The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘Mental health in an unequal world’.As well as the factors that can affect everyone’s mental health, people of African descent (PAD) may also struggle with racism, inequality and mental health stigma, which leaves them highly susceptible for mental illnesses. Today we would like to raise awareness of racial gaslighting. Gaslighting is to undermine and make a person question their own judgement, perception or memory, in this case, issues/experiences regarding racism. Most of us PAD have often been questioned the following regarding our experiences with racism: ”Are you sure that’s what it was about?”, “Was it definitely about skin colour though?”, “But I don’t think that was about racism”, and the classic “I just think you’re being too sensitive/emotional”. In addition, denying the existence of systemic/institutional racism when a PAD is telling you that it exists, is racial gaslighting.Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse. Gaslighting can also cause anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma, especially if it is part of a wider abuse pattern. For further information and resources:
https://www.mind.org.uk/…/tip…/racism-and-mental-health/
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/…/world-mental-health-day
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day
In Denmark
https://www.sundhed.dk/…/mental-sundhed-og-mental-sygdom/
https://www.regionh.dk/…/Pages/Psychiatric-admissions.aspx