ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nikki Webber Allen - Multimedia producer
Nikki Webber Allen is working to create a safe space for honest conversations about mental health in communities of color.

Why you should listen

Nikki Webber Allen is a two-time Emmy winner with 20 years of experience producing content for media outlets including Warner Bros., HBO, ABC, 20th Century Fox and BET.

In 2013, while working as the vice president of casting and talent relations for the cable network TV One, Webber Allen lost her 22-year old nephew, Paul, to suicide after his years of struggle with depression and anxiety. Since then, she's become a passionate mental health advocate.

In Paul's honor, she launched the nonprofit I LIVE FOR... FOUNDATION, INC. to create a safe space for honest, unapologetic conversations about mental health in communities of color, where the cultural stigma of mental illness discourages far too many people from seeking help. Michael Eric Dyson, advisor to the foundation, has called I LIVE FOR… "an incredibly important organization that offers much-needed support to those who too often suffer in silence."

Webber Allen is currently producing and directing a documentary film featuring a diverse group of compelling young men and women who reject the stigma of mental illness and share candid stories about their experiences living with depression and anxiety. The film is being scored by her husband, musician Jeffrey Allen of the Grammy-nominated R&B band Mint Condition.

In 2016, Webber Allen was one of only 47 people chosen out of more than 1,000 applicants worldwide to receive a coveted scholarship to Marie Forleo's B-School for social entrepreneurs. She has an M.A. in media studies from The New School University in New York, NY and a B.A. in communications from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.

More profile about the speaker
Nikki Webber Allen | Speaker | TED.com
TED Residency

