What are the impacts that can be experienced by people who are marginalized because of physical needs?

In free, democratic societies, we have a lot to be happy about. We may have good schools and hospitals, a vibrant economy built on good infrastructure, and the freedom to choose who represents us. But even in such a society, not all members have the same access to the opportunities, services and benefits. This inequality is also called marginalization, and it exists even in the strongest, wealthiest countries in the world.

Marginalization definition: what does it mean?

Marginalization, also called social marginalization, occurs when a person or groups of people are less able to do things or access basic services or opportunities. It’s also sometimes referred to as social exclusion.

Are you able to send your kids to good schools, and are they free or affordable? If you become ill, is it easy for you to see a doctor and get treatment? Do you have the same chances as everyone else to get a job and build a career? Schools, access to healthcare, employment—these are all areas where people may not have equal opportunities, and this causes marginalization. But marginalization can also come from everyday inequalities, like whether you live in an area with good, safe roads or access to public transit, or if buildings are equipped for a disability you might have.

What is the cause of marginalization?

All societies are built by those in power. In a democracy, the people get to pick who gets the power to shape our societies, but it is still the case that important policies and decisions will be effected by a select few. And the further one is from these people, the greater chance there is that their needs will be ignored. Think about minority groups. Even in democracies, they often struggle to gain equal access to schools, jobs, or even housing opportunities that would allow them to live in new communities.

What types of marginalization exist in a modern society?

Marginalization exists in multiple forms, and against many groups of people. But there are three main types of marginalization: social marginalization, economic marginalization and political marginalization.

Economic marginalization means that people do not have the same chances as others to contribute to and benefit from the economy. They don’t have the chance to get a good job, or couldn’t attend a trade school to equip them with the skills to enter a certain sector. They may struggle to make enough money to live a decent life, or to access critical healthcare if they fall ill.

Political marginalization means that some groups of people are not able to participate democratically in the decision-making process. If you do not have a seat at the table, it is very hard to get your voice heard. And when we already struggle to do that, it means politicians have a very easy time continuing to ignore your needs and focus all their attention on the needs of the majority.

These forms of marginalization are broad, and they are very often interlinked. If someone is socially marginalized, it is very likely that they are also economically and politically marginalized. And it can be very hard to break out of this on your own. The barriers that we’ve set up in life, for example certain education qualifications for employment, make it very difficult to overcome marginalization in one area and avoid it in another.

Marginalization examples from life

Marginalization affects myriad groups of people, but there are degrees of marginalization. Some groups, like senior citizens, may face similar causes for marginalization in many countries, while a certain minority ethnic group may face increased stigmatization and marginalization in one country or region but not, or far less so, in other countries.

That said, there are several groups in today’s western democracies that continue to face marginalization, or the threat of it, to degrees beyond the majority population. LGBTQI people are still fighting for the same rights as straight people in many European countries. In Poland, they are still targeted by hate groups and the media and ignored, if not openly antagonized, by the government.

Senior citizens are at high risk of marginalization because their decreasing mobility, and increasing need of care, make it more difficult to participate in society and make their opinions heard. Many live in a segregated home with other elderly citizens, a member of this small community but almost entirely removed from broader society.

Ethnic minorities are also at high risk of marginalization. The recent Black Lives Matter protests in the United States and elsewhere happened because black people are still marginalized in so many countries, and the governments simply are not fixing a broken system. In Europe, the Roma face extreme marginalization, forced to live in separate communities without basic utilities, or forced to attend certain schools.

Persons with disabilities are often marginalized. Physically, it may simply be more difficult to get out and do things—go to a workplace, a gym, the theatre. Or they might need expensive care that their government doesn’t provide for. And while buildings are increasingly equipped—often by force of law—to handle common disabilities, it is probably quite difficult for you to think of even three disabled politicians running your country. In other words, they are underrepresented in government, as is true with other groups mentioned. And this puts them more at risk of being marginalized.

One group that’s making strides to increase its representation in government is women. Although women are still a minority in houses of parliament across Europe, their share of seats is increasing and many countries have been or are led by women. But women are still marginalized. Generally, they’re expected to oversee domestic duties and child-rearing. This makes it more difficult to develop careers and become financially independent. Things like unequal parental leave and expensive child daycare make it more difficult for women to avoid being marginalized.

How does marginalization affect society?

Marginalization affects society by making it a less equal, stable, and enjoyable place to live in. By effectively excluding some people from society, we are all deprived of the work, talent, thoughts and culture that they could share with the rest of us. That makes all of us worse off.

And marginalization probably drives crime. This is not just from marginalized people who might fall into petty crime to make ends meet. It’s also the often more violent crime against those who are already marginalized, for reasons that are absurd. It is increasingly common in countries where populist authoritarian governments use marginalized groups as scapegoats for the problems of the majority. Authoritarian politicians and their allies in the media do their best to make white Americans feel that their jobs are threatened by people who migrate from Central America; politicians in Hungary and Poland spread hatred against people who migrate and LGBTQI persons who they portray as a threat to the culture and tradition of white Christians. These myths are perpetuated by some politicians and parts of the media to the point that it drives some people to violence. But at the very least, it entrenches stigmas and stereotypes and makes it even more difficult for someone from these groups to participate in society.

