Coping With Trauma Amid COVID-19 and Racial Violence
By Gina Michiko Craig
[Editor’s note: If you feel like you want to hurt yourself, call a crisis helpline like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If you are having trouble with depression, anxiety, school issues, or family issues, text HOME to 741741.]
Stressors get piled onto many of those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) because of built-in structures of systemic racism. A population already suffering from preexisting disparities is now impacted even more with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic; race relations after the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others; challenges in receiving equitable healthcare; and deaths of friends and family members; Now, more than ever, the BIPOC community needs ways to work through life trauma in constructive ways. If unresolved trauma persists against BIPOC individuals, it can spiral out of control into an array of mental health disorders. Enter the power of talk and other healing methods to cope with trauma to maintain mental health.
Social Changes for Mental Health
One recent change that’s proven helpful for many, including those in BIPOC populations, is that there are many well-known BIPOC celebrities who have shared about their mental health struggles, which helps reduce the stigma of mental health issues. Janet Jackson, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Big Sean, Jay-Z, Taraji P. Henson, Dak Prescott, J Balvin, Eva Longoria, Camila Cabello, and many others have shared their mental health challenges.
Studies show that talking about past incidents of trauma is a proven and effective way to support your healing and overall well-being. With major cities now proposing changes to move some funding from their police departments to social workers and support programs, talk therapy may become a reality for more who need support, given the tumultuous time we are experiencing.
In the meantime, if you don’t have access to a social worker, a mental health professional, or group therapy, you can reach out to a friend, co-worker, or family member. Directly connecting with someone on the phone, video call, or in-person (adhering to your local social distancing guidelines) works best to establish a real connection on a deeper level.
Emotional Healing and Moving Forward
After experiencing trauma, action is highly encouraged to start the emotional healing process. Talking about a traumatic incident or situation that really affected you, can help you process the event and your emotions surrounding it. Events like the loss of a family member, such as a grandparent or parental figure, at a young age can affect you, even decades later if the trauma wasn’t processed as a child. The power of talking about traumatic events makes them real and validates that you actually suffered and experienced it. This process brings the memory into the present and then allows you to accept it and release it. Putting up a false, tough exterior for others if you feel hurt on the inside only hurts you in the long run. Sharing your vulnerability can bring positive change, and after you’ve taken the action of validating your feelings, you can move on to the next stage of healing. Another impactful way of progressing through the healing process is to seek interests that make you happy.
Do you have personal goals in life or want to explore other interests to see what makes you happy? When your mind becomes clearer, you can focus on new things. That new focus brings opportunities to work toward achieving goals in life like education or work goals, forming stronger bonds with family members, or practicing a sport or musical instrument.
Medications to Help With Healing Trauma
Along with talk therapy, mental health professionals can prescribe medications to help with trauma, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Talk with your doctor about options if you feel like talk therapy isn’t helping you. Self-medicating and turning to substance abuse with illegal drugs, alcohol, and marijuana can often be damaging to the body and exacerbate the effects of trauma. It can also harm important relationships amongst friends, family, and romantic partners. Know that you’re not alone and that you have options to call your health clinic to set up an appointment to be seen by a medical professional who can diagnose and prescribe medications for conditions like depression and anxiety. They have the expertise and background to help you figure out which medication will work best for you. Call the National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) that can assist you in English or Spanish to get you connected with mental health care in your area.
Fitness, Spiritual, and Wellness Practices for Healing
Fitness, spiritual and wellness practices are other well-documented ways to help move people through and past trauma. Both solitary and group fitness activities and sports can help calm the mind and give you opportunities to focus on physical goals. Running, walking, basketball, tennis, soccer, football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, rollerblading, and weight training are all excellent ways to not only provide the body with the exercise it needs but can provide emotional support in group settings. Even many people who run or walk on their own report positive results on their mental health from these activities. This is due to the release of endorphins after exercise, which spark positive feelings.
Many religions and communities of faith provide a healthy support system to help maintain your mental health. Religion or faith can provide a way to center yourself and to focus on helping others while helping yourself at the same time. Whether it’s Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, or another faith or spirituality, healthy support and personal bonds can be built through learning the teachings and carrying out the practice of faith with others.
Yoga, meditation, chanting, and writing in a journal are all scientifically proven ways to calm the mind and to lower stress levels, which aid with your emotional and mental health. These activities give you ways to push distractions out of your mind, to focus on clearing your mind, and to concentrate on goals that you’d like to work toward in your life.
Helping Others Process Feelings
With the trauma that’s been experienced by the BIPOC community this year, we can come together and bond through our shared human experience. If you’ve noticed someone who’s sad or frustrated at your school, workplace, or elsewhere, take the time to ask and listen about their struggles. We’re all in this together and can use kindness, compassion, and unconditional love to weather the storm to come out even stronger on the other side of trauma.
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Resources
A Little Opportunity Goes a Long Way
Sources
Jon Schuppe. What would it mean to ‘defund the police’? These cities offer ideas. NBC News website. Accessed September 30, 20201. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-would-it-mean-defund-police-these-cities-offer-ideas-n1229266
Rethink Baltimore: Keeping It 100 - The System, Society, and Black Children. Vimeo. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://vimeo.com/286964039
Smitha Bandhara, MD. Exercise and Depression. WebMD website. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression
