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Useful Resources for BIPOC Mental Health

"Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible." - Maya Angelou

The United States in 2020 has had a resurgence of anti racist movements and police brutality. While these movements may seem new to many white Americans, BIPOC Americans have known the harsh realities of racism and brutality their entire lives. Racism is a form of trauma that is rooted in the inequity BIPOC individuals face every day. PTSD symptoms can happen as a reaction to the harassment, bruality, and stigma and repeated exposure to videos of racist brutality on social media. Members of the BIPOC community are 20% more likely than white Americans to suffer from mental illnesses.

Yet, even knowing all of this information, many mental health establishments have failed the communities of color in the United States. BIPOC individuals have historically not been taken seriously by medical practitioners and have been targets of medical abuse. Primarily, a lack of access is the main roadblock to better mental health in the BIPOC community. In this article, we have compiled a selection of useful resources to help with access.

Racism and Discrimination

Racism is a very serious problem in the United States that did not disappear with the abolishment of slavery. There is a direct correlation between racism and mental/physical health problems. The anxiety, stress, depression, and other negative health results because of this treatment are understandable and rational. According to national polls and surveys, 88% of black Americans believe that black people experience racism in the United States. Racism can also take on the form of macroaggressions (overt racist experiences such as slurs, physical assault, or being denied fair wages because of race).

Researchers in this field have found evidence that chronic experiences of racism and macro/microaggressions can result in increased anxiety and stress, headaches, higher blood pressure and heart rate, hyper-vigilance, and other physical/psychological symptoms. Studies continue to be done on the link between racism and symptoms of anxiety, but we know the effects of racism on mental health are pervasive and extensive. The three ways racism negatively impacts stress and anxiety for the BIPOC community are: avoidance of valued action, internalization, and perceptions of lack of control.

How to Cope

Valued-Living

A potentially effective strategy for coping with racist experiences and to combat its effects is to attend to and make decisions based on our values. When people can identify and understand their values, they are more likely to be aware of what matters in stressful situations and make choices consistent with those values.

If you are in a stressful situation it can be very difficult to remember that you have choices in your life and can feel empowerment in restricted situations. For example, thinking that you cannot stand up for yourself when your boss makes a racist remark because you will lose your job. This individual may choose to reconnect to his or her values of respect and may decide to approach his or her boss about these comments because it would mean accepting that that kind of behavior is inconsistent with what he or she stands for. The decision of acting in line with your values can buffer some of the stress that comes with racism.

Attending to our Emotions

Tending to our emotions instead of avoiding them or pushing them away is a form of acceptance. In this case, acceptance means acknowledging our relationship with our emotional reaction to racism, not a suggestion to accept racism or racist experiences. To create an accepting relationship to the overwhelming and distressing emotional response to racism may lessen the intensity of the anxiety surrounding it.

For example, we know that trying to suppress our emotions can actually heighten their intensity. In this strategy, we are willing to acknowledge and discuss the deep emotional response we may have after experiencing racism. For example, BIPOC Americans may wonder how to be strong and resilient while also acknowledging the emotional trauma brought on by these experiences. It is important to know that controlling our emotional experience of racism can be very effective and is one strategy that contributes to strength. A crucial component of this is to acknowledge that emotions provideinformation that help us navigate the world.

Self-Compassion

Emotions provide us with the ability to adapt to life changing situations that experiencing racism may bring. However, society has created a stigma around feeling anxiety, sadness, and anger. They are viewed as signs of weakness or a lack of self control. BIPOC individuals are often told they are “too sensitive” or “overreacting” when they have an emotional reaction to a racist occurrence. Self-compassion is appreciating your emotional response to racism as being natural and understandable. The goal is to cultivate an awareness of our tendency to judge our emotional reactions and bring self-compassion to emotional experiences and self-criticism.

For example, if a BIPOC woman experiences racism, she should acknowledge that she is angry and upset and appreciate that it is a natural response to injustice rather than a situation she needs to “get over”.

However, this is not always as easy as we would like it to be. It can be very useful to find support or maybe seek professional help.

Resources

1. Self-guided Virtual Resources

There are a variety of virtual resources for BIPOC Americans.

● The Safe Place is a free mobile application that is focused on psychoeducation and self-care. It is geared towards the black community, but available for BIPOC individuals.

● Liberate is another mobile app that focuses on meditation and is led by BIPOC teachers.

● The Racial Trauma Guide is a virtual guide for how to be an ally and how to cope with racial stressors. The EMPOWER (Engaging Minorities in Prevention Outreach Wellness Education and Research) Lab is responsible for developing this online platform.

● The BEAM (Black Emotional And Mental Health) Toolkit and Resources is an available online resource with journal prompts, graphics, videos, and more!

2. Support Groups

Even in times of isolation (COVID-19 restrictions), there is space virtually for us to be together.

● Therapy for Black Girls is an online platform founded by Dr. Joy Bradford in 2014. It is dedicated to encourage mental wellness in Black women, whose mental health is often overlooked. The platform also includes a free podcast to make mental health topics accessible.

● Sister Afya Online Sister Support Group is a support group for women to learn life skills and improve their mental well-being through other women. It was founded by Camesha Jones and is a Chicago-based community mental wellness group. They are focused on community support for people living with mental health conditions so that all Black women can feel empowered and heal. They currently offer virtual support groups.

● Ethel’s Club is a paid membership-based virtual community. A variety of classes, events, and wellness resources are offered for BIPOC individuals.

3. Crisis Hotlines and Resources

There are a number of crisis resources, including hotlines, chats, and centers available for BIPOC individuals.

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273 – 8255
  • Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741 – 741
  • Ayana Therapy (online therapy for BIPOC and marginalized communities)
  • RAINN Live Chat (National sexual assault online hotline)
  • RAINN 24/7 Hotline: 800- 656- HOPE (800 – 656 – 4673)
  • Lifeline Crisis Chat (Online messaging)
  • National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: (800) 799 – 7233 (anonymous calls)

4. Treatment Directories

If you are looking for treatment, these are a few great places to get started.

● BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. See above for more information.)

● LGBTQ Psychotherapists of Color Directory

● Inclusive Therapists

● Therapy for Black Girls

● Therapy for Black Men

● National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network

● Mental Treat (filter and find professionals who work with your specific situations)

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