Feel constant, exhausting and disempowering. For example, we may feel like we have to play different roles in different spaces to stay safe. This is sometimes called code-switching. Not having enough money can have a negative effect on your health. This also contributes to people with first-hand experience of racism being under-represented in management jobs. Which makes it less likely that services will meet people's needs.

Historical trauma (or historical loss). This is when you're affected by the realisation of how your racial group has been oppressed over time.

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Charities and local services. Some local services offer free or low-cost support. Hub of Hope lets you search for local services near you. You can also filter results using their 'BAME Support' tag. Mind's Infoline could also help you find appropriate local services. Anti-racism is taking action to challenge racism and promote equality. It is more than not being racist – it is about working against racism. Forced to suppress how you feel. You may find that you can't show or even fully feel your natural responses to your experiences. To avoid more abuse, and keep yourself safe, you may feel like you must not react to racism. This can leave you feeling numb, or mean that the experience stays with you for a long time. Feeling very anxious, on edge and unable to relax (called hypervigilance or hyperarousal). For example, you might always be looking out for threats or danger. Sometimes it's very obvious, with a clear intention to harm or offend. This is often called overt racism. It can include:

But often racist comments or actions are more subtle, and may not be intended to cause harm. This is often called covert racism or microaggressions. It’s important to remember that someone’s ethnicity or national origin may not be the same as their current nationality. For example, someone may have Indian national origins and be living in Britain with a British passport. Then at work, institutional and interpersonal racism can be a barrier to promotion. These barriers can affect your income. Or it can be covert or harder to recognise, involving subtle comments that put a child or young person down and devalue their experience or identity.

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Health problems can then further affect work and income. Work, study, money, housing and physical health are all connected to our mental health. This creates a vicious circle of disadvantage. Systemic racism and the pandemic