Mental health is an issue that affects many all around the world. People face issues like trauma, depression, and anxiety. Many people are undiagnosed for these illnesses and don't receive the proper resources or treatment for their mental health. Experiencing racism, police brutality, and microaggressions can all be forms of trauma that women of color face all throughout their lives. Women of color are constantly met with having the mental health system against them.
There is a stigma within mental health for people of color.
Women are twice as likely as men to have a depressive episode, but black women are less likely than white women to seek treatment.
Because of the social inequality they experience, women cultivate a negative outlook toward mental health. There are stereotypes rooted in the black community where women are expected to be strong and resilient, so they don't find it necessary to seek help for mental illness. When women of color exhibit signs of mental illness, they feel ashamed and they don't think they would get proper treatment because of their former experiences with the healthcare system. The healthcare system continues to fail women of color, and mental health should not be overlooked.
The healthcare system was built to discriminate against and alienate women of color. These women find themselves on the bottom of the social ladder and it's hard to climb up. With the prevalent income disparities, many women of color cannot properly provide basic health checkups. They don't pay attention to common signs because their mental wellbeing is the last thing on their minds, and they'd rather suppress their feelings.
With the Black Lives Matter Movement actively fighting and advocating for racial injustice, supporters find themselves feeling a mix of emotions. There are some days where women take the streets and feel empowered when fighting for change and social reform. But there are also days where they feel exhausted and overwhelmed by hearing about another life taken at the hands of the police.
Women of color need to receive the proper treatment for the complex emotions they are feeling, but even those who seek help feel hopeless.
The American Psychological Association conducted a study where they found that almost 84 percent of psychologists are white, as opposed to the 15 percent that is Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Indigenous. It is essential to get representation in the therapist field because it ensures that there will be a greater understanding of emotions due to possible shared experiences. Women of color need to be able to get the proper treatment from therapists who reflect their identity and truly comprehend their perspective.
Especially during times of violence and uncertainty in their communities, women of color need to be accounted for. Organizations that provide mental health and self-care services led by black, indigenous, and people of color have grown in recent years, and while this isn't ideal, it's an improvement. The healthcare system needs to be more accessible for women of color when it comes to mental health because they experience racial inequality in their everyday lives, and the system should not contribute to that. Women of color need to be treated for their mental illnesses and should not have to fear discrimination solely because they are experiencing emotional distress.
Writer: Angelica Vivas
Editor: Molly McEwen
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