‘Brother, Let’s Talk’ addressing mental health during protest and pandemic

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A group of mental health professionals in Birmingham is reaching out to African American men with an important message: it’s OK to ask for help.

Brother, Let’s Talk said the COVID-19 pandemic has really brought mental health to the forefront.

And now with protests all across the nation and right here in Birmingham after George Floyd's death, the organization is hoping to spread more awareness of its mission.

Eddie Lamar Sharpe Jr., a Mental Health Therapist with Brother Let's Talk, said the video of Floyd's death repeatedly shown on TV and social media will cause anxiety, fear, and distress.

And he said, now more than ever, we need to prioritize our mental health by realizing your feelings and how you process them.

Sharpe encourages people to reach out to an objective third party, like a counselor, to listen and provide you with tools before you reach a boiling point.

"We are a community in pain. We are a community that has fear. We are a community that is struggling to try and find the solutions to what's going on," said Sharpe. "And for black men, we just have to continue to be vigilant at maintaining our mental health, at talking about the struggles that we have."

Brother Let's Talk says their mission is to make sure that anyone who needs someone to talk to can find someone to talk to.

They're also working on a way to provide free counseling to people in need.

To learn more about the resources Brother Let’s Talk provides, click here.

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