured in the Amazon documentary, “My Life” about her difficult past experiences. Speaking her truth helped her to heal and found beauty in living to tell the story, according to Billboard. Blige remains one of the biggest sensations in the music industry and inspires many women around the world with her successes.
Mary J. Blige. Source: nypost.com
Both stars dealt with unstable housing in their childhood, which led to serious mental health issues down the road. According to a study by Mental Health America, black people living in poverty are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress. The same study also found that binge drinking, smoking and illicit drug use are more frequent among Black adults with mental illnesses. Although these correlations are striking, both artists learned to find peace with themselves and overcome their battles by sharing their narratives.
Addiction is the inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a behavior though it is causing psychological and physical harm.
The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as “a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.” Symptoms of addiction include: • declining grades or difficulty at school • poor performance at work • relationship difficulties, which often involve lashing out at people who identify the addiction • an inability to stop using a substance even though it may be causing health problems or personal problems, such as issues with employment or relationships • a noticeable lack of energy in daily activities • profound changes in appearance, including weight loss and a noticeable abandonment of hygiene • appearing defensive when asked about substance use
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
This year for Black History Month, we will be highlighting different mental illnesses each week and two prominent members in the Black community who have spoken out about their experiences with them. We aim to highlight that even though someone has a mental illness, they can still be successful.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is an actor, businessman, and former professional wrestler, known as one of Hollywood’s tough guys and top earners. Seemingly someone who has it all together, the former wrestler-turned-actor started shedding light a few years ago on his battle with depression.
He first experienced depression after not getting drafted into the NFL after playing collegiate football. “Struggle and pain is real. I was devastated and depressed,” Johnson said in an interview with The Daily Express. “I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere. I was crying constantly.”
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Source: oasisapp.com
It took time, hard work and self-empathy for The Rock to get through the difficult times. Rates of major depressive disorder in young Black adults ages 18 to 25 increased by more than 3 percent between 2015 and 2018, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), yet Black Americans of all age groups are less likely to seek treatment than white Americans. While Black Americans experience similar rates of mental illness as other Americans in general, research finds that Black men are more likely to endorse aspects of traditional masculine ideology, such as the need to act tough and in control and to avoid emotional expression.
Because of this many Black men are not receiving the help they need for these problems. For example, only 26.4% of Black and Hispanic men ages 18 to 44 who experienced daily feelings of anxiety or depression were likely to have used mental health services, compared with 45.4% of non-Hispanic White men with the same feelings (NCHS Data Brief No. 206, 2015).
“Took me a long time to realize it but the key is to not be afraid to open up,” he continued. “Especially us dudes have a tendency to keep it in. You’re not alone.”
Successful women have also gone through depression, like Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams. In fact, depression facts and statistics commonly report that women are two times more likely to suffer from depression than men. Tenitra Michelle Williams is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame in the 2000s as a member of R&B girl group Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling female groups of all time with over 60 million records.
During her time within Destiny’s Child, Michelle suffered from anxiety after years of being negatively compared to her bandmates. “For a lot of folks, it was Beyoncé, Kelly, and ‘that other girl,’” she writes. The singer was bombarded with negative thoughts, like, “Maybe they’re right. Maybe I should quit. Maybe I’m not talented. Maybe I am a joke.”
Michelle has written a book about her battle with depression, ‘Checking In.’ (Courtesy of Thomas Nelson)
Though she suffered for years, Michelle wasn’t diagnosed with clinical depression until she was 30 – years after she left the group – when she went to see a therapist. Nearly a decade after that she checked herself into a treatment facility after having suicidal thoughts following a breakup with her then fiancé.
In her book, Checking In, she aims to remove the stain of shame from mental illness and to encourage people to seek help if they need it. “Depression is an assassin,” Michelle writes. “It acts like a silent, slow killer. And if you don’t deal with it, it can just swallow you up.” Michelle urges her fans, and anyone struggling to check in and not ignore their feelings of depression and anxiety.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. It can cause trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes feel as if life isn’t worth living.
More than just a “bout of the blues”, depression isn’t a weakness, and you can’t simply “snap out” of it. Depression may require long-term treatment. But fortunately, most people with depression feel better with medication, psychotherapy or both (Mayo Clinic). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) lists experiencing the following signs and symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, as a likelihood that you may be suffering from depression:
• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood • Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism • Irritability • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities • Decreased energy or fatigue • Moving or talking more slowly • Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions • Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping • Appetite and/or weight changes • Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts • Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
During Black History Month, we are highlighting some of the top Black professionals in the mental health field that many have not heard of.
This week we are highlighting Freda C. Lewis-Hall, M.D., DFAPA, one of the largest and most significant players in the field of medication and pharmaceuticals, and her story as a black female doctor is empowering and humbling.
Born in 1955 in Baltimore, MD, Freda C. Lewis-Hall dreamed of becoming a doctor from a young age.
Freda C. Lewis-Hall, M.D. Source: salem.edu
Her first year in medical school was the most difficult year of her life. Medical school to begin with is an uphill battle, a few weeks into her classes, the steep path became even more daunting when her future husband, Randy, was sent to immediate exploratory surgery to check out a suspicious mass. Cancer. Constant worry and frequent trips to visit Randy started to interfere with her studies, though she persevered and somehow passed her exams, and Randy was on the mend.
The good news was short lived however, as tragedy struck over summer break when her mother unexpectedly passed away from a stroke. The shock of the unanticipated loss while attempting to care for her family and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandmother drained her physically and emotionally. She returned to medical school ready to take a leave of absence, fully aware that the chances of her returning if doing so would be slim.
By chance, on her way to request leave, she ran into her mentor, Dr. Lasalle D. Leffall, Jr., a legendary surgeon and professor. He listened as she spoke of her rationale for leave. He told her that he believed in her promise as a healer and as a leader and understood the pressures. Was she ready to give up on a dream that she had since she was six?
Freda went on to earn her B.S. degree from Johns Hopkins University and her medical doctorate from Howard University in Washington, DC.
Freda spent her first few years as a medical professional working on the frontlines of psychiatric care, earning recognition as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She was also an associate professor of the Department of Psychiatry for Howard University.
She then transitioned into working behind the scenes in a career in biopharmaceuticals bringing her expertise and experience of years in the field of psychiatry and mental health into the process of developing medication. She served as Pfizer, Inc.’s Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President until the end of 2018 and as Chief Patient Officer and Executive Vice President during 2019.
In these roles, Dr. Lewis-Hall expanded outreach to patients, reshaped the focus on patient engagement and inclusion, improved health information and education and amplified the voice of the patient within company culture and decision-making. She was responsible for the safe, effective and appropriate use of Pfizer medicines and vaccines.
Among her other various accomplishments are:
In 2010, Dr. Lewis-Hall was appointed by the Obama Administration to the inaugural Board of Governors for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Savoy’s Top Influential Women in Corporate America in 2012
“Woman of the Year” by Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s in 2011
25 Most Influential African Americans in health care by Black Health Magazine
Freda C. Lewis-Hall, MD is tough, to say the least, and her continued involvement in mental health makes her a role model for aspiring psychiatrists and mental health professionals.
