Racism, discrimination and your mental health
Understanding the link to depression and anxiety
Racism doesn't just hurt in the moment. Decades of research show it's a genuine risk factor for some of the most common mental illnesses in Australia, including depression and anxiety.
This page breaks down what the evidence says, how discrimination gets under the skin, and what protects us.
The short version:
Experiencing racism and discrimination is consistently linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, post-traumatic stress and suicidal thoughts.
Feeling its effects is a normal human response to mistreatment. It is not a weakness, nor is it overreacting. And because racism, stigma and isolation can be reduced, and connection and belonging can be built, some mental illnesses are preventable.
That's the work this Foundation exists to do.
If any of this is affecting you, support is free and available right now. The services are at the bottom of this page.
Mental illness is common. And a lot of it has social causes.
More than two in five Australians (42.9%) aged 16 to 85 have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives. About one in five in any given year. Anxiety disorders are the most common of the lot. That's from the ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020 to 2022.
No single thing causes mental illness. But the research details that the conditions of our social lives play a major role. How we're treated. Whether we belong. Whether we're connected. Health researchers call these the social determinants of mental health.
What the research actually says about racism
The largest review of the evidence ever done, a meta-analysis of 293 studies (Paradies and colleagues, 2015, published in PLOS ONE), found that experiencing racism is associated with poorer mental health. That includes depression, anxiety, psychological stress, post-traumatic stress and suicidal thoughts. Here's the part that should stop you in your tracks. The review found racism's link to mental health was roughly twice as strong as its link to physical health.
Australian research points the same way. The Australian Human Rights Commission notes that experiences of racism are associated with anxiety, post-traumatic stress and suicidal thoughts. Australian studies, including work with Aboriginal communities in Victoria, have documented the mental health impacts of everyday racism, including racism experienced inside health care itself.
How discrimination gets under the skin
Racism affects mental health through ordinary, well-understood human processes.
Chronic stress. Being targeted, or constantly bracing for it, keeps the body's stress response switched on. That kind of vigilance wears people down over time, and chronic stress is a known contributor to depression and anxiety.
Exclusion and isolation. Discrimination pushes people out. Out of workplaces, friendship groups, services and opportunities. Social isolation and loneliness are themselves established risk factors for depression and suicidal distress.
Internalised messages. Hearing negative messages about who you are, over and over, can turn into shame and self-doubt. That's fuel for depression and anxiety.
Barriers to getting help. People who expect to be judged or dismissed reach out later, or not at all. Distress that could have been supported early gets more room to grow into illness.
Why we call this preventable
Here's the part that matters most. Unlike some risk factors for illness, these ones can be changed.
Communities can reduce racism, discrimination and stigma. People can build understanding across differences. Connection, belonging and cultural pride can be strengthened. Every one of those shifts either removes a known risk factor for depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders and suicidality, or strengthens a known protection against them.
That is exactly why Let's Yarn Foundation exists. Preventing mental illness by changing the social conditions that drive it.
What protects mental health
The same research that identifies the risks identifies the protections.
Cultural connection and identity. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, connection to culture, community, family, Country and identity is recognised as a foundation of social and emotional wellbeing and a source of strength. That principle sits at the heart of the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration. Culture is not a risk factor. Racism is. Culture is protection.
Belonging and social support. Feeling accepted and connected, having people who have your back, buffers against stress and reduces the risk of depression.
Being heard and understood. When people can speak about their experiences without judgment, shame shrinks and reaching out early becomes normal.
If racism or discrimination is affecting you
What you're feeling makes sense. Distress after mistreatment is a normal response to something genuinely harmful.
You don't have to carry it alone. Talking to someone you trust, whether that's family, a friend, an Elder or a community member, is protective in itself.
Stay connected to what makes you strong. Community, culture, Country, and the people and practices that ground you.
Notice the early signs. If low mood, loss of interest in things you usually enjoy, constant worry, trouble sleeping or pulling away from people has lasted more than a couple of weeks, that's the time to talk to your GP or one of the services below. Reaching out early is prevention. It's strength, not failure.
If you've witnessed it
Don't leave people alone with it. Check in. Listen without minimising. "That sounds really hard" goes a lot further than "are you sure they meant it that way?" Standing alongside someone is one of the most protective things another human being can do. For how to have that conversation well, read our guide, How to have a safe yarn about mental health.
Where to get support
Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) 13YARN: 13 92 76 (24/7, yarn with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter) Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (ages 5 to 25) Your GP: ask about a mental health treatment plan. In an emergency, call 000
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2020 to 2022; Paradies Y and colleagues, "Racism as a Determinant of Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE (2015); Australian Human Rights Commission resources on racism and mental health; Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration. This resource follows Mindframe safe messaging guidelines.
This resource is general preventative education. It is not medical or psychological advice, and it is not a substitute for professional support. Let's Yarn Foundation is not a crisis or clinical service. If anything on this page raises something for you, please reach out to one of the services above.
Let's Yarn Foundation · ABN 75 506 956 746
