Coping while Black: Racism’s Impact on Mental Health-Handout: Slides

Handout: Slides

Pdf Summary

The document is a presentation on the impact of racism on mental health, titled "Coping While Black: Racism's Impact on Mental Health". The speaker, Dr. Briana Brownlow, discusses various topics related to this issue, including racism and racialized stress, health disparities, coping strategies, and treatment implications.<br /><br />Racism and racialized stress are described as chronic socially-constructed stressors that can lead to psychological and physical symptoms. The presentation highlights the higher burden of disability from mental illness among Black Americans and the link between racial discrimination and poorer mental health outcomes.<br /><br />The concept of coping with racialized stress is explored, emphasizing that there is no single coping mechanism that applies to all individuals. Different coping strategies such as John Henryism, intersectionality, superwoman schema, and overcontrolled coping are discussed as ways that individuals may try to manage racial stress.<br /><br />The presentation also touches on the importance of culturally-compelled coping and its potential impact on health. It suggests that Black Americans may have a greater need for and use of resources to regulate their stress, as reflected in higher heart rate variability.<br /><br />The implications for clinical practice are highlighted, emphasizing the need for a dialectic approach that acknowledges and supports individuals' coping mechanisms rather than expecting them to change. The importance of assessment, treatment, prevention, and community healing is discussed.<br /><br />The presentation concludes with a focus on policy and advocacy, recognizing the role of wider societal changes in addressing the impact of racism on mental health.<br /><br />Overall, the presentation emphasizes the significant impact of racism on mental health and suggests ways in which it can be addressed at the individual, clinical, and policy levels.

Keywords

Racism's Impact on Mental Health

racialized stress

health disparities

coping strategies

treatment implications

disability

racial discrimination

coping mechanisms

heart rate variability

policy