Healing Depression: Having the Courage to Sit in Sadness without Looking Away

Black Women North of 50

What if the heaviness you carry isn’t "just life"—but a silent thief stealing your joy, sleep, and voice?

In this episode of Black Women North of 50, psychiatrist Dr. Rhonda Williams sits down with host Wynn Helms to dissect depression’s grip on Black women over 50. In this episode, our experts talk from a deeply human and clinical perspective about why "pushing through" when experiencing depression is a dangerous myth, and how to spot the line between sadness and a crisis stealing your ability to function.

Dr. Williams pulls back the curtain on depression’s hidden grip:

• "Depression isn’t sadness—it’s a thief." She breaks down the stark line between normal emotions ("I’m having a rough day") and clinical depression ("I can’t get out of bed for weeks").
• Menopause’s silent role: How hormonal shifts after 50 amplify depression risk—and why "it’s just aging" is a dangerous myth.
• Stigma vs. survival: Why Black women delay seeking help (privacy, spirituality, generational trauma) and how the pandemic cracked open doors for honesty.
• "Antidepressants aren’t weakness—they’re tools." Dr. Williams dismantles fears about medication and therapy: "Healing is active. Pray and have a plan."

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