MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health is not something commonly talked about in BAME communities, however it’s important as often we face individual and societal challenges that affect our mental and physical health.
Different BAME groups have particular mental health concerns. Whilst the White Caucasian population experienced the highest rates for suiciudal thoughts, suicide rates are higher among young men of Black Africa, Black Caribbean origin. Black men were reported to have the highest rates of drug use and drug dependency than other groups. A 2018 review found that non-European immigrant women, including young South Asian women, were a high-risk group for suicide attempts.
There are Services that are specifically designed for BAME individuals to help with mental health issues such as:
Local Mind - a useful way of finding out what’s available in your area, such as specific BAME groups.
The Chinese Mental Health Association - an organisation that is involved in providing direct services, increasing mental health awareness and representing Chinese mental health issues in public forums.
Black Thrive: An organization that aims to end the stigma associated with mental health and address mental health inequalities experienced by Lambeth’s Black communities.