David Harewood’s Exploration of Black British Identity and Mental Health – Maybe I don’t Belong Here

David Harewood is a critically acclaimed actor who has starred in Homeland, Blood Diamond, and The Night Manager. He is also a survivor of a psychotic breakdown that led him to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act when he was 23 years old. In his memoir, Maybe I Don’t Belong Here, he shares his experience of growing up as a Black British man and the impact of racism and trauma on his mental health.

The book is a powerful and provocative account of a life lived after psychosis. Harewood reveals how he struggled with a series of negative work experiences, from bullying to bad reviews, that eroded his confidence and self-esteem. He also uncovers devastating family history and investigates the systemic inequalities and discrimination that affect Black people in Britain.

Unfortunately, Harewood’s story is not unique. Research shows that young men in the UK are particularly vulnerable to developing psychosis, with rates of the condition being higher among men than women. These disparities are driven by factors such as poverty, bias, stigma, and stereotypes. Black people are more likely to live in disadvantaged circumstances, face racial harassment and violence, and encounter barriers to accessing mental health services. They are also four times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than white people.

Maybe_I_don't_Belong_Here

David Harewood’s memoir is a timely and important contribution to the conversation about race and mental health in Britain. It challenges us to examine the systems and biases that continue to shape our society and affect the wellbeing of Black people. It also offers hope and inspiration to anyone who has experienced mental health issues or knows someone who has.

In this book, he tells his story with honesty and courage. Harewood explores how his breakdown was influenced by his experiences of growing up as a black British man in a predominantly white society. He talks about the racism, discrimination, and stigma that he faced and how they affected his mental health. He also investigates the systemic inequalities and biases that continue to shape our society and impact black people’s mental health.

I found this book very powerful and provocative. It made me think about the issues that black people face in Britain and how they are often ignored or dismissed. As someone who has a relative who has suffered from mental health issues, I know this all too well the significant impact that mental health and psychosis can have on a person.

I think this book is very important and relevant, especially in light of the systemic inequalities and discrimination that continue to shape our society and affect the wellbeing of Black people It’s not only a memoir, but also a call to action to examine ourselves and our society and to make positive changes.

You can buy Maybe I Don’t Belong here from the Bookshop or on Amazon.

Maybe I don’t Belong Here – David Harewood

When David Harewood was twenty-three, his acting career beginning to take flight, he had what he now understands to be a psychotic breakdown and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act. He was physically restrained by six police officers, sedated, then hospitalized and transferred to a locked ward. Only now, thirty years later, has he been able to process what he went through.

What was it that caused this breakdown and how did David recover to become a successful and critically acclaimed actor? How did his experiences growing up Black and British contribute to a rupture in his sense of his place in the world?

In this powerful and provocative account of a life lived after psychosis, critically acclaimed actor, David Harewood, uncovers devastating family history and investigates the very real impact of racism on Black mental health.