Why National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is so Important

Mental disorders don’t discriminate. Mark National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month this July.

Quality mental health care should be accessible to all.

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month exists to draw attention to the issues affecting minorities’ access to quality mental health care. We’re delving into why it’s so crucial to talk about, and offering up some top-tier recommended resources.

Our overall well-being is tied to several complex factors, one of the most important being our mental health. Despite leaps in removing the stigma around mental health issues in recent years, there’s still a long way to go. A whole variety of socioeconomic issues that affect minority communities every day still cause many to hold back from seeking mental health help, while being unable to access suitable services is another huge obstacle to contend with.

That’s where National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month comes in. July is the month for raising awareness in our communities of the plethora of barriers that minorities face in mental health spaces. Ultimately, those from ethnic, racial, and other minority populations have worse mental health outcomes, as they are less likely to be able to seek care, less likely to receive support in a timely and appropriate manner, and the services that they can access are also likely to be of lower quality. That needs to change, and that’s why we’re sharing a few of our top hand-picked resources that directly address these issues:

• Rest For Resistance is an inspiring QTPOC (queer trans people of color), trans-led mental health platform offering safe spaces.
• Liberate Meditation is an app with talks and meditations for black individuals, indigenous people, and people of color.
• Latinx Therapy is a podcast based on mental health topics related to the Latinx community.
• Inclusive Therapists help marginalized populations find culturally informed, social justice-oriented therapists.

Speak up and share your experiences relating to minority mental health to mark National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month this July, tagging @mobilestylesapp on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.