How Does Discrimination Impact Mental health?

Most people can recognize that discrimination is, inherently, a bad thing. Whether you’re being discriminated against about your sexual orientation, gender, race, body, or a myriad of other things, you can’t deny that it doesn’t feel good. 

But, discrimination does much more than temporarily hurt someone’s feelings. Research has shown that it can have a long-term impact on mental wellness. 

Discrimination exacerbates stress. When you’re more stressed, you’re also more likely to give in to the effects of mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. Let’s dig a little deeper into this impact, and what you can do about it. 

The Likelihood of Mental Health Issues

Multiple studies have shown that people who experience regular discrimination are more likely to have higher levels of stress, and they’re at greater risk of developing mental health issues like anxiety and depression. 

On the surface, you can deny the effects of discrimination. You might say it doesn’t bother you or that it’s easy for you to brush off negative comments. But, hearing repeated harmful statements about yourself takes a toll, no matter how strong you are. 

As the old saying goes, you are your own worst enemy. When you’re discriminated against, it can become “normal” for you to start believing those negative things. You might even start agreeing with them, offering the opportunity for negative self-talk to take over. 

Signs of Discrimination

Most people like to think discrimination has to be obvious. But, that isn’t always the case. Things like unfair treatment or unfair pay at work can be considered discriminatory. Derogatory jokes might seem lighthearted and fun but create underlying issues. 

Discrimination can be subtle, which puts you at an even greater risk of slowly developing mental health issues over time. The more you hear it or witness it without it being in your face and blatantly obvious, the easier it is to ignore — until it’s created so much anxiety or feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness that you’re struggling to get out of bed in the morning. 

One of the most frequent cases of discrimination we come across in our office is that experienced by homosexual clients. They have to endure constant negative messages about their sexual orientation. Unfortunately, they internalize the homophobia prevalent in our culture and struggle with low self-esteem, negative body image, social anxiety, etc.

Signs of Stress

If you’re not sure whether discrimination is impacting your mental health, take stock of how you feel. Understand the signs of depression and anxiety. For example, if you’re having trouble sleeping at night, you’re withdrawing from friends, or you constantly feel irritable and fearful, you might be dealing with anxiety. 

If you’re sleeping too much, you’ve lost interest in things you typically enjoy, and you’re giving in to negative self-talk more often than not, you might be struggling with depression. 

Don’t ignore these signs and symptoms or try to brush them off. If your mental wellness is struggling due to discrimination, you have every right to acknowledge your feelings, so you can develop a better understanding of how to help yourself. 

What Can You Do? 

Once you understand how discrimination is impacting your mental wellness, you can feel more empowered to fight back. 

First, address the discrimination at its core. If it’s in the workplace, consider speaking to your employer about it. They might be willing to implement changes immediately, or take charge to get rid of the source of the problem. 

If you’re experiencing it in everyday life, whether due to your appearance, religion, sexual orientation, or anything else, step away from toxic people making it worse. Practice self-care and show yourself compassion. Surround yourself with people who support and uplift you. 

Most importantly, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Discrimination of any kind can cause you to feel alone. Working with a therapist is a great way to fight back and regain some of your self-confidence while dealing with the mental health issues that can arise from that kind of stress. If you’re interested in learning more or setting up an appointment, feel free to contact us for LGBTQIA affirming therapy.