Mental Chains: Understanding How Systemic Racism Impacts Black Mental Health

Black women have always carried so much—gracefully, powerfully, and often in silence. But what happens when the weight we carry isn’t just physical or emotional, but systemic? What happens when racism, in all its forms, slowly becomes a mental chain—one that many of us didn’t even ask to wear?

Systemic racism isn't just about big moments or loud injustices. It’s in the subtle looks at the store, the lack of representation in mental health spaces, being dismissed or misdiagnosed by providers, or constantly feeling the pressure to prove your worth. Over time, these experiences create what’s known as racial trauma—and it’s real.

For Black women, this often looks like high-functioning anxiety, burnout from being the “strong one,” or the guilt of resting in a world that doesn’t always honor our need to pause. We are often expected to push through without acknowledgment of the systems working against us.

Here’s what we need to understand:

• Systemic racism is a public health issue.

• Mental health support must be culturally competent and accessible.

• Healing isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

At LoveYourselfSis, we believe in naming these truths. Because healing starts with awareness. We’re not broken—we’re impacted. And we deserve safe spaces to rest, speak, grieve, and grow.

So let’s continue to break these mental chains—together. Through community. Through self-love. Through radical rest. Through therapy and resources that see us. Your mental health matters, sis. Not just today—but every day.

You are not alone. You are not imagining it. And you deserve to heal.

🖤 Stay soft. Stay strong. Stay rooted in your truth.

— The LoveYourselfSis Team