Jada Strong 
The month of July is Minority Mental Health awareness month. So to bring loads of awareness for the occasion, let me hit y’all with some facts so you can understand the importance. Did you know that 17.8% of people in America deal with depression and anxiety? That’s about 18 million people! Out of those 18 million, a whopping 10.8% of Hispanics and 8.9% of African Americans struggle with prolonged depression throughout their lifetime. While the severity percentage is 38% for white people, it’s 56% for African Americans, according to a report from the National Library of Medicine. Why might these statistics be the way they are? Well, let’s talk about it.
Major Depressive Disorder is a disorder that can be hereditarily passed down by genetics, influenced by environmental circumstances, or external factors like medications or treatment. When POC’s with this disorder were asked to rate the severity of their depression, they described it as life altering.
Racial discrimination has been proven to be a leading factor in MDD, especially prevalent within African American men. When thinking about demographics that directly link environmental circumstances with systemic racism, it makes sense for depression to be more likely when every structure around you gives you difficulty.
This doesn’t just apply for the blatantly discriminated groups like African Americans and Hispanics, where it can be clearly seen how racial discrimination impacts health within a community. It also heavily influences the Asian American population’s mental wellness within the US. Data received via the National Latino and Asian American Study displays that this community carries a large burden of mental illness, statistics showing a 17.30% overall lifetime rate of any mental health disorder. In spite of this community holding a strong stereotype following their curated “Model Minority Myth,” this may be one of the leading causes for depression along with other cultural or environmental circumstances.
Fifteen-year-old Elenor Hong, a sophomore at Jones College Prep, gives some insight on this myth’s impact. “Asian stereotypes consist of striving for wealth and education, being quiet, and not getting into trouble which led to Asians being labeled as “model minorities.” Some Asian Americans might feel the pressure of these stereotypes and the need to fulfill them to continue being viewed this way. It can also have negative effects on the mental health of other minorities, specifically Black Americans, who are often compared to Asians as the model minority trope is used to degrade their community.”
All these different outlets for racism evidently contribute so much to mental health, which is why this month is so important. To learn more about the effects of racism on depression and mental wellness, you can visit the National Library of Medicine, Mental Health America, and a Gallup poll on U.S. Depression and rates.
By Jada Strong, Sophomore, Whitney Young Magnet
Insta/Twitter: @JadaStrongg
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