Rapper Kid Cudi's Facebook post revealing his struggle with depression and anxiety sparked a serious discussion about mental illness on social media.
Its been difficult for me to find the words to what Im about to share with you because I feel ashamed. Ashamed to be a...
Posted by Kid Cudi on Tuesday, October 4, 2016
On Twitter, several users pointed out the significance of the rapper being transparent about seeking inpatient treatment, especially within the black community where historically there has been a stigma regarding seeking help for mental illnesses .
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness , "only about one-quarter of African Americans seek mental health care, compared to 40% of whites."
Here are a few tweets from social media users sharing their own mental health struggles and supporting the musician for seeking help:
The news comes in the middle of National Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 2-8) and one user acknowledged Cudi's Facebook post using the #MIAW hashtag.
Kid Cudi has been very vocal about his mental health struggles throughout his career, releasing songs such as "Pursuit of Happiness" and "Day 'n' Night."
Fellow musician Chance the Rapper recently performed "Blessings (reprise)" on Jimmy Fallon with fellow musicians Anthony Hamilton, D.R.A.M., Ty Dolla $ign and Atlanta's Raury. Huffington Post's Black Voices associate editor Taryn Finley described the artists' interpolation of the "are you ready for your blessings" line from gospel singer Fred Hammond's "Let The Praise Begin" as "#blackboyjoy."
You don't have to be black, a male or a religious person to borrow some of their happiness if you're in need of some extra joy today.
