Coping While Black

The past few days have been…hard. Honestly, there are no words that can grasp the series of emotions so many people are feeling. I’m referring to the near-fatal shooting of Jacob Blake, an African-American male, by a White American police officer in Kenosha, WI. This will not be a discussion of the shooting or the facts associated with the unfortunate incident, I doubt you would come here for that information haha. Here you will find tips how to cope with vicarious trauma.

What is Vicarious Trauma

Vicarious trauma is the side effect of repeated exposure to other people’s trauma. The term is generally applied to healthcare providers; however, within the context of systemic racism and Black trauma, I believe it applies. Although members of the Black community maintain their individualism and cultural diversity, we cannot ignore the familiar kinship that exists within the community. In that aspect, vicarious trauma is most appropriate.

Where Does Black Trauma Come From

Black trauma describes personal or vicarious experiences of systemic racism, oppression, and prejudice. Exposure to other people’s trauma can occur in many different instances. The most prevalent source of Black trauma is social media (e.g. videos, memes, debates in the comment section, timeline activity). Other forms include the news and podcasts (e.g. frequent cycles of hot topics) and online articles and websites (which may or may not have accurate information).

Signs and Symptoms of Black Trauma

Black trauma is an extension of grief in which the loss is not only human life, but human dignity. In a previous blog post,

we discuss the complexity of expressions of grief. Imagine a roller coaster and every high, low, twist, and dip is a different emotion and there is no end in sight. You will experience physical, behavioral, emotional, and mental responses, including but not limited to the following:

• Physical
  • Fatigue
  • Increased heart rate
  • Increased sweating
  • Headaches
  • Lightheaded, dizziness
  • Digestive complications
  • Shortness of breath
• Behavioral
  • Sleep difficulty (falling asleep or staying asleep_
  • Changes in appetite
  • Muscle tension
  • Anger outbursts
  • Persistent irritability
• Emotional
  • Anger
  • Fear
  • Anxiety
  • depression
• Mental
  • Thinking life will never get better
  • Thinking you can’t cope
  • Frequent fear of personal safety
  • Constant replay of trauma

Coping While Black

10 Tips to Rest in Resistance

Complete a Personal Check – In

It’s hard to take care of yourself if you’re unsure of the problem. Do a personal check-in “how am I feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)? What am I thinking?” Then ask yourself where those experiences came from.

Monitor your Exposure

The news isn’t going anywhere. Every minute of exposure is another minute of trauma you are vulnerable to. While it’s important to remain update-to-date on recent events, you can decrease your exposure significantly (e.g. one hour every other day).

Log Off

Guard your heart and mind. While social media can be entertaining, you can stumble on Black trauma unintentionally. If you feel your symptoms becoming more severe, take time off completely. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to filter what we encounter on social media).

Limit Conversation

Discussing and processing trauma is helpful, however, it’s all in moderation. If you find yourself have negative reactions such as exhaustion or irritation, it may be time to take a break and change the subject, “let’s keep it light today, I want to keep my good mood.”

Focus on What You can Control

One experience of trauma is the feeling of helplessness and the strong need to protect yourself and those we care about from the trauma. Unfortunately that is impossible. We can only control ourselves, not our environment (if you leave your home) and certainly not other people. It is unsettling, but it’s a form of reality we must accept. When you feel helpless, remember you can create change on your behalf (e.g. engage in activism).

Rest

Rest is resistance. You cannot perform fully in any capacity without adequate rest

Manage your Emotions

Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a negative emotion. Therefore, feel ALL of your feelings. They are an appropriate response to your trauma. If you feel overwhelmed by your emotions, try calming practices to manage the experience of your emotions such as deep breathing mindfulness, prayer, writing in a journal, spiritual practices, and reciting mantras.

Create a Safe Space to Discuss Race

Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated. You need to release and you should! Find colleagues or friends, family you feel comfortable having safe, non-judgmental discussion on race who will help you process your thoughts or emotions. If that’s not available, consider a therapist. But make sure they are culturally competent.

Increase your Self-Care

Self-care is initially meant to maintain a positive mood. When you’re in bad mood, do those activities even more than usual (e.g. schedule more girls night chats with friends).

Create a Personal Coping Toolkit.

Coping skills are not one size fits all. Think of coping skills like tools in a toolbox, in which each tool meets a specific need. Make a list of all the people, media forums, or situations that trigger your trauma symptoms. Then make a list of an effective coping strategy for each trigger. For example, whenever I see a racially insensitive post on Facebook, I unfriend the person, instead of debating.

The options for coping are endless. Hopefully these give you a good start. How do you cope with Black trauma?

For more information

If your symptoms persist or worsen, or you need a safe space to process your thoughts or feelings, please contact a mental health professional.