Mental health, like money, is often a taboo topic. It’s also a topic that has terminology associated with it that’s usually used incorrectly, namely equating mental health with mental illness and sadness with depression. In fact, many of us equate sadness with depression, but the truth is they’re very different.
In today’s episode, I sit down with T-Kea Blackman author of Saved & Depressed: A Suicide Survivor’s Journey of Mental Health, Healing & Faith and owner of Fireflies Unite, a mental health media and communications company. T-Kea and I go deep into the topic of mental health. We cover everything from T-Kea’s own struggle with depression and her attempted suicide to society’s understanding of mental health.
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About T-Kea Blackman
T-Kea Blackman, MPS (also known as Kea) is a mental health advocate, speaker and author. She is the owner of Fireflies Unite, a mental health media and communications company.
She is also the creator and host of the Fireflies Unite Podcast, a weekly podcast dedicated to bringing light into darkness–just like fireflies–by sharing the stories of individuals with mental illness who are thriving within communities of color despite the disadvantages and racism that negatively impacts their mental health.
​Described as an inspiration, her heartfelt and powerful story is a testament that anyone can thrive despite having a mental illness. T-Kea was diagnosed with major depression and generalized anxiety disorders and is a suicide survivor. She previously worked in the television industry as a publicist and production/talent coordinator.
Within her career, she provided support to TV One’s signature award-winning shows Unsung and Unsung Hollywood, BET’s Black Girls Rock!, The Soul Train Awards and BET X Youth Experience. Her diagnosis led her to use her communications and media skills to raise awareness for mental illness within communities of color.
T-Kea wrote her first book, Saved & Depression: A Suicide Survivor’s Journey Of Mental Health, Healing, & Faith to educate her community on mental health, as well it encourages them to seek treatment.
To follow T-Kea’s journey and listen to her podcast, visit www.firefliesunite.com and connect with her @firefliespod on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Saved & Depressed: T-Kea’s Journey
In T-Kea’s book she talks specifically about her own mental health, her healing process and her faith. One of the questions she asked herself while in the psychiatric unit of a hospital following her attempted suicide is:“How does someone with an apartment, a car, two college degrees and a promising career end up in a place she was told was for crazy people?”
T-Kea believed the people who ended up needing psychiatric care were people who were homeless, who talked to themselves and who were in disarray. She didn’t know there could actually be something going on internally with these people and ultimately with herself.
In fact, she remembers saying to one of the nurses, “I don’t belong here.” And the nurse replied, “You’re here because your brain is sick. Just like you would go to a cardiologist if you were having issues with your heart. Right now, you’re here because your brain is sick and we’re working to figure out how to help you move forward.”
Even T-Kea’s aunt told her she didn’t belong there with “those people,” and I’m sure many of us would tell someone the same thing in an effort to be helpful and to encourage them to “snap out of it.”
But the truth is … it’s deeper than that.
“High achieving doesn’t mean you can’t have poor mental health.” – T-Kea Blac