Nikki Webber Allen: Don't suffer from your depression in silence

نیکي ویبر آلین: خپل ژوند خفګان څخه په خاموشۍ کې مه ځوریږئ

Filmed:
2,292,266 views

احساسات لرل کومه کمزوري نده، مطلب يې دا چې مونږ انسانان یو
- Multimedia producer
Nikki Webber Allen is working to create a safe space for honest conversations about mental health in communities of color. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
What are you doing on this stage
0
956
4410
ددې سټیج مخې ته ددې ټولو خلکو مخې
00:17
in front of all these people?
1
5390
3118
ته څه کوئ؟
00:20
(Laughter)
2
8532
1374
(په خندا)
00:21
Run!
3
9930
1151
منډه کړئ!
00:23
(Laughter)
4
11105
1003
(په خندا)
00:24
Run now.
5
12132
1178
اوس منډه کړئ.
00:26
That's the voice of my anxiety talking.
6
14734
2967
دا زما د اندیښنو خبرې دي
00:30
Even when there's absolutely
nothing wrong,
7
18539
2936
که څه هم هیڅ خبره نشته
00:33
I sometimes get
this overwhelming sense of doom,
8
21499
3959
زه کله کله دا فشاري حس د تاثیر
لاندې راځم
00:37
like danger is lurking
just around the corner.
9
25482
2962
لکه په دې کونج کې چې کوم خطر متوجه وي
00:41
You see, a few years ago,
10
29057
2116
یو څو کاله وړاندې،
00:43
I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety
11
31197
2497
په ما کې اندیښنه او خفګان
00:45
and depression --
12
33718
1150
تشخیص شوی وو
00:47
two conditions that often go hand in hand.
13
35289
2420
چې دا داړه حالتونه خوا په خوا وي
00:50
Now, there was a time
I wouldn't have told anybody,
14
38073
4265
اوس، دا هغه وخت وو چې ما هیچا ته
نه ویلې
00:54
especially not in front of a big audience.
15
42362
2460
په ځانګړې توګه دومره خلکو مخکې
00:56
As a black woman,
16
44846
1527
د یو تورپوستې به حیث
00:58
I've had to develop
extraordinary resilience to succeed.
17
46397
3640
په دې برخه کې مې بریالیتوب تر لاسه کړی
01:02
And like most people in my community,
18
50061
1979
لکه زما په ټولنه کې د نورو خلکو په څير
01:04
I had the misconception that depression
was a sign of weakness,
19
52064
3808
ما سره داسې نا سمه مفکوره وه چې ژور خفګان
د کمزورۍ نښه ده
01:07
a character flaw.
20
55896
1536
او د شخصیت یو منفي ټکی
01:09
But I wasn't weak;
21
57456
1574
خو زه کمزوری نه وم،
01:11
I was a high achiever.
22
59054
1470
زه یوه لوړ هدف ترلاسه کونکی وم
01:12
I'd earned a Master's degree
in Media Studies
23
60925
2203
ما په رسنیزو مطالعو کې ماستري اغستې
01:15
and had a string of high-profile jobs
in the film and television industries.
24
63152
4109
او فلمي او تلویزیوني صنعت کې مې په لوړو
دنددو کار کړی دی
01:19
I'd even won two Emmy Awards
for my hard work.
25
67734
3050
ما د ډير کار له امله د ایمي جایزې هم اغستي
01:23
Sure, I was totally spent,
26
71436
3016
دقیقا، ما ډير وخت مصرف کړی وو
01:26
I lacked interest in things
I used to enjoy,
27
74476
2670
هغه څه څخه چې خوند مې ځيني اغسته، پکې
لیواله نه وم
01:29
barely ate,
28
77170
1298
لږ خوراک به مې کوه
01:30
struggled with insomnia
29
78492
1903
بې خوبۍ به ځوریدم
01:32
and felt isolated and depleted.
30
80419
2624
او یواځې او ګوښه احساس مې کاوه
01:35
But depressed?
31
83562
1352
خو ژور خفګان؟
01:36
No, not me.
32
84938
1524
نا، زه نه یم
01:39
It took weeks before I could admit it,
33
87921
2206
څو اونیو کې په دې بریالۍ شوم چې دا ومنم
01:42
but the doctor was right:
34
90151
1429
خو ډاکټرانو هم سم ویلې
01:43
I was depressed.
35
91604
1278
زه په ژور خفګان اخته وم
01:45
Still, I didn't tell anybody
about my diagnosis.
36
93411
3548
تر اوسه، ما خپل تشخیص باره کې هیچا ته
نه دي ویلي
01:49
I was too ashamed.
37
97522
1613
زه ډيره شرمیدم
01:51
I didn't think I had the right
to be depressed.
38
99159
2517
ما فکر کاوه چې د خفګان حق نه لرم
01:54
I had a privileged life
39
102418
1630
ما یوه مینه ناکې کورنۍ سره یوې
01:56
with a loving family
and a successful career.
40
104072
3100
ښې دندې څخه برخمنه وم
01:59
And when I thought about
the unspeakable horrors
41
107708
2592
او لکه مې چې نا ویونکې ډار باره کې فکر
کاوه
02:02
that my ancestors
had been through in this country
42
110324
2488
کوم چې زما نیکونو په دې هیواد کې تیر کړي
02:04
so that I could have it better,
43
112836
1968
نو اوس زه خوشبخته یم
02:06
my shame grew even deeper.
44
114828
1678
زما شرمیدل نور هم پسې ژور لاړل
02:08
I was standing on their shoulders.
45
116980
2093
زه د هغوی په اوږو بار وم
02:11
How could I let them down?
46
119097
1602
زه څنګه هغوی پاتې راولم؟
02:13
I would hold my head up,
47
121382
2053
ما به خپل سر بره نیوه
02:15
put a smile on my face
48
123459
2360
مسکا به مې کوله
02:17
and never tell a soul.
49
125843
1708
او هیچا ته مې نه ویل
02:22
On July 4, 2013,
50
130466
3277
د ۲۰۱۳ کال جولایي میاشت کې
02:26
my world came crashing in on me.
51
134479
2188
زما ژوند کې بدلون راغی
02:29
That was the day I got
a phone call from my mom
52
137399
2901
هغه ورځ وه چې مور مې راته زنګ ووهه
02:32
telling me that my 22-year-old nephew,
Paul, had ended his life,
53
140324
4190
او راته یی وویل چې زما ۲۲ کلن وراره، پال،
خپل ژوند له لاسه ورکړ
02:36
after years of battling
depression and anxiety.
54
144538
2641
څو کلونو ژوند خفګان او اندیښنو
څخه له جګړې وروسته
02:40
There are no words that can describe
the devastation I felt.
55
148668
3155
هاغسې حالاتو باره کې ویلو لپاره لغاتونه
نه لرم چې بیان يې کړم
02:44
Paul and I were very close,
56
152667
1294
پال او زه ډير سره نزدې وو
02:45
but I had no idea he was in so much pain.
57
153985
2054
خو ما هیڅ فکر نه کاوه چې هغه له څه ځوریږي
02:48
Neither one of us had ever talked
to the other about our struggles.
58
156696
3558
او مونږ هم هیڅکله یو بل ته دې باره کې څه
ویلي ول
02:52
The shame and stigma kept us both silent.
59
160278
2164
شرم مونږ دواړه چپ کړي وو
02:56
Now, my way of dealing with adversity
is to face it head on,
60
164161
4003
نو له هاغسې حالاتو سره مخ کیدو لپاره لارې
لرم
03:00
so I spent the next two years
researching depression and anxiety,
61
168188
3158
راتلونکي دوه کلونه مې د خفګان او اندیښنو
سره مبارزه کې څیړنې وکړې
03:03
and what I found was mind-blowing.
62
171370
2767
او هغه څه مې پیدا کړل چې حیرانونکي وي
03:06
The World Health Organization reports
63
174764
1974
د روغتیا نړیوال سازمان یو راپور کې ویلي
03:08
that depression is the leading cause
of sickness and disability
64
