As a black woman in a society plagued with systemic racism, for Danquah, admitting that she was depressed was not an option. Society is set up in such a way where black individuals, especially women, cannot get help for mental illness. Depression is simply a “luxury” that black women “[can’t] afford” due to the number of responsibilities and expectations their communities place on them (Danquah 195). Social expectations for black women to be the backbone of their community, to always be strong, lead to the repression of mental health issues. This stigma that black women can’t prioritize their mental health prevents them from attaining treatment for mental illness. 

As Anna Mollow argues, this is a widespread issue, with Danquah’s experience being “commonplace for African American women seeking mental health care”  (Mollow 73). Mollow argues that part of this stigma that black Americans face in regards to mental illness is caused by healthcare providers who “remain in a passive state of denial concerning the therapeutic needs of black women” (Mollow 73). Not only do black women themselves hold the stigma that they “can’t afford” to be mentally ill, but healthcare providers further this stigma by denying that mental illness exists among black individuals.