# Addressing Racial & Ethnic Groups in Bipolar Care: Stigma and Misdiagnosis Exposed

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-bipolar-5196915/addressing-racial-ethnic-groups-in-bipolar-care-stigma-and-misdiagnosis-exposed
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-bipolar-5196915/addressing-racial-ethnic-groups-in-bipolar-care-stigma-and-misdiagnosis-exposed.md
Podcast: [Inside Bipolar](https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-bipolar-5196915)
Published: 2025-12-01T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://psychcentral.com/blog/inside-bipolar-podcast-addressing-racial-ethnic-groups-in-bipolar-care-stigma-and-misdiagnosis-exposed/
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/RVOHE1550141966.mp3?updated=1763564736
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/inside-bipolar-5196915/episodes/addressing-racial-ethnic-groups-in-bipolar-care-stigma-and-misdiagnosis-exposed
Duration seconds: 1942

## Resource

The mental health system didn’t start out fair — and in many ways, it still isn’t. In this powerful episode, Dr. Nicole Washington sits down with fellow psychiatrist Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox to unpack the long, painful history that continues to shape the experiences of Black Americans seeking mental health care. From the horrifying “diagnosis” of drapetomania in the 1800s to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, they trace how mistrust, stigma, and systemic bias became woven into the Black community’s relationship with psychiatry.But they don’t stop there. Dr. Nicole and Dr. Leesha explore the research showing that Black and Hispanic people are 3 to 4 times more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia instead of bipolar disorder — a mistake that can derail treatment, worsen symptoms, and put lives at risk.Listener takeaways the historical roots of racial disparities in psychiatric diagnosis why Black Americans are more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia how stigma and generational trauma shape attitudes toward treatment practical steps to find culturally humble, affirming providers Most importantly, they offer real, actionable advice: how to find culturally affirming care, how to navigate bias in the system, and how Black and other communities of color can break generational silence around mental health. This conversation is validating, eye-opening, and deeply empowering. Listen now! Our guest, Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox, affectionately known as Dr. Leesha, is a double board certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist. She earned both her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed her general psychiatry residency training, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, and community mental heal…

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## Transcript

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