Coping with Racial Battle Fatigue
Things are extraordinarily difficult right now for you as a BiPOC. You might have started to experience something called racial battle fatigue. To quote our own professor Dr. Suzette Speight (from the 6/2/20 thought of the day):
“Racial battle fatigue is the term coined by William A. Smith from the University of Utah to describe the psychological and physical stress responses of African Americans coping with hostile environments. Racial battle fatigue is characterized by physical symptoms such as tension headaches, backaches, elevated heart rate, upset stomach, fatigue, ulcers, loss of appetite, and elevated blood pressure. Psychological symptoms include constant anxiety, worry, irritability, frustration, insomnia, disturbing dreams, intrusive thoughts, loss of self-confidence, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, emotional or social withdrawal, anger, anger suppression, resentment, denial, keeping quiet, or minimizing.”
It is important to recognize the signs that you have started to experience this so that you can cope effectively. Here are some suggestions that you may find helpful as you are navigating this very tense time as a BiPOC:
- Take a break. You are allowed to step away from the phone/computer/TV to allow yourself time to rest and heal. It can feel uncomfortable to do this when you are passionate about fighting for justice, but it is important to remember that you cannot make progress if you are burnt out. Consider building limits around your social media or news media consumption. Perhaps you allow yourself to step away for the last hour before bed. Perhaps you set a timer to take a 15 minute break every hour that you are on social media. Find what works best for you, and allow yourself time to rest.
- Also allow yourself to physically rest. Ensure you are finding the time to sleep, eat, and exercise if you are able. Check out our post called “Physical Wellness as an Emotional Skill” for more ideas.
- Seek out support – whether from trusted family/friends or a professional.
- blackmentalhealthmatters.carrd.co
- Free therapy for communities of color – Text ‘NOSTIGMA’ to 707070
- Therapy for Black Girls – Text ‘TRIBE’ to 741-741
- Give yourself permission to leave spaces that are not safe for you.
- Remind yourself that the problem we are facing today is not your fault. It is the fault of oppressors who have built systems to maintain the status quo. In this, remind yourself that your anger, fear, sadness, etc. are justified emotions.
- Build a regular meditation/mindfulness practice. Meditation and mindfulness can help to lower physiological arousal in your body. Try searching YouTube for a guided meditation, or download an app such as Calm, Headspace, Breathe, or Sanvello.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. Take some time to identify what has helped you cope in the past for more ideas. Also, be sure to check out our “Free Things to Do” tab, which has a list of resources designed to help with BiPOC’s healing process in the midst of this trauma.
