Analysis of Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery Essay

This argumentative essay delves into Dr. Na'im Akbar's 'Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery,' focusing on the mental and psychological impact of slavery on African Americans. It explores how historical experiences, including the brutality of the slave trade, have contributed to a 'slave mentality' and the lasting trauma. The essay highlights strategies for liberation, emphasizing the importance of faith, the removal of negative thinking, and the destruction of captivity mentality. It examines the influence of Caucasian images and religious inquiry on the psychology of African Americans, ultimately arguing that breaking the chains of mental slavery requires a conscious effort to address historical injustices and promote self-awareness. The essay concludes by emphasizing the significance of faith and family values in overcoming the psychological effects of slavery and discrimination.

RUNNING HEAD: BREAKING THE CHAINS OF PSYCHOLOGY SLAVERY 0
Breaking the chains of psychological slavery
Student’s Details-
MARCH 5, 2020

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF PSYCHOLOGY SLAVERY 1
Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery
Breaking the chains of psychological slavery is the famous book written by Dr. Na’im
Akbar in which the author has focused upon the treatment of African Americans and their
tendency of never getting out of the psychological or mental slavery (Johnson, 2018). Here,
the argumentative essay is based on the breaking of the chains of mental slavery amongst the
African Americans. The essay will highlight the impact of brutal and unnatural experiences
of the people on their mental condition.
Liberation from the mental slavery can be brough up by the development of strategies
which breaks the psychological chains of the people. Moreover, the facilitation of the
information can be distorted and defines the slave mentality of the white and black people
which shows their differences. The historical perspectives show that the slavery in African
Americans can cause the long-lasting trauma and shock amongst the people. Due to the
cruelty and slavery of the African American which has added to their mental distress. The
historical aspects have legacy of despair and memory alerting illusions (Butler-Barnes, Allen,
Williams, & Jackson, 2020). There was actuality of slave trade and the detailed account of
the happenings in the history. Slavery in the historical perspective is seen as the forced labour
which was the lifelong perspective and often led to the threatening deaths of people (Chaney
& Robertson, 2016). The White and Black Americans are often distrustful for each other as
they have different gaols. African Americans focus more on the individual goals rather than
working together and this can be seen in today’s world as well. The idea of slavery thus,
continue to prevail into the minds which show that the mentality of slavery runs into the
minds of African Americans.
‘Liberation of Mental Slavery’ is the chapter in the book that elaborates the humans
act accordingly with the self-awareness and the title was regarded as impressive in which it
emphasized upon the changing mindset of the African American. It can be observed that the
faith is the leading factor which can reduce the slavery from the African American’s life.
Moreover, freedom from the mental slavery can be possible through the removal of negative
thinking and keeping faith which can be the advancement in the desire to get freedom from
the slavery (Schiele, 2017). Most often, the liberation of the slavery will be difficult and the
removal of slave mentality is the difficult task to overcome. Further, oppression is treated as
the source of consciousness which is usually being done by the human. Slavery is the gradual
process arising as a result of controlling the minds of others by the person. This leads to the

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF PSYCHOLOGY SLAVERY 2
loss of self-consciousness which makes the people imprisoned. The liberal achievement is the
underlying theme that seeks to represent the ugliness of slavery and racism which is
recognized by the masters and the slaves. There is slavery practice done on the basis of being
hated, disliked and exploited by the people.
Besides, there are superior and inferior characteristics of the person which can be the
drivers of racial discrimination and the slavery. The book has chapter that stresses upon the
religious inquiry and psychological confusion. There is influence of Caucasian images which
can affect the psychology of African American. Also, there is influence of Caucasian image
of divine which is unconsciously the factor that can control the psychology of African
American. The religion can be structured and accommodated for the addressing of certain
morals in which the creator can be of any colour or race. The reduction in the mental slavery
can only be achieved through the destruction of the captivity mentality (Kara, 2017).
Moreover, liberation from the mental slavery can be brough up through the truthful
communication in which Black reality is addressed and transmitted other than those of the
colour. Also, liberation is seen as the recognition of getting rid of from the narrow-
mindedness that asserts that the individual is limited to the true potential which can only be
possible when the mind lets it free. Although people specifically seek for the freedom from
the psychological sufferings in the twenty first century.
Therefore, it can be observed that there is conflict between the religions, beliefs and
faiths which are the drivers of the psychological slavery. The people are remained chained to
the mental slavery in which the family values and the morals can be the reasons which
chained the mental slavery. These chains can be broken by having faith in the mind which is
the basic thing which can reduce the psychological slavery (Sutherland, 2019). The author of
the book has considered the slavery as the religious imaginary. The humans are influenced by
the imaginary of God which seeks to elaborate the creator of God. The author has thereby
considered the psychological condition of African American which is the basis of the
identification of the slavery, racism and religious inquiry. The chains of psychological
slavery are expected to be broken through the unconscious mind and keeping faith which can
break the psychological condition of African Americans by suffering from the discrimination
and racism (Chris, 2017). Spreading of the education across the generations has not changed
the attitude and behaviour of the people which is not demolished. Moreover, there are certain
problems in the society which are rooted in the slavery and the idea of slavery and better life
can permeate the minds.

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF PSYCHOLOGY SLAVERY 3
To conclude, it can be said the historical background of African Americans is based
on the racism and discrimination in which the people face the cruel behaviours of the people
which affects their psychological condition. Here, the essay has discussed the ways by which
the chains of mental slavery can be broken and the enhancing the condition of African
Americans. The family values go against the mental slavery in new era which can be through
the proper recognition of the mistakes.

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF PSYCHOLOGY SLAVERY 4
References
Butler-Barnes, S., Allen, P., Williams, M., & Jackson, A. (2020). Stereotypes of African
Americans. Stereotypes: The Incidence and Impacts of Bias, 109.
Chaney, C., & Robertson, R. (2016). Chains of psychological enslavement: Olivia Pope and
the celebration of the black mistress in ABC’s Scandal. Africology. The Journal of
Pan African Studies, 9(3), 126-153.
Chris, L. (2017). The unbound God: Slavery and the formation of early Christian thought.
Taylor & Francis.
Johnson, E. (2018). Freeing the Mind: Breaking the Chains of Ideological Enslavement. In
Philanthropy and Race in the Haitian Revolution (pp. 69-94). Palgrave Macmillan.
Kara, S. (2017). Modern slavery: A global perspective. Columbia University Press.
Schiele, J. (2017). The Afrocentric paradigm in social work: A historical perspective and
future outlook. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 27(1-2), 15-
26.
Sutherland, M. (2019). Breaking the chains: human trafficking and health care providers.
Missouri medicine, 116(6), 454.