Racism and the media
From subtle biases to tabloid sensationalism, the UK media plays a powerful role in shaping public opinion. Couple this with coverage of far-right led protests, and this constant exposure to biased or hostile media coverage can have a profound effect on our psychological wellbeing and our feeling of safety. Sometimes, family or other community members echo exclusionary views found in the media, even if they migrated to the UK.
At Mental Health UK, like our member charity Rethink Mental Illness, we are committed to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation, putting equity at the heart of everything that we do and campaigning for better mental health support for racially minoritised communities.
If you are affected by racism, we want you to know you are not alone. What you are feeling is valid. Racism is not your fault, and you deserve compassion, safety, and spaces where your identity is respected.
Impact of racism on mental health
Research shows that racism can profoundly affect mental health. Racism might make us feel understood, excluded, or “Othered”. We may carry anger, frustration, or fear how others see or will treat us. We might feel burnt out, unable to relax or fully be ourselves. Over time, this can lead to psychological trauma, depression, anxiety, or thoughts of self-harm and suicide.
For many people, there is also generational pain – knowing that hurt is woven into family stories and that sometimes, we might feel we’re expected to wear smiles while carrying psychological pain. And, if intersecting parts of our identity – for example, our gender, sexuality, or faith – are attacked as well, that weight becomes heavier still.
– Aneeka“My two-day business trip showed me something important: racism isn’t always about direct words or actions. It can be the constant, grinding stress of anticipating hostility; of never switching off.
Even when nothing ‘happens’, your body knows it has been under siege, and the constant awareness that is needed to stay out of danger really does take its toll.”
Self-care
While our recent blog on how to cope with news anxiety offers practical strategies for managing distressing headlines, the emotional toll of racism – especially when amplified by media coverage of far-right protests – requires deeper attention. For those directly affected, the experience goes beyond general anxiety. It’s personal, painful, and often retraumatising. That’s why it’s essential to talk specifically about self-care for individuals navigating the psychological impact of racialised news coverage.
- Limit exposure to triggering news or social media: Create boundaries (time limits, muting keywords, selecting reliable sources)
- Create safe spaces: Connect with friends, family, or community where you feel understood. Attend cultural or arts spaces or peer support groups at work
- Use grounding practices: Breathing, mindfulness, journaling, and physical movement if possible
- Expressive outlets: Writing, art, talking, and music can help let your feelings be named rather than suppressed
- General self-care: Ensuring enough sleep, hydration, nutrition, and small pleasures daily
- Professional or peer support: Therapists, hotlines, or community mental health services that specialise in cultural trauma.
Signposting
Stop Hate UK: Practical support and reporting discrimination.
Mind: Side by Side: Online peer-support community where racially minoritised communities can connect with others with lived experience of racism and mental health challenges.
BAATN (Black, African and Asian Therapy Network): The UK’s largest network of therapists of colour. Offers a directory to find practitioners and sometimes free group support.
Race Equality Foundation: Reports on mental health inequalities and recommendations for change.
UK Trauma Council: Resources on racial trauma and mental health.
