Maya Algarin

March 11, 2019

English period 3
​20Time Research Paper

Discrimination is prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things on the

grounds of race, age, or sex. Examples of Discrimination can be Harassment – inappropriate
jokes, insults, name-calling because of their race, colour, sex or gender, sexual orientation.
People who are discriminated lose their self-esteem “Some people think that perceived
discrimination can cause mental health problems such as depression, and anxiety”. “While
others think that discrimination can lead to substance abuse and obesity”. “And still others
believe that participants who did experience extreme discrimination infrequently, were equally
adversely affected.” The fact that white privilege is both a legacy and a cause of racism. “These
different opinions stem from disagreements about people being discriminated against and those
whites who have the white privileges making it the cause for the discrimination happening.”
People who experience some kind of discrimination end up losing their self-esteem and
start to feel neglected. Many believe that continuous discrimination can cause mental health
problems such as server depression and anxiety attacks. “Past studies have demonstrated that
African-Americans report varying levels of stress relative to the context of the discrimination
they perceive. Overall, research indicates that discrimination in professional settings is more
stressful than discrimination in social settings.” Studies have shown that African Americans have
experienced discrimination so frequently that it stresses them out, that stress will soon later turn
into depression or anxiety. Quote reveals that people who do experience a certain amount of
discrimination end up suffering from too much stress which later then turns into depression.
Because of the white privilege, African Americans suffer from discrimination leaving
them to lose their self-esteem. “For example, a person might unconsciously or consciously
believe that people of color are more likely to commit crime or be dangerous. That’s a bias. A
person might become anxious if they perceive a black person is angry. That stems from a bias”.
Basically, people come up with these bias’ which can become very racist therefore
discriminating those it’s being said to. While others think that discrimination can lead to
substance abuse and obesity. “One such mechanism is the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs.
Racial discrimination has been shown to be related to increased drug and alcohol use”. Many
believe that coping with a substance would decrease their depression/ stress from the heavy
discrimination. People who experience discrimination start to lose their self-esteem and end up
under the influence of an illegal substance.
Whites had it easier than the African Americans/ or any other race because of the white
privilege. “Blacks and White non-violent drug offenders in New Haven, Blacks were
significantly more likely to have sales and possession charges, significantly more likely to prefer
marijuana, a less addictive drug, and significantly less likely to report having severe drug
problems.” Because of the white privilege blacks were more likely to end up selling/ taking
drugs having them face some time meanwhile the whites wouldn’t get the same amount of time.
This quote reveals that white privilege does exists and it most likely will never change.
Still others believe that participants who did experience extreme discrimination
infrequently, were equally adversely affected. Those who experienced extreme discrimination
were most likely to end up very depressed and have frequent anxiety attacks. “The research team
was able to determine that, overall, the frequency of less stressful discrimination was more
detrimental to the participants’ psychological well-being than less frequent high-stress
discrimination experiences.” This revealed that the higher the frequency of perceived
discrimination, the higher the levels of reported anxiety and depression in the participants. Those
who experience discrimination have higher levels of depression than those who don’t experience
discrimination.
Whites believe that the white privilege is not their problem for discrimination, but a
“collective problem”. “Racism is our collective problem. Until this is recognized on a wide
scale, progress will be slow and painful because we don't have the same urgency to fix/solve
other people's problems as we do our own”. They are trying to say that racism is not a "people of
color problem" but an "American problem" or "human problem,".
Discrimination affects society because those who are affected end up losing their
self-esteem, suffer depression and anxiety.
Sources:

● https://lawlex.org/lex-bulletin/the-effects-of-racial-sexual-or-religious-discrimination/868

● https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/discrimination-harmful-psychological-effects-020812

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● https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/discrimination-can-have-negative-effects-

physical-mental-health-expert-n742506