What Minority Stress Means for LGBTQ+, BIPOC, & More

What Is Minority Stress?

Minority stress is a term that encompasses the stressful situations and experiences someone encounters based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. While minority stress can be situational, it tends to be perpetual or chronically stressful in nature, because it is centered on a facet of an individual’s existence that does not change.¹

“Minority stress speaks to the added layers of stress that are felt by those of a marginalized group. These stressors are those felt on top of the everyday stressors felt by those of the larger community. An example of minority stress within the LGBTQ+ community would be the everyday stress of being in and navigating conflict within romantic relationships, but added to this would be the isolation one may feel of not being able to seek support from friends and/or family for fear of judgment or ridicule for who you love.” – Alejandro Rodriguez, LMHC at The Center Orlando,²

The Minority Stress Model

The Minority Stress Model was first studied with people who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual in the early 2000s. It provides an explanation for stress experienced by minorities that can lead to disproportionate mental health and physical outcomes.³ Individuals from marginalized communities experience a lack of political representation, rejection, or discrimination in employment and housing. This can lead to stress, emotional fatigue, and depression.⁴

The minority stress model provides an explanation for some of the complicated emotions and experiences that uniquely impact people from marginalized populations.

Development of the Minority Stress Theory

Minority Stress Theory has strong roots across several fields of inquiry, including psychology, sociology, public health, and social welfare. First named by Ilan H. Meyer, this perspective aims to help people understand the social, psychological, and structural factors contributing to mental health inequalities facing sexual minority populations.⁵

The Social Selection Hypothesis

This hypothesis posits that there is something inherent in being a part of a minority population, such as genetics, that makes individuals more susceptible to health problems.⁶ This perspective, however, has not been supported by research, which instead suggests that environmental factors are to blame for health challenges faced by minority populations.⁷ Though this hypothesis is still up for discussion, it is widely accepted that genetics do not provide a complete explanation for mental health disparities among the minority health population.

The Social Causation Hypothesis

This hypothesis states that people in minority groups face difficult social circumstances that lead to health challenges. This theory has been supported by research, confirming that social experiences like prejudice and discrimination, unequal socioeconomic status, and unequal access to quality health care, are all to blame for health and mental health disparities.⁸ The stress induced by being the victim of discrimination can often lead to mental health challenges that significantly impact a person’s life.

Who Does Minority Stress Impact?

Minority stress can look different for individuals of various minority communities; however, there are several major types of minority stress that impact individuals, including victimization and discrimination. Being part of more than one marginalized population can also lead to an expectation of rejection and avoiding situations that could prove stressful.⁹

Minority stress commonly impacts:

Gender Minorities

Transgender and gender nonconforming individuals experience higher rates of discrimination and victimization than cisgender people. In addition to external stressors, they are more likely to attempt suicide or report a history of suicidal ideation. Gender minorities may also experience internalized stigma due to feeling that they may have to conceal their identity or true self.

There may also be situations where their chosen pronouns are not used or honored in favor of their “dead name”—which can cause emotional distress and inner turmoil.

Sexual Minorities

Those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or pansexual can experience stressful and hostile environments due to their identity—which can lead to an increase in mental health disorders like depression or anxiety. Sexual minorities may experience rejection or misunderstanding from family or friends as well as judgment or criticism. They may also feel internal conflict or shame due to living in a heteronormative society.

These stresses, along with discriminatory practices and internalized homophobia, can lead to increased substance abuse, life dissatisfaction, and affective disorders.¹⁰

Racial Minorities

Racial minorities can experience increased rates of psychological stress, and when they have a mental disorder, symptoms can be more debilitating. Experiencing racism causes stress that can lead to physical and mental problems. In a recent study with racial minorities, discrimination was adversely linked to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and significant psychological distress. For children and adolescents, discrimination can lead to an increase in behavioral issues.¹¹

The Limitations of the Minority Stress Model

While the Minority Stress Model has received ample empirical support, some criticize this theory stating that it ignores stress buffering and resilience among gender and sexual minority populations. Other critics claim that it is not minority stress, but a lack of social safety, that leads to health disparities in minoritized groups. They define social safety to include social connection, inclusion, protection, recognition, and acceptance.¹²

While focusing on individual social situations can be helpful in creating a picture to better understand minority stress and health disparities, it is important to consider the broader society’s systems and beliefs that are pervasive and impactful.

