Stigma is a universal challenge, but being a young biracial man added another dimension

Ashton Hewitt (Credit: Inpho)Mind’s 2025 Big Mental Health Report highlights persistent inequalities in mental health for people from racialised communities and other marginalised people.

Results from the latest Big Mental Health Survey, included in the report, indicate that people from racialised communities are among those groups most likely to say they haven’t spoken to their GP about their mental health in England and Wales, despite wanting to, alongside young people, men, and non-binary people. The study also found the use of mental health focused digital apps and online platforms was higher in young people, women, non-binary people and those from racialised communities.

Ashton Hewitt has spoken previously about his own mental health challenges relating to online racism received during his time as a professional Welsh Rugby Union player, and shares his thoughts on this latest data.

Barriers

The findings from Mind’s latest Big Mental Health Report regarding racialised communities are difficult to read – but sadly, not surprising. For many of us, the challenges it highlights reflect lived experience. There remain several barriers to accessing mental health support that are unique to racialised communities – shaped by history, inequality, and culture.

Mental health systems often mirror broader social inequalities. Policies, assessment tools, and diagnostic criteria are frequently designed with majority populations in mind, which can lead to misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis within racialised groups. A lack of representation within services adds another layer of difficulty, leaving people feeling unseen, misunderstood, or wary of whether practitioners have the cultural awareness to support them effectively.

One of the biggest factors deterring engagement is the legacy of racism in healthcare – both historic and ongoing. Negative experiences, whether personal or witnessed, understandably lead to mistrust. When people see others like them treated unfairly or dismissed, it reinforces the belief that mental health services aren’t made for them.

The Mind report also highlights that while members of racialised communities are less likely to visit a GP, they are among those more frequently turning to digital platforms for mental health support, often finding that support helpful. This shows how valuable it is to provide multiple pathways for accessing care. Interestingly, the report also found that people not experiencing poverty were more likely to benefit from digital support. That’s a crucial consideration, given that racialised communities are disproportionately affected by poverty, which can in turn limit access to technology and digital services.

Facing the Barriers Personally

Many of these barriers are ones I’ve faced myself when thinking about seeking mental health support. Stigma is a universal challenge, but being a young biracial man added another dimension. The fear of judgement, or of being met with stereotypes, was very real and kept me from reaching out for help.

However, the biggest obstacle for me was representation. I often questioned whether someone who didn’t look like me or hadn’t lived through similar experiences could truly understand how racism was affecting my mental health. It wasn’t about wanting empathy, it was about needing recognition and having access to someone who could validate that the racism I faced was real, harmful and exhausting.

Racism has been a reality throughout my life. From being a young boy hearing ‘monkey’ chants from parents on the side of a rugby pitch, to becoming an established professional rugby player with a target on my back for speaking out against injustice and everything in between. These experiences took their toll. In professional sport, we’re so often taught to be “mentally tough”, to push through pain and keep going no matter what. That mindset can sometimes help you on the pitch but can be damaging off it, especially when it discourages vulnerability or seeking help. Even when people did ask if I was okay, the barriers in place, internal and external, were strong enough to stop me opening up.

Isolation

Like many others, the Covid-19 pandemic was probably the most challenging time for me. It coincided with the murder of George Floyd and the global rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. I was more active on social media than ever, determined to use my platform to make a difference – and with little else to do to fill my time away from rugby, became consumed with trying to challenge the racial abuse I was facing, as well as defending others.

But in truth, I was naïve in thinking I could take on the fight against racism one tweet at a time. The pressure to make an impact became overwhelming, the isolation was suffocating and although I had friends and family to lean on, I still hesitated to seek professional help.

Though these experiences were challenging for me, a reoccuring thought was to imagine how others, facing similar issues, were feeling without having a platform or any support network.  Because of this reality, we all have to do better.

The Impact of Racism on Mental Health

The experiences of racism that individuals and communities face can have a profound impact on mental health. They amplify stress, anxiety and depression, and can create deep feelings of alienation. This makes it all the more urgent to remove the additional barriers that racialised communities face in seeking mental health support.

We must recognise that experiences of racism aren’t just “social issues” – they are public health issues also. They shape how people see themselves, how safe they feel in their environments and whether they believe support systems are for them.

My Purpose

That awareness is one of the reasons I now work as an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Consultant following my recent retirement from professional rugby. What began as advocacy, driven by a sense of obligation to speak up for others who didn’t feel heard, has become my profession and purpose.

I wanted to take that advocacy a step further, with a vision to help organisations move beyond statements and into meaningful action – creating diverse and inclusive environments where everyone feels they belong. In practice, that means reviewing an organisation’s diversity, levels of inclusion, developing inclusive policies and practices, and delivering training to build understanding and empathy.

It’s work that’s both personal and systemic. My hope is that by supporting organisations to become more inclusive, we can start breaking down the same structural barriers that keep so many from accessing mental health support.

Moving Forward

The findings of the Mind Big Mental Health Report are a reminder of how far we still have to go, but they also point toward solutions. Representation matters. Cultural competence matters. Accessible, flexible services matter. And most importantly, trust matters.

Creating equitable mental health systems means listening to those most affected, investing in community-based and culturally informed approaches, and challenging the structures that perpetuate exclusion.

For me, the journey from being a rugby player to an advocate and more recently consultant, has been about turning painful experiences into purpose. My hope is that by continuing to share these stories and push for change, we can make it easier for others to seek support without fear, shame, or silence.

Ashton’s website is here www.everyvoiceconsulting.co.uk and you can email ashton.hewitt@everyvoiceconsulting.co.uk.