Learn About Psychological Wellness For National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Racial and ethnic minorities can face many challenges in the United States, but one that often goes overlooked is diminished access to mental health services. It can be harder for people in these communities to receive effective diagnosis, treatment, and preventative or supportive services. As a result, they may be at risk for worse outcomes when they experience mental illness. July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, which may be the perfect time to educate yourself about how minority status can impact mental health.
Some measures of mental health may be better among minorities, but many tend to be worse, such as the persistence and severity of symptoms. Statistics indicate that it’s often harder for non-white individuals with mental health conditions to get the treatment they need. Shedding light on these disparities may be necessary to bring about substantive change, and online therapy may offer a more accessible way to seek treatment.
Do minorities have worse mental health than white people?
Some statistics suggest that the incidence of most mental health conditions may be higher among the white population than among Black, Hispanic, or Asian people. For example, white people usually report somewhat higher rates of “serious psychological distress,” experience more depression and anxiety, and tend to be more likely to die by suicide.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or urges, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Support is available 24/7.
This has led some people to think of mental illness as a problem primarily for white people. Some have posited that, as a result of grappling with historical and ongoing adversity, minority communities may have developed greater resilience to mental stress in the face of life’s difficulties.
However, millions of people in ethnic minority groups can still be impacted by mental health conditions. There are also exceptions to the general trend of “less mental illness among ethnic minorities.”
Schizophrenia can serve as one significant example. Research suggests that Black people may be more than twice as likely as white people to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, a serious and often debilitating condition. This disparity seems to persist even with rigorous mental health assessments meant to eliminate the possibility of bias.
Native American or Indigenous people also seem to be exceptions to the pattern described above. These groups typically experience substantially higher rates of mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder, and they also tend to be more likely to die by suicide.
Minority mental health outcomes
These conditions may also impact daily functioning and life satisfaction more strongly among minorities. For instance, a 2019 research review article noted that Black people were usually more likely to experience severe and debilitating symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD), even though they were less prone to depression overall.
In addition, the negative impacts of mental illness on financial and social well-being may be worse for non-white people. A 2022 study concluded that minorities with untreated mental illness were typically more likely to be unemployed, arrested, or living in poverty. They were also usually more likely to describe their physical health as fair or poor rather than good or excellent.
This may align with other data suggesting that it’s more common for non-white individuals with mental illness to experience multiple co-occurring medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.
Racial and ethnic mental health treatment gaps
Part of the reason why the costs of mental illness seem to be more severe within minority groups may be that they’re less likely to have access to mental health services. It can be harder for them to receive an accurate diagnosis or to get the care that could help them manage and alleviate their symptoms.
These treatment gaps can start from an early age. Studies have found that Black children tend to be less likely than white children to receive medication for conditions like ADHD. Meanwhile, minority youth and adolescents who display signs of mental illness may be more likely to be sent to the emergency room or jail than to a mental health care provider.
A 2020 study estimated that Black individuals with depression may be only half as likely as white people to receive treatment of any kind. It’s often harder for them to find a provider near them who will take their insurance, and when they do, they may not receive the same standard of care. For example, many psychiatrists tend to be less likely to prescribe recommended psychiatric medications to minorities. Similar discrepancies can be found for many other conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Although these racial gaps may have been recognized and acknowledged as problematic for some time, there’s little evidence that they’re decreasing. A 2017 study reported that ethnic disparities in mental health treatment access seem to have increased since the turn of the century.
How increasing mental health awareness can help
In recognition of the barriers to psychiatric care among minority communities, Congress established July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in 2008. The full title of the month honors Campbell, an author and mental health advocate, for her efforts to bring awareness of the challenges non-white individuals often face in getting help with their symptoms.
Expanding public awareness of minority mental health information may have a variety of positive impacts:
Reducing stigma
Evidence suggests that stigmatizing attitudes about people with mental illness can be more common in minority communities. This may prevent people within these groups from seeking help due to fears of shame or ostracism, contributing to ongoing treatment gaps. Normalizing the discussion of mental health and treating it as an ordinary part of health care can help diminish these prejudices.
Increasing cultural literacy
Mental health professionals may also benefit from a greater understanding of how race and ethnicity can interact with mental health. There’s emerging evidence that some common mental health conditions manifest differently in people of different backgrounds. Awareness of these differences in symptom patterns may help psychiatrists and therapists diagnose minority patients more accurately.
Public policy reforms
Increased public awareness of racial issues in mental health may also motivate systemic change. Many people may not understand how current challenges in minority mental health have been shaped by racial injustice. For example, neighborhoods affected by “redlining” and other forms of housing discrimination often continue to have fewer available mental health care providers. Calling attention to these structural forms of mental health discrimination can encourage reforms increasing minority access to psychiatric services.
Ways to support National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Here are a few ideas for those interested in promoting greater awareness of the barriers to minority mental health.
Share educational materials
Spreading information about the current state of mental health care access can be an important way to contribute. This could mean sharing links to relevant articles through online platforms like blogs or social media pages. It could also involve in-person conversations with friends or family members, directing them toward the resources offered by groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Make a donation
Many dedicated groups are working toward increasing the availability of psychiatric services for minorities. Donating money may be a tangible way to support their work. We’ve already mentioned NAMI, but other organizations involved in this cause include the following:
- Black Mental Health Alliance
- Inclusive Therapists
- We R Native
- Therapy for Black Girls
- National Alliance for Hispanic Health
- White Bison
- National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
- Therapy for Latinx
You may also be able to find local organizations working to address specific challenges in your region or neighborhood.
Call for change
Another way to help may be to contact your elected representatives and let them know that you support increased mental health access for minorities. You can also add your signature and voice to existing campaigns for mental health and justice reform.
Get screened for mental illness
Supporting your own mental health can be an important way to start addressing the problems described above, especially if you’re a member of a minority community. Not only can taking care of your psychological welfare make you better able to advocate for change, but it may also give you a helpful perspective on the process of seeking care and the challenges involved. This may help you assist others who are facing similar difficulties.
If you’re interested in seeking further professional help, an accessible way to do so may be to join an online therapy platform. Attending sessions with a licensed therapist online can empower you to customize the experience by choosing the location, time, and mode of communication (video call, phone call, or online chat) for each appointment.
A growing body of research suggests that online therapy tends to produce the same client outcomes as in-person therapy. It can be a valid form of treatment for a variety of mental health disorders and challenges.
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