how to care for your mental health during the fight for justice #blm
Image by Chelsea Hughes via Pinterest
Protests over the racial inequality and oppression of black people are taking place in all 50 states of the US and in other countries. At the same time, many are using social media as a way to show their alliance with the movement. These protests will not go away soon, nor should they. Yet it is especially important during this time for us to think about ways to take care of our mental health.
Protesters who are marching on the streets might experience a range of emotions including anger from the injustice, fear from the threat of police and the pandemic of COVID-19 that has yet to pass. Having to process all these emotions is a lot to handle. To add to that, experiencing long time chronic stress weakens the immune system, and that’s REALLY not what we need now.
Pentris Hemphill, former Healing Justice Director of Black Lives Matter Global, created a video aimed to guide protesters in regulating their body’s natural response during moments of intense stress (view video here). Hemphill states that it is important to “self and co-regulate our nervous system to cycle down so we can be in the work of justice in the long haul.” The more we take care of our metal and physical well being, the more we can continue to stay in this fight for equality, and the longer this movement will last.
Here are some things Hemphill recommends doing:
To bring your body back down: find something stable (floor, wall) and use that to help you find your breath
If you can’t find something stable, you can practice belly breathing or co-regulate with someone else. Simply place a hand on each other’s heart and allow both of your breaths to deepen.
At the same time, for people that are witnessing police brutality and footage of protests from their devices, it is equally important to give yourself time to care for yourself.
Sterling P. Watson, a licensed psychologist and the Assistant Director of Training for the Counseling Center at the University of South Carolina states: “Secondary trauma is real, just like racial trauma and racial fatigue is real. The more of these images that were inundated with, the more we may experience stress” (quote from this article). While anger and helplessness are natural, we need to be careful not to let that build up into stress. When you find yourself in that state, close your eyes and reconnect with yourself. Ask yourself “what is it that I need now”. Maybe you wish to express your anguish to a friend or family, maybe you need some time to care for yourselves to come back stronger. Whatever it is you need, remember to prioritize that first. The movement will only be stronger if the individuals fighting for it is strong and healthy.
