James Donaldson on Mental Health - Breaking the stigma: Communities of color face unique mental health challenges

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the unique mental health challenges and barriers faced by communities of color.

Mental health affects people from all backgrounds, but for many people of color, seeking help is often complicated by stigma, cultural expectations, limited access to care, and longstanding mistrust of the medical system.

According to the National Library of Medicine, racial and ethnic minorities have less access to mental health services than White Americans.

Research also shows that people of color are more likely to delay or forgo mental health treatment.

When they do seek care, they are less likely to receive the treatment they need and are more likely to receive lower-quality care.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Krystal Smith with HEAL Counseling Services says one of the biggest barriers she hears from clients is them feeling less than when it's nothing wrong with acknowledging something is wrong.

"The thing that I hear the most is, 'I'm not crazy,'" Smith said.

Smith says many of the Black women she works with are attending therapy for the first time after years of considering it.

"I work with a lot of Black women who are often coming to therapy for the first time.

And I hear things like, 'I've thought about this for a long time, but no one in my family does this.'" She says many people have been conditioned to ignore emotional struggles instead of addressing them.