pscyh_race._FINAL

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PSYCHIATRI

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Psychology

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Nov 24, 2024

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1 Psychological impacts of racism, bias, or discrimination Student’s Name Professor’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Details Submission Date

2 Psychological impacts of racism, bias, or discrimination Scholars have for many years used psychology to explain various social issues by focusing on brain mental processes and human behavior (Hayes, 2023). Racism, bias, and discrimination are some of the contentious issues that have defined the United States of America. Racism is defined as any bias characterized by a belief that one identity deserves better treatment than others who share the same social environment. Racism's core characteristics include physical, verbal, and emotional assault based on unfavorable assumptions about a specific race. Discrimination refers to favor or different treatment meted out to people because of the beliefs, attitudes, values, or ideas they subscribe to (Fish & Syed, 2020). According to research, racism and prejudice affect a person's behavior and brain function in a variety of ways, including increasing stress and contributing to impaired cognitive function, anxiety, and depression. The most common psychological effects of racism and discrimination are stress and anxiety. It is important to emphasize that the society perpetuates the ideals of racism and prejudice to non-natives who escaped harsh social, economic, and political situations in their countries of origin. The United States is one of the countries that attracts many immigrants because of its vast employment opportunities and stable socio-economic systems. However, to the surprise of many immigrants, they meet even worse situations of racism and discrimination, hence developing diverse psychological issues like stress, anxiety, and depression (Fish & Syed, 2020). Organizations, including the United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture, and Mobility, have described the adverse effects of racial discrimination, stating that the lack of fair and equal opportunities to access conventional means of livelihood drives people into mental instability.

3 Research indicates that people who have experienced any form of discrimination release abnormal levels of adrenaline and trigger the brain to make changes that mark the onset of Stress. Stress can arise from normal life events, especially when a person undergoes physical or emotional trauma or anticipates a negative response from society. For example, suppose it is in the public domain that people of a certain race, religion, or sex have limited access to formal employment. In that case, the people associated with that discriminatory stereotype will shun seeking certain opportunities because of the belief that the system will lock them out (Schouler- Ocak et al., 2021). Such situations heighten stress levels for the people involved and can lead to suicidal thoughts. People who have been subjected to racism or judged negatively because of their culture, values, beliefs, and other discrimination will always have either acute, chronic stress or eustress when they remember the events that led to their discrimination. Consequently, the victims of any form of racism and discrimination become scared of realizing their full potential because of real or perceived threats from society. According to research conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), 69% of Americans have encountered discrimination in some capacity daily. Frequently reported instances of discrimination encompass variations in the quality of service provided at a grocery store, impoliteness when addressing one individual over another, and intimidation/harassment without probable cause (Schouler-Ocak et al., 2021). Individuals have claimed to be treated unfairly due to their age, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, religion, or disability. For instance, prejudice and discrimination against members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community have long existed in the United States. It is difficult for LBGTQ people to fit in, go to reputable schools, get the right care, practice their right to free speech, and go out to dine (Quinlan et al., 2020). In addition to the discriminatory

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4 treatment already discussed, hate crimes and physical violence have been inflicted on LGBTQ people. The question of whether LGBTQ people can benefit from housing, job, and parenting rights (adoption) is also still up for debate, and it has a lasting impact on the well-being of LGBTQ people. Consequently, it is evident that being LGBTQ results in tension and anxiety, which can exacerbate melancholy as the victims are ignorant of how society would respond to them. Regarding the problem of racism and prejudice, the criminal justice system in the US has also been discussed. Common examples are traffic stops conducted by police based on the accused person's ethnicity and unlawful searches and seizures. According to research, police have harmed persons of color by threatening, assaulting, abusing, and willfully neglecting to answer their emergency calls (Fish & Syed, 2020). Ms. Sandra Bland, one of the victims of police brutality, killed herself while incarcerated as a result of the harsh treatment she received from law enforcement officers because of her cultural background. Bland was among the many people of color who emphasized the importance of every race and ethnicity in the United States, which led to enacting a raft of social reform laws. Therefore, it is critical to consider the psychological effects of the racial inequities and prejudice already discussed. The never-ending thoughts that Ms. Brand was processing as she was ready to serve her jail sentence led to her death in prison. The police disregarded Ms. Bland's account; she was too poor to navigate the criminal court system, and her chances of survival dropped; therefore, Ms. Bandy turned suicidal due to depression. As was previously indicated, Bland's case was only one of many deaths and suicides caused by unjust treatment in the criminal court system. Nonetheless, it is important to recognize that relatives of individuals who pass away are arrested or receive unfair sentences due to their age, sexual orientation, or ethnicity and struggle

