By Char Adams -
NBC News
The transition to adulthood can be full of challenges.
A new study shows that the effects of discrimination can unleash severe damage to the mental health of young adults, who are already going through a difficult time.
A new study from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that
young adults who experience frequent interpersonal discrimination because of their race, sex or physical appearance are at higher risk
for mental health problems than those who do not.
The authors analyzed data from a survey conducted over 10 years and found that people, ages 18 to 28, who have been consistently discriminated against in the short or long term
are 25% more likely to suffer from psychological disorders
, be diagnosed of mental illness or reporting excessive drug use.
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“The study presents a striking picture of how discrimination is strongly related to the mental and behavioral health of young adults.
It's harder to be a young person today than it has been in a long time,
”said Dr. Adam Schickedanz, assistant professor of pediatrics at UCLA Geffen School of Medicine and lead author of the study.
“The world spins faster, things are constantly changing and there are many challenges.
If we are more attentive to that (…) we can improve the situation of young people, ”he added.
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Over a 10-year period (2007 to 2017), young adults who repeatedly experienced severe and intense discrimination showed a high risk of mental health problems and worse overall health, the research showed.
Although the study focused on people of different origins, racial discrimination has long been considered a major mental health stressor in the black community, and government leaders increasingly recognize that racially motivated health inequalities can cause psychological stress. .
Suffering from racism has been linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression.
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An estimated 67% of black adults have stated that discrimination is a major source of distress, according to a July 2020 survey by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Maysa Akbar, director of diversity for the association and author of
Urban Trauma: A Legacy of Racism
, explained that a common way that discrimination can manifest itself is through micro-attacks.
"Racial trauma is the cumulative effects of racism on a person's physical and mental health
," Akbar said.
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“It is often linked to feelings of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and a host of other health problems.
It is something that can exist throughout life.
It can be experienced as a child, as a teenager, and into adulthood.
When we walk with this unresolved trauma, it only hurts our well-being more, ”he added.
Akbar noted that getting a good night's sleep, committing to spirituality, family support and self-care can "be a good start to mitigate these moments of chronic discrimination."
According to the study, young people exposed to constant discrimination are 25% more likely to suffer from mental health problems.RyanJLane / Getty Images
Experiencing racism is not the only thing that affects mental health.
The authors found that
discrimination is linked to disparities in medical and mental health care
.
Black mental health advocates have consistently highlighted that the country's poor public health systems leave the population with few options for culturally competent care.
Meanwhile, community clinics working to fill these gaps receive very little funding.
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In a 2018 study by the National Council for Mental Well-being and the Cohen Veterans Network, several participants cited exorbitant costs and noted that the government should do more to fund mental health services for the less likely black population. receiving treatment than white people, according to the American Counseling Association.
The study also revealed that black people
do not
usually
seek care due to "feelings of mistrust, stigma, or perceptions of racism."
Although they only make up a sector of mental health providers, 3% of the workforce dedicated to psychology in the country is black, according to 2019 data from the APA.
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In July 2020, Clara Benson, 33, of South Carolina, launched CREW
Community Resources for Enduring Wellness
after she was asked by several colleagues if she knew of any black mental health providers.
It was difficult to find them.
Benson, who studied psychology at the university, said she is a concerned citizen seeking to find her "role in the movement."
Thus, under CREW, Benson launched the
Black Wellness Project
, which published
a database of nearly 200 mental health providers in the Carolinas.
Benson explained that these resources are important because the lists in which the population usually looks for counselors, "especially in rural places, are not sufficiently represented."
“It takes a lot to find black faces.
When you are in crisis and trying to find help, it is imperative that you do not face these kinds of barriers.
It's one more thing you have to deal with.
I said to myself, 'If I can go through and identify all the black faces that I can and put them in a spreadsheet, maybe it will make it easier for people to access,' ”he added.
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Along with the physical stress of racial trauma, which is linked to heart disease, diabetes and obesity among others, emotional trauma can stem from daily micro-injuries and even from watching videos of police officers killing black people.
As of August, city councils, county boards, public health departments, and offices of governors and mayors in 37 states have made at least 200 statements that
racism is a public health crisis
, according to the American Association of Public health.
However, federal and state leaders have been slow to adequately address structural racism as a threat to public health, according to the association.
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The pandemic has intensified existing stressors
for the country's black population.
It has disproportionately affected black communities in matters of health, unemployment and education.
In June 2020, a survey by The Washington Post revealed that
1 in 3 Black people knew someone who had died from COVID-19
.
As the virus began to wreak havoc in the United States, hundreds of protests broke out across the country to combat police violence following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day 2020.
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The racial rethinking of the nation affected the black population, and
therapists reported an increase in demand
for patients from this group.
Akbar stated that this increase is important, as black people sometimes avoid seeking treatment for mental and physical illnesses for fear of experiencing more racism.
"In general, for African American communities ... seeking mental health treatment is really the last option," Akbar said.
"You have to be in an incredible crisis to say that this is the path you are going to follow," he lamented.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 800-273-8255, text HOME at 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for help.
