Minority Mental Health: Addressing Stigma, Barriers, and Healing

Mental Health is a vital component to one’s overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, the stigma that often surrounds it prevents many from taking care of their mind’s health. Many fear criticism and discriminatory acts for something as simple as speaking of mental health struggles, let alone seeking care for said conditions. In some communities this behavior is more prevalent than in others. This is particularly true, in communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) where they are less likely  to report receiving mental health care compared to 50% of White adults.⁶ During this Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness month, we are focusing on stigma around mental health in BIPOC communities. We will share how to address it and how to help those experiencing mental health illnesses heal and find support.

Stigma

A number of challenges exist that disproportionately affect underrepresented groups experiencing mental illnesses. One such challenge is stigma surrounding mental health and mental illnesses. Norman Sartorius defined stigma as “the negative attitude based on prejudice and misinformation that is triggered by mental illness and is seen in behavior and/or treatment.”⁷ Mental health stigma tends to have a greater impact within underrepresented groups (e.g., BIPOC). Stigma touches many aspects of one’s life (e.g., generations of families, health care facilities/institutions that provide treatment, medication, and mental health care providers).⁷  The mere presence of stigma surrounding mental health conditions can create barriers that lead to additional challenges for these groups.

Barriers: Unique Challenges Faced by Minority Communities

Underrepresented groups face unique challenges that others may not as it pertains to mental health and seeking care. The American Psychiatric Association has identified the following unique challenges that BIPOC  communities face when dealing with mental health issues:¹

• Stigma around seeking help
• Lack of access to quality care
• Cultural misunderstanding in treatment
• Language barriers
• Finding culturally competent health care providers

Breaking the Stigma

It does not have to stay this way, this can change. However, breaking the cycle of stigma will require intentionality. New attitudes and perspectives will be necessary to overcome old beliefs that discourage open, authentic discussion about mental health and mental illness.⁵ This includes addressing the harms that can accompany the narratives (e.g., “the strong one”) that sometimes do more harm than good and can further exacerbate mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. In some cases they are the catalysts that trigger them in the first place. It is important that we normalize therapy and support for mental health when necessary. The good news is that there are organizations already doing the work on this front. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) recommends the following when trying to break the cycle of mental health stigma:⁵

• Have conversations about mental health
• Demonstrate compassion to those who may be struggling
• Don’t judge
• Advocate (e.g., spread awareness about cultural competence, help others find helpful resources)
• Encourage those with lived experience
• Use your voice to share your experiences

Healing: Is Possible, It Begins With You⁸

You can begin your healing journey by engaging in self-care and community care. There are some things that you can do individually to help care for your mental health. Make yourself a priority. Set aside some intentional time for self-care, it doesn’t have to be a lot of time, work with what you have just be intentional about it. Some self-care practices that one can begin to help improve their mental health are: 

• Make sure that you rest
• Establish and practice using boundaries
•  Practice mindfulness, meditation 
• Take a short walk
• Read daily
• Listen to music 
• Take a break from social media

Additionally, community based care can also aid in your healing. Find local faith based groups, cultural spaces, and peer groups to help you along your journey to great mental health. Sometimes just sharing with a trusted friend can work wonders, but please ask them prior to just “venting” on them—they may not have the capacity for that and their mental health should be respected and cared for as well.

Healing: May Require Help–How to Find Support

Sometimes help is needed  on the journey to healing. When this is the case it may be helpful to reach out to a therapist or other mental health professional. But where does one start?  “Research therapists by asking friends, family and checking cultural organizations. Once you find a potential therapist, ask them questions about treating others with a similar background, their training,and personalized treatment plans.”²  Discuss your cultural traditions, beliefs, and values with your provider.⁷ It is best to ask these questions prior to beginning therapy with any provider.  If more information is needed, additional resources can be found on the Mental Health America (MHA) website.⁸ They provide directories, hotlines, and information for community organizations. 

Healing: How to Support Minority Mental Health

There are times when we are faced with the opportunity to support others facing mental health challenges. Some ways we can do this include:

• Encourage open conversations
• Check on friends and family
• Share resources and education–MHA toolkit⁸
• Advocate for better access and equity to mental healthcare

We all have a part to play when it comes to ensuring that everyone can have good mental health. Let’s encourage each other to prioritize mental health by normalizing seeking help when we need to. It is a vital part of our overall health and well-being. Don’t forget to invite others to share their stories, resources or support networks as you share your own.

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. Mental Health Disparities: Diverse Populations.; 2017. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.psychiatry.org/getmedia/bac9c998-5b2d-4ffa-ace9-d35844b8475a/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Diverse-Populations.pdf
2. Carelon Behavioral Health. The importance of cultural competence in mental health care. Published 2025. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.carelonbehavioralhealth.com/perspectives/cultural-competence-in-mental-health-care
3. DeAngelis T. In Search of cultural competence. American Psychological Association. Published March2015. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/03/cultural-competence.
4. Mental Health America. BIPOC mental health month. Accessed July 20, 2026. https://mhanational.org/bipoc-mental-health/bipoc-mental-health-month/
5. National Alliance on Mental Illness. How to overcome stigma in the African-american community | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. Nami.org. Published July 31, 2019. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.nami.org/blog/how-to-overcome-stigma-in-the-african-american-community
6. Panchal N, Artiga S, Hamel L. Racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care: findings from the KFF survey of racism, discrimination and health | KFF. KFF. Published May 23, 2024. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-mental-health-care-findings-from-the-kff-survey-of-racism-discrimination-and-health/
7. Sartorius N. Stigma and mental health. The Lancet 2007, 370 (9590), 810-811. https//doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(07)61245-8.
8. St. Francis-Emory Healthcare. National minority health awareness month. Published July 15, 2025. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.mystfrancis.com/news-stories/news/national-minority-health-awareness-month