176762
5224
چې ژور خفګان د ناروغۍ او معیوبیت سبب ګرځي
03:14
in the world.
65
182010
1339
خو بیا د ژور خفګان
03:16
While the exact cause
of depression isn't clear,
66
184039
2991
سبب روښانه نه دی
03:19
research suggests
that most mental disorders develop,
67
187054
3098
څیړنو ښودلې چې عصبي ګډوډي
03:22
at least in part,
68
190176
1727
لږ تر لږه د مغزو په یوه
03:23
because of a chemical
imbalance in the brain,
69
191927
2655
برخه کې د کمیاوي موادو ګډوډي وي
03:26
and/or an underlying
genetic predisposition.
70
194606
3902
او یا کوم ارثي دلیل ولري
03:31
So you can't just shake it off.
71
199041
2161
نو ځان په اسانۍ ترې نه شئ خلاصولی
03:34
For black Americans,
72
202907
1731
د تور پوستو امریکایانو لپاره
03:36
stressors like racism
and socioeconomic disparities
73
204662
4056
د نژاد پرستۍ او ټولنیز اقتصادي توپیرونه
د نورو په پرتله
03:40
put them at a 20 percent greater risk
of developing a mental disorder,
74
208742
5040
شل سلنه زیات تور پوستي په عصبي ګډوډۍ
اخته کیږي
03:45
yet they seek mental health services
75
213806
2412
او بیا د سپین پوستو په پرتله ۵۰ سلنه يې
03:48
at about half the rate of white Americans.
76
216242
2739
د درملنې څخه ګټه اخلي.
03:51
One reason is the stigma,
77
219544
2850
ددې یو دلیل شرم دی
03:54
with 63 percent of black Americans
mistaking depression for a weakness.
78
222418
6217
دری شپیته سلنه تور پوستي امریکایان
په غلطۍ ژور خفګان کمزوري ګڼي
04:01
Sadly, the suicide rate
among black children
79
229603
4258
بدبختانه، په تیرو ۲۰ کلونو کې د ماشومانو
04:05
has doubled in the past 20 years.
80
233885
2687
ځان وژنه دوه چنده شوې ده
04:09
Now, here's the good news:
81
237843
2205
نو اوس ښه خبره دلته دا ده
04:12
seventy percent of people
struggling with depression will improve
82
240603
4282
اویا سلنه خلک د ژور خفګان سره مبارزې لپاره
04:16
with therapy, treatment and medication.
83
244909
3357
له تراپي، درملنې او درملو څخه ګټه اخلي
04:21
Armed with this information,
84
249458
1662
له دې مالوماتو خبریدو وروسته
04:23
I made a decision:
85
251144
1707
ما یوه پریکړه وکړه
04:24
I wasn't going to be silent anymore.
86
252875
2968
زه به نوره چپ نه شم
04:28
With my family's blessing,
87
256740
1803
زما د کورنۍ په برکت
04:30
I would share our story
88
258567
1893
زه به خپله کیسه شریکوم
04:32
in hopes of sparking
a national conversation.
89
260484
2814
تر څو ملي بحث برخه وګرځي
04:36
A friend, Kelly Pierre-Louis, said,
90
264140
2771
یو ملګری کیلی پيير لیوس ویلي
04:38
"Being strong is killing us."
91
266935
2491
قوي اوسیدل مونږ وژني
04:42
She's right.
92
270743
1419
هغې سم ویلي
04:44
We have got to retire
those tired, old narratives
93
272186
4022
مونږ باید هغه زاړه روایتونه پریږدو
04:48
of the strong black woman
94
276232
1555
چې تورې پوستې قوي ښځې
04:49
and the super-masculine black man,
95
277811
2210
او تکړه تور پوستي ځلمیان
04:52
who, no matter how many times
they get knocked down,
96
280045
2920
څوک، که هر څو ځله هغوی وغورځول شي
04:54
just shake it off and soldier on.
97
282989
2235
نو ایسته يې لرې کړئ
04:57
Having feelings isn't a sign of weakness.
98
285770
3715
احساس درلودل د کمزورۍ نښه نه ده
05:02
Feelings mean we're human.
99
290521
1883
احساس درلودل د انسانیت نښه ده
05:04
And when we deny our humanity,
100
292850
2019
او کله چې له انسانیته منکریږو
05:06
it leaves us feeling empty inside,
101
294893
2116
نو له دننه څخه خالي کیږو
05:09
searching for ways to self-medicate
in order to fill the void.
102
297033
3004
ځان لپاره تداوي کوو تر څو دا خالي ګاه
ډکه کړو
05:12
My drug was high achievement.
103
300585
2745
زما درملنه یوه غټه لاسته راوړنه وه
05:16
These days, I share my story openly,
104
304371
3301
په دې ورځو کې زه خپله کیسه په ازادانه
ډوله نورو سره شریکوم
05:19
and I ask others to share theirs, too.
105
307696
2210
او له هغوی غواړم خپلې راسره شریکې کړي
05:22
I believe that's what it takes
106
310406
1448
زما په فکر همدا يې لاره ده
05:23
to help people who may
be suffering in silence
107
311878
2595
چې هغه خلکوسره چې چپتیا کې ځوریږي
05:26
to know that they are not alone
108
314497
2209
او هغوی ته احساس ورکړو چې یواځې نه دي
05:28
and to know that with help,
109
316730
1685
او چې پوه شي مرسته کولی شي
05:30
they can heal.
110
318439
1341
دا مرض دوا کړي
05:31
Now, I still have my struggles,
111
319804
2165
زه اوس هم خپلې هڅې جاري ساتم
05:33
particularly with the anxiety,
112
321993
2288
په ځانګړې توګه خپلو اندیښو سره.
05:36
but I'm able to manage it
113
324305
1603
خو زه کولای شم اداره يې کړم
05:37
through daily mediation,
yoga and a relatively healthy diet.
114
325932
4874
د هره ورځ درملو، یوګا او روغتیایي پرهیز
په مرسته
05:42
(Laughter)
115
330830
1068
(په خندا)
05:43
If I feel like things
are starting to spiral,
116
331922
2222
که فکر وکړم چې شیان مارپیچې کیږي
05:46
I make an appointment to see my therapist,
117
334168
2044
نو خپل تیراپست سره ګورم
05:48
a dynamic black woman
named Dawn Armstrong,
118
336236
3063
یوه تکړه تورپوستې ښځه ډاکټره چې
ډام ارمسټرانګ نومیږي
05:51
who has a great sense of humor
119
339323
1973
چې یو طبیعي حس او اشنایي لري
05:53
and a familiarity that I find comforting.
120
341320
2237
چې دا زما لپاره ارامونکې ده
05:57
I will always regret
121
345126
1638
زه تل پښیماني څرګندوم
05:59
that I couldn't be there for my nephew.
122
347390
2066
چې زه ولې خپل وراره سره هلته نه وم
06:02
But my sincerest hope
123
350226
1787
خو زه د زړه دا هیله لرم
06:04
is that I can inspire others
with the lesson that I've learned.
124
352695
3071
چې زه خپلو زده کړو نه نورو ته څه ورزده کړم
06:11
Life is beautiful.
125
359182
2470
ژوند ډير ښایسته دی
06:14
Sometimes it's messy,
126
362646
1562
کله کله ګډوډیږي
06:16
and it's always unpredictable.
127
364232
1934
خو تل ناڅاپي وي
06:19
But it will all be OK
128
367034
1203
خو هر څه به سم شي
06:20
when you have your support system
to help you through it.
129
368261
2785
کله چې خپل سیستم له لارې
مرسته وکړې
06:23
I hope that if your burden gets too heavy,
130
371513
2421
زه هیله لرم که بار مو ډیر دروند شو
06:25
you'll ask for a hand, too.
131
373958
1706
نو له یو چا به مرسته وغواړې.
06:27
Thank you.
132
375688
1167
مننه
06:28
(Applause)
133
376879
2882
Translated by Ahmad Tariq
Reviewed by tariqq khan