5 with a variety of psychiatric problems. Stress, anxiety, sadness, and PTSD are commonplace among families whose racism and discrimination caused the loss of their primary breadwinners (Anderson et al., 2020). The death of a breadwinner requires a family to undergo physical and psychological rehabilitation as they fight to meet their necessities while dealing with pain and grief. As mentioned earlier, the victims of racism, discrimination, and bias battle various mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, and depression. The symptoms of the conditions include personality changes characterized by mood swings and withdrawal. The victims or their family members feel rejected and unsafe when interacting with other peers, hence changing their personalities to cope with the negative environment (Anderson et al., 2020) . Loss of appetite and fatigue because of the increased mental processes in response to day-to-day challenges is another symptom associated with chronic stress and depression. Older men and women who are victims of any form of discrimination based on their race, skin color, religion, or sexual orientation battle suicidal thoughts because of the feeling that the world is against them and their vulnerability. On the other hand, the psychological impact of racism, bias, and discrimination on children and teenagers is different. In most cases, the children and younger adults battle with increased sadness, irritability, and low concentration in school. The school grades also drop because of truancy and negative attitudes towards some teachers. Anger, oversleeping, and being paranoid when interacting with others are another characteristic of psychological issues among teens and children (Anderson et al., 2020) . The victims feel aggressive towards their colleagues because of the feeling of insecurity. In some cases, victims of racism, discrimination, and bias lose interest in activities that initially made them happy, like sports, music, and sex; hence, they become withdrawn from life and can harm themselves or the people around them.

6 Poor cognitive function is another psychological impact of racism, bias, and discrimination. One of the issues that affect the quality of life in the United States and worldwide is citizens' ability to get gainful employment and generate income. Cognitive functions refer to the ability of the brain to process information accurately, demonstrated by proper learning, thinking, memory, problem-solving, and decision-making (Anderson et al., 2020) . Research indicates that there has been a significant reduction in the rate of unemployment in the United States since the Great Reception. However, an issue that stakeholders in government are yet to address is the historical injustices of racism and discrimination meted out to minority groups, including blacks and Hispanics. Research carried out by the Brandeis University’s Institute for Assets & Social Policy indicated that racial discrimination regarding access to finances, school, and hospital impairs the cognitive abilities of the victim (Chin et al., 2020). For instance, a society with barriers to healthcare access automatically infringes the basic rights of access to healthcare for a particular group of people. There is a mental breakdown for anyone to imagine that they will fall sick, and the system denies them an opportunity to seek proper medical care. Social divisions between the rich and the poor make the survival of the lower members of society risky. The expenses involved in accessing quality care coerce people with low incomes to use unconventional means of healthcare through seeking services from traditional medicine men who lack proper skills, hence contributing to a high mortality rate (Chin et al., 2020). Additionally, the bias in distributing human resources and finances in public hospitals leads to poor health outcomes for the marginalized, who succumb to manageable diseases because of incompetent and understaffed healthcare facilities. The unequal and unfair treatment of people because of their age, sex,

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7 gender, or ethnicity, either by verbal, emotional, negative stereotyping, or physical means, can affect a person's mental processes. According to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), the lack of proper nutrition, education, employment, and security adversely affects the ability of the brain to perform its roles effectively (Anderson et al., 2020). One of the ways to facilitate a free and secure society for every, regardless of their social status, religion, race/ethnicity, sex, or gender, is through ensuring access to education. The vicious cycle of poverty denied many generations a chance to live in secure neighborhoods and eat nutritious food. The present-day regimes have endeavored to offer equal opportunities to everyone; however, the issue of insecurity and poverty continues to affect the quality of life and mental capacity of the victims. Children who grow up in fear because of neighborhoods characterized by crime and violence fail to develop critical brain parts such as the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and auditory and visual cortex (Quinlan et al., 2020). Unemployment and high poverty levels caused by racism and discrimination deny people access to nutritional food, affecting the proper growth of the hippocampus and hypothalamus (Adan et al., 2019). In conclusion, the paper has identified that racism, discrimination, and bias have psychological impacts on the lives of the victims. Some of the issues identified in the paper include stress, anxiety, depression, and poor cognitive function. Therefore, the paper shows that fighting racism and discrimination is the only way to ensure a productive society because everyone will achieve their full potential without fear or favor. A free society where everyone feels loved, appreciated, and valued regardless of sex, gender, religion, or race is the foundation of brotherhood, collaboration, teamwork, and support toward a common goal.

8 References Adan, R. A., van der Beek, E. M., Buitelaar, J. K., Cryan, J. F., Hebebrand, J., Higgs, S., ... & Dickson, S. L. (2019). Nutritional psychiatry: Towards improving mental health by what you eat. European Neuropsychopharmacology , 29 (12), 1321-1332. Anderson, A. T., Luartz, L., Heard-Garris, N., Widaman, K., & Chung, P. J. (2020). The detrimental influence of racial discrimination on child health in the United States. Journal of the National Medical Association , 112 (4), 411-422. Chin, D., Loeb, T. B., Zhang, M., Liu, H., Cooley-Strickland, M., & Wyatt, G. E. (2020). Racial/ethnic discrimination: Dimensions and relation to mental health symptoms in a marginalized urban American population. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry , 90 (5), 614. Fish, J., & Syed, M. (2020). Racism, discrimination, and prejudice. The encyclopedia of child and adolescent development , 1-12. Hayes, G. (2023). Introduction to psychology. Quinlan, E. B., Barker, E. D., Luo, Q., Banaschewski, T., Bokde, A. L., Bromberg, U., ... & IMAGEN Consortium. (2020). Peer victimization and its impact on adolescent brain development and psychopathology. Molecular Psychiatry , 25 (11), 3066-3076. Schouler-Ocak, M., Bhugra, D., Kastrup, M. C., Dom, G., Heinz, A., Küey, L., & Gorwood, P. (2021). Racism and mental health and the role of mental health professionals. European Psychiatry , 64 (1), e42.

pscyh_race._FINAL

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