Impacts of Minority Stress

People who experience minority stress can be at increased risk for substance misuse and mental health challenges. They may struggle with internalized rejection and shame.¹³ Minority populations report higher rates of suicide, rejection, victimization, and harassment.¹⁴ Minorities can also have lower rates of physical health, and experts have confirmed that stress can lead to an increase in high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease.¹⁵

Rodriguez states, “There may also be risk of heightened paranoia or being hyper-aware of any potential rejection or threat, irritability, lack of felt sense of connection and acceptance, a tendency towards social isolation, increased sense of shame/guilt, and many other negative impacts.”

Coping With Minority Stress

While minority stress can be unavoidable, there can be healthy ways to manage it, like:

Be Aware of Your Stressors 

Rodriguez suggests, “First, start to see the ways minority stress presents in your life. By shining a light of awareness on it, you can begin to see how to work towards change. As you begin to notice minority stress and the self-sabotaging thoughts that may accompany it, you can begin to challenge those thoughts by replacing them with countering thoughts, those that seek to lift you up and affirm your positive qualities. If this is hard to do, find others who can do this for you. Seek out friends, family, content creators, etc. that celebrate the beauty that makes you different.”

Focus on Positive Coping & Self-Care

Eating healthy, developing a good sleep regimen, and connecting with social supports can all be ways to cope with stress.¹⁷ Limiting alcohol, nicotine, and tobacco can also be beneficial in dealing with stress as well as making sure that you stay hydrated.¹⁸

Seek Affirmative-Based Therapy & Supports

Affirmative-based therapy is an approach that aims to validate and advocate for the needs of sexual and gender minority clients. This affirming stance is communicated in therapy in an effort to best support the client, particularly in the context of minority stress. Mindfulness has also been shown to be helpful when used in conjunction with affirmative-based therapy.¹⁶

Practice Mindfulness

Engaging in mindfulness exercises like meditating and grounding can help you become more self-aware and practice self-compassion. Mindfulness can help with concentration and calming down the stress response that is triggered in the part of the brain called the amygdala.¹⁹

When to Get Professional Help for Minority Stress

It’s important to keep in mind that we all deal with stress in a different way. However, it’s important to be aware of some of the signs that you need to get some additional support and professional help. Seeing a healthcare professional like a therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care doctor can be an essential first step in addressing stress-related physical and mental challenges.

Here are three signs you should seek professional help for minority stress:

1. Significant sleep difficulties: If you have difficulty sleeping more than four hours per night or find yourself sleeping for over 12 hours at a time on a regular basis, it is an indication that you need professional intervention. Additionally, experiencing perpetual night terrors or nightmares can also be a sign that stress is adversely affecting you.
2. Feelings of perpetual hopelessness or helplessness: While feeling sadness is a normal part of life, feeling that there is no hope or that you are completely helpless can be an indication of severe depression.
3. Interpersonal relationship struggles: Stress can have a negative impact on our relationships with others. Frequent conflicts, communication difficulties, and feeling disconnected from social support can be an indication that you need a professional resource.

Finding a Therapist for Minority Stress

It can be helpful to meet with a mental health professional who understands your concerns, whether that be a Black, Latinx, or LGBTQ+ therapist. You can ask your primary care provider for a referral, or use an online therapist directory where you can sort by specialty and insurance coverage.

Final Thoughts on Dealing With Minority Stress

Sometimes minority stress is unavoidable, and it can significantly impact your mental and physical health. Being aware of your own feelings and emotions and developing healthy coping mechanisms can make a significant difference in your ability to manage stress. Invest in your personal relationships, be present, develop a self-care regimen, and take breaks from news and social media when necessary.²⁰