#irunwithAhmaud
By: Tierra T. Ellis, Ph.D., NCSP
#irunwithAhmaud even though running from the police is more expected than running for physical and mental health
They say when you run that’s mental and physical wealth
But when we visit banks racism holds us back from wealth because THE BANKER looks at us and tell us that we can’t be real estate investors
But we grind and then we shine
And are then told that we deserve time
The pain of heartbreak after experiencing someone’s maladaptive habits of cheating and seeking other women
Because they didn’t have a father to teach them how to love their BABY BOY because they were in prison…
…For running from the police who “mistakes” them for someone who raped a White woman – JUST MERCY on their souls.
See, since its ROOTS, systems have oppressed Black people since THE BIRTH OF A NATION and manipulated them to “make sense” of their story because WHEN THEY SEE US we don’t have a life that is worthy of justice or being free from bars.
Then they call for THE HELP because Black women will take care of White kids to make ends meet when they are the only source of family income – they’re our real superstars.
And then they make them HIDDEN FIGURES when they find out we can calculate flight trajectories
And then we take PRIDE and think it’s a GLORY ROAD just because a White coach starts us in a basketball game that our talents warranted
And we saw it all on TV, Instagram, Twitter, Netflix, and CNN updates…
The hashtags are pierced in our hearts.
We don’t realize the emotional residue of exposure from these stories
And because she watched the news and virtually witness another Black man killed – your grandma’s worried
And your sister is crying tears that are THE COLOR PURPLE because she was raped and abused and her children are taken from her …
Her child is taken from her…
And we remind each other to say his name – It’s Ahmaud – you won’t be forgotten
We uplift your family in prayer and we are livid because our system is rotten
And the irony is that when we say his name and run 2.23 miles on his birthday and think of his mama
We are affected as we endure her pain, fear, and terror that have resulted in vicarious trauma.
Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious trauma is the emotional residue of the indirect exposure to trauma from hearing narratives of people who have encountered traumatized experiences firsthand (e.g., movies, CNN updates, social media platforms). Vicarious trauma can severely impact one’s mental health as they may experience intrusive thoughts regarding the trauma. The Diagnostic Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), “a psychologists’ bible”, indicates that it may also result in “persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world (e.g., I am bad,” “No one can be trusted” “The world is completely dangerous,” “My whole nervous system is permanently ruined”).
Below are a few signs and tips for dealing with vicarious trauma.
Signs
- Sadness
- Lasting feelings of grief
- Anxiety
- Isolation
- Changes in mood
- Nightmares
- Hypervigilance (i.e., state of increased alertness
- Restlessness (i.e., inability to relax and feelings like you are “on edge”)
- Maladaptive coping (e.g., self-medicating, drinking, smoking)
- Physiological symptoms (e.g., headaches, ulcers, rashes, heartburn)
Tips to reduce symptoms of vicarious trauma
- Exercise: Make sure you are getting an adequate amount of exercise. Exercise may reduce depressive (e.g., sadness, irritation) and anxiety symptoms (e.g., rapid heart rate, feeling nervous). Blood circulation in the brain is enhanced through exercise and is likely to improve moods[i].
- Sleep: If you are having trouble sleeping then play “white noise” in the background to calm you and put you in a relaxed state.
- Healthy Diet: Food plays a significant impact on your moods so it is important that you keep track of what you are consuming, especially if you are experiencing trauma symptoms. Please refer to my blog, “ Bad kids”: You Are What You Eat” to learn more in-depth on how food consumption impacts mental health.
Copyright © Tierra T. Ellis 2020 All Rights Reserved.
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