Bebe Moore Campbell was a best-selling author and journalist. Her mental health advocacy earned her the posthumous honor of July being designated by the U.S. House of Representatives as “Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Month” in 2008.
The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) recognizes July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and encourages partners to join us in educating communities about the importance of mental healthcare and treatment especially during the pandemic.
Each year the month of July is dedicated to elevating voices in the most impacted communities and to improve understanding of the mental health challenges Black people of people of color face. In recent weeks, our country has awakened to the longstanding effects of racism and bigotry, including the effects on mental health. This includes the racism and bigotry that have been built into systems of care, services, and supports that often went unchecked and unmentioned. That systemic racism and bigotry have had terrible consequences for us.
Black people in the U.S. and those of the African Diaspora have been marginalized by those in power experience life differently from those whose lives have not been devalued. They experience overt racism and bigotry far too often, which leads to a mental health burden that is deeper than what others may face. Racism is a mental health issue because racism causes trauma. And trauma paints a direct line to mental illnesses, which need to be taken seriously.
Past trauma is prominently mentioned as the reason that people experience serious mental health conditions today. But obvious forms of racism and bigotry are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to racial trauma.
Every day, people of color experience far more subtle traumas:
• People who avoid them and their neighborhoods out of ignorance and fear
• Banks and credit companies who won’t lend us money or do so only at higher interest rates
• Mass incarceration
• School curricula that ignore or minimize our contributions to our shared history
• Racial profiling
So, what do we do? How do we address our past and current trauma? Consider taking the following steps to proactively care for your mind, body, and spiritual self can serve as a protective measure and an act of resistance against racialized traumatic stressors.
Acknowledge: There is no one way or “right” way to react. It is important to be aware and accept what you are feeling and thinking. Some helpful ways to increase self-awareness are journaling, practicing mindful body scans to check your body for signs of stress and anxiety, and active reflection. These types of activities can all serve to increase your ability to identify the range of emotions and physical reactions you may be experiencing, all of which are normal and should not be discounted.
Discuss: At times, it can be helpful to openly discuss your experiences following traumatizing situations. Talk to those that you trust, including friends, family, confidantes, colleagues, and spiritual leaders. Open discussion can help to minimize the tendency to internalize negative racial experiences, which can lead to feelings of anger, sadness, or anxiety. Speaking to others who may have similar reactions can also be normalizing and validating.
Seek Support: There are times when seeking guidance and support from others will help to facilitate positive coping and management of racial trauma responses. For some, beginning the process of self-exploration with a counseling professional can be beneficial. For others, guidance from trusted mentors, spiritual leaders, or religious organizations and groups may offer needed counsel and collective support.
Self-Care: In an effort to buffer the emotional and physical consequences of racial trauma, try planning activities that promote a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Internal coping strategies, such as mindfulness practices, meditation, reading, prayer, or other indigenous healing systems and faith practices serve to promote optimal mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. They can offer encouragement, hope, and counter the often-negative interactions and messaging present. Engaging in activities that allow you to process your emotions externally is also important. Painting, drawing, spoken word recitations, singing, or dancing provide a means to continue to process emotions through expression and body movement.
Empowerment Through Resistance: Experiences of racism and discrimination can lead to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Prolonged personal experiences or the continued witnessing of racial discrimination can prompt avoidance, fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, or lack of motivation. To combat such feelings, for many it is important to engage in activities that may make them feel empowered and seek to promote change. Be proactive by channeling the hurt, anger, and feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that you're feeling by participating in social-change activities in your community. In doing so, you can use your voice to speak out against racial injustices
Other Resources:
https://mcusercontent.com/6aa11fa786466642f2188db2e/files/b0f976a5-31fd-4406-9033-b31620907758/100_Self_Care_Ideas_by_GirlTrek_compressed.pdf
http://www.olgaphoenix.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SelfCare-Wheel-Final.pdf
Source: Institute for the Study and Promotion of Race and Culture