How do we address marginalization?

Marginalization must be addressed by changing the systems and practices that perpetuate it. This means that the government must do more to see that the benefits of society can be enjoyed by everyone. Are resources, like water, electricity and fuel, distributed in a fair manner across the entire country? Do all communities in need of infrastructure investment have the same chance of getting it? Is the state making good education and quality healthcare equally available to all communities?

We also need to have a hard look at how free and fair elections are in our country. Even in democracies, there are certain mechanisms, attitudes, or even regulations that make it more difficult than it should be for minority groups to have their say in politics. So we need to work to ensure that our system of choosing our representatives produces a government that is truly representative of the people.

But change also needs to come from each of us as individuals. We need to change attitudes so that we create more support for things like feminism and civil rights. This means we need to teach these things to our children, and not hide dark chapters of our history like colonialism or slavery. The better people understand what happens when people lose their rights, the more likely they are to support systems and practices that prevent that from happening.

Around the world, thousands of people face daily violence and persecution. With few opportunities at home, they flee in hopes of safety and opportunity. But the journey is perilous and emotionally draining. And even when immigrants arrive in a new country, they face new kinds of stress, discrimination, and isolation.

It’s an intense, physically taxing experience that impacts the whole person. A report from the United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture and Mobility outlines the far-reaching implications for mental health for refugees and migrants. This aligns with existing research on the mental health impact for anyone who feels under attack or discriminated against.

“We now have decades of research showing that when people are chronically treated differently, unfairly or badly, it can have effects ranging from low self-esteem to a higher risk for developing stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression,” said Vickie Mays, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health professor in the department of health policy and management.

Whether it’s related to ethnicity, sexual orientation, or beliefs, feeling undervalued and uncertain about the future directly impacts mental health now and in the years to come.

Increased Stress

Daily challenges can lead anyone to feel stress and the racing thoughts, heart pumping, and adrenaline rush that goes with it. For those experiencing personal attacks or discrimination — the stakes are higher. Research shows that they’re more likely to report higher stress levels and poorer health.

An American Psychological Association report found that LGBT adults who have experienced discrimination have average stress levels of 6.4 on a 10-point scale, while non-LGBT adults who have not experienced discrimination average 5.0. The same trend applied to racial groups who experienced discrimination.

Due to past experiences, even the anticipation of discrimination can lead to higher stress levels. Constantly feeling on edge or unsure about how they will be treated can trigger a long-standing stress response. Discrimination over time can even lead to changes in how the brain processes information, including planning and decision-making.

“When we’ve had these experiences and anticipate that other incidents might lead us to be discriminated against, it can interfere with our ability to cognitively function at our best,” Mays said.

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Low Self-Esteem

Much like the impact of bullying, those under attack might feel shame and guilt because of how they’re treated by their perpetrators. This can lead to low self-esteem and lack of self-worth, which fuels other mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. One survey of LGBTQ teens found that they experienced high levels of anxiety, feelings of rejection, and fear for their safety. Nearly 75 percent of respondents had been verbally threatened and ninety-five percent reported having trouble sleeping.

Even as society becomes more accepting of the LGBTQ community and other minority groups, feeling under attack or being perceived as less worthy of happiness or success can take its toll on self-esteem. Feeling confident, grounded, and inspired requires a confidence and self-assuredness that’s difficult to achieve when you’re undervalued by others. Self-esteem is often linked to perception, and it takes a willful mind and heart to overcome wide-ranging adversity and strife.

“As we slowly begin to believe in ourselves, we can discover that although we cannot change our past experiences, we can change the way we think about them,” said Elizabeth Venzin, the CEO of Australian non-profit Mind Shift — The National Self Esteem Initiative. “As a result, we can change not only how we think about ourselves, but also identify a way to a better future.”

Overwhelming Worry and Anxiety

Coping with uncertainty can lead to constant worrying about how you will be treated and what’s to come. This can impact sleep patterns and, like in the LGBTQ survey, even cause insomnia, which includes difficulty falling or staying asleep. Suffering from insomnia exacerbates issues already experienced by those under attack. Those with insomnia are 10 times as likely to have clinical depression and 17 times as likely to have clinical anxiety. The more a person experiences insomnia and the more frequently they wake at night as a result, the higher the chances of developing depression.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) impacts more than 12 million Americans annually, and it’s an anxiety disorder that’s prevalent in anyone facing trauma, ranging from war to natural disasters to assault. Research from George Mason University’s College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) found that undocumented Latina immigrants reached the minimum factors for PTSD nearly four times (34%) the rate of U.S. women overall (9.7%). First person narratives of Latina women crossing the U.S. border provide context to this research finding.

“After risking their lives to come to the United States, these women have few resources and are still under the stress of potential arrest and deportation,” explained CHHS Associate Professor Dr. Carol Cleaveland. “Moreover, they have to live in isolation from their family members in their countries of origin. All these factors make it much harder to recover from the previous experiences that caused their PTSD.”

The conversation continues as to how countries can tend to the mental health of migrants within a complex and controversial immigration debate. For anyone who feels under attack or uncertain about the future, the reality remains: their life-changing struggles and challenges have a direct and lasting impact on mental health. And they need personal and professional support to move forward and live fulfilled, productive lives.

Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.

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