Black Girls Healing Anxiety.
Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the United States, and more common in Black women and more intense. This could be because of how we are viewed in society, systematic oppression, and mental health stigmas in our community. Research and history tell us that three basic images exist-the Strong Black Woman, the Angry Black Woman, and the Jezebel/Video Vixen. These images affect how other people see us and how we see ourselves. In addition to these 3 tropes imagine having to get to work in corporate America, having to see police brutality happening everyday to your people, wearing the superwoman cape for everyone on top of everyday life stressors. We go through some shit.
So how do we cope? We asked this question our group, “How do you heal anxiety and this was their response.
“Bake and or cook and listen to music.”-Charlotte H
“Saying affirmations
Listening to calming music
Doing guided meditations from YouTube
Holding my crystals
Grounding work
Journaling.”
-Monique L.
“Herbs, breathwork, meditate, journal and grounding.”
-Lexi R
“Listen to music
Holding my crystals
Reading / writing”
-Princess N.
“Yoga, meditation, walking”
-Kiah G.
“Medicate with cannabis, magnesium glycinate, dance/sing, run, pray/meditate, color, grounding”
-Stephanie T.
“I eat an orange in the hot shower and smell the peels.”
-Kris D.
“Incense , sage, music, spiritual baths.”
-Tiffany B.
“I wear Amethyst crystals”
-Catherine M.
“Read,paint,color in my adult coloring book, state my affirmations, do breathing exercises, take a hot shower with eucalyptus, go for a walk, and a good sex session with my hubby.”
-Kyra C.
“Order some ashwagandha it’s a natural herb that helps with stress relief and anxiety it’s been life changing for me. Sagging my self as well as my surroundings, speaking positively over my self and my home. Palo Santo helps as well. Meditation, vibrational frequency sound healing is extremely affective as well. Also moving your body, exercising when feeling anxious.”
-Tianzhanae S.