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nikki Webber Allen - Multimedia producer
Nikki Webber Allen is working to create a safe space for honest conversations about mental health in communities of color.

Why you should listen

Nikki Webber Allen is a two-time Emmy winner with 20 years of experience producing content for media outlets including Warner Bros., HBO, ABC, 20th Century Fox and BET.

In 2013, while working as the vice president of casting and talent relations for the cable network TV One, Webber Allen lost her 22-year old nephew, Paul, to suicide after his years of struggle with depression and anxiety. Since then, she's become a passionate mental health advocate.

In Paul's honor, she launched the nonprofit I LIVE FOR... FOUNDATION, INC. to create a safe space for honest, unapologetic conversations about mental health in communities of color, where the cultural stigma of mental illness discourages far too many people from seeking help. Michael Eric Dyson, advisor to the foundation, has called I LIVE FOR… "an incredibly important organization that offers much-needed support to those who too often suffer in silence."

Webber Allen is currently producing and directing a documentary film featuring a diverse group of compelling young men and women who reject the stigma of mental illness and share candid stories about their experiences living with depression and anxiety. The film is being scored by her husband, musician Jeffrey Allen of the Grammy-nominated R&B band Mint Condition.

In 2016, Webber Allen was one of only 47 people chosen out of more than 1,000 applicants worldwide to receive a coveted scholarship to Marie Forleo's B-School for social entrepreneurs. She has an M.A. in media studies from The New School University in New York, NY and a B.A. in communications from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.

More profile about the speaker
Nikki Webber Allen | Speaker | TED.com