Black Mental Health Matters! 🧠💗
In honor of Black History Month, I wrote about the importance of mental health within the Black community.
Throughout the years, mental health has been stigmatized within our community. Not to mention, there are also barriers to accessing mental health services, so anti-Blackness also plays a systemic role.
I’ve identified some approaches that have personally help me enhance my mental health:
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Focusing on fitness and nutrition
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Engaging in community care
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Exploring therapy
For the past 3.5 years, I have dedicated my life to exercise and nutrition. I go to the gym 3-5 times a week and I try to exercise different body parts each week. I notice that after I leave the gym, I feel a weight lift off of my shoulders and my body becomes rejuvenated. Additionally, after my workouts, my mood improves and I feel calmer. Research shows that exercise can improve mood and even reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
As self-care is also a part of my daily routine, I also engage in micro-level community care. I tend to be communicative with people by reaching out to them if I haven’t heard from them in a while or I will demonstrate care by doing acts of service. To add context, my interpersonal relationships with people have always been founded in a supportive, compassionate scope, so it just occurs naturally for me.
Recently, I started therapy and I am ecstatic about it! Searching for a therapist was difficult because I wanted my therapist to share one or several identities that I hold. While a therapist with similar experience(s) as me may share some commonalities with me, I do acknowledge that there are other factors that matter when seeking therapy. After researching the ‘perfect’ fit, I discovered a Black, female-led therapy clinic that provides a queer-affirming space for clients. As a Black, queer woman these are values that are important to me. I was not willing to go to a random therapy clinic to seek mental health care, so I am so glad that I found a place!
Mental health resources:
Funds to support Black queer & trans people:
Disclaimer ⚠️: This information should NOT be substituted as medical advice; this post is based on my personal experiences.
© 2022 by Zoë l0l Fitness™