To my LGBTQIA+ friends and families Happy Pride Month! In addition to Pride, June also serves as another way to shed light on Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a serious mental health condition. A person experiencing PTSD may have a variety of symptoms including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, disassociation, depression, anger, hypervigilance, insomnia, heart palpitations, avoidance, and changes in mood. These symptoms occur after a person has experienced a traumatic event. While 6.8 percent of Americans will experience PTSD in their lifetime, prevalence is higher among Black Americans at 8.7 percent (and that’s just those who have reported experiences of PTSD, I am sure rates are a lot higher among our community).
You can experience PTSD after abuse, violence, illness, near-death experiences, death of a loved one, natural disasters, illness, or any other traumatic event. There are extra pressures that come to the black community and it’s important to note that. Black people are more likely to experience PTSD in part due to the violence caused by the impacts of chronic system racism including poverty, incarceration, discrimination, microaggressions, and violence against Black communities. From disparaging comments made by colleagues and barriers to quality healthcare to witnessing time and time again the police murder Black people, the Black community faces traumatic experiences and events at alarming rates. PTSD is often not addressed.
In our community, we often normalize trauma. Trauma is not normal. Trauma is so not normal that “Trauma-informed care” was created like think about it, the typical care was not enough that trauma-informed care became a thing, cause that not normal. I feel like a lot of us don’t get a chance to deal with trauma as we should, we just get up and get going again (my grandmothers exact words) as I was talking to her about trauma and depression she expressed that she didn’t have time to deal with it. This is the sad truth for many of us. Though some of us may not seek help, help is available. If you think you might be experiencing PTSD due to racial trauma or any other traumatic event(s), there is culturally and racially sensitive help available. Culturally sensitive therapists, including Black therapists, can offer these services in a way that respects and honors the Black experience. Many local nonprofit organizations or social services agencies can help connect you to services for a low cost or for free. Seeking help for PTSD is not a sign of weakness, but a necessary way to tend to our overall health.
Look for therapeutic services check out the following services
Comentários