“Weakness.” If there’s one word commonly linked to the image of a Black American struggling with mental health, “weakness” would most likely take the cake. From building the world’s most powerful nation under horrendous conditions to constantly battling the persona of “Strong and Black,” depicted by abusive white supremacist beliefs, Black Americans aren’t easily rewarded the space to just be human. However, Black Americans are indeed human beings that need the space to feel, nurture, heal and restore their mental health. And there’s nothing “weak” about that; especially after fighting and going through some of the deadliest events this country has ever seen.
So, for all the Black Americans reading this, know that you don’t need to let the label of “strong” cause you anymore suffering. After countless, tiresome years of carrying that burden, this is your sign to finally start releasing that weight off of your shoulders. Start unapologetically creating a space for yourself. Create a space where you can feel, nurture, heal, and restore yourself and know that creating such a space is truly the strongest thing you could ever do. It all starts in your mind with the restoration of your mental health.
Continue Reading for Mental Health Tips for Black Americans.
1. Prioritize Yourself
The first step to taking care of your mental health is to prioritize yourself. Like anything that needs caring for, you must first identify exactly what the problem is to find an appropriate solution before actually starting to solve it. This can only happen by hyper-focusing on the issue. Well, the same rule applies to you and your mental health. By taking the time to prioritize yourself, you can focus on what’s causing your mental health to suffer and ways to relieve it.
2. Take A Break
Just as you need to rest your body after experiencing a physical injury, you need to rest your mind after experiencing mental injury. Resting is an essential part of restoring your mental health. When you rest your mind, you give yourself the chance to restore what has been lost and prevent further damage. On the other hand, when you don’t rest your mind, you guarantee greater lost and heavier damage. So, do yourself a favor and give your mind the rest it needs. Take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle.
3. Partake In Trauma-Free Entertainment
Everywhere you look, your trauma seems to be there, staring right back at you. Whether it comes in the form of think-piece videos on social media, the latest popular T.V shows or even old spiritual songs, Black American trauma is often intertwined into popular entertainment. Nonetheless, you must take a break from dwelling in your own trauma. Finding and partaking in entertaining activities that don’t remind you of your trauma allows your mind to take a break from the constant torture that living under white supremacy inflicts.
4. Protect Yourself
At the end of the day, all mental health self-care boils down to one key objective: protection. Protecting yourself from further mental stress, exhaustion and trauma, proactively nurtures your mental well-being. While protecting yourself might sound like the most complex task of maintaining good mental health, it can actually be quite simple. You can start by making small changes in your daily routine like avoiding T.V shows, music, conversations, people, places, etc., that negatively impact your mental health.
Truth be told, living as a Black American is extremely hard. Undeniably, surviving in a system designed to keep you oppressed does require you to grow tough skin. So yes, you do need to be strong. However, to be truly strong, you must create a healthy place in your mind. A place that can bring you peace, even in your hardest battle.