Prairie View A&M University News April 21, 2021 Opinion| Taking care of your mental health during the George Floyd Era George Floyd is buried in a cemetery not too far from my home. As I witnessed his coffin passing by me on that solemn day when the country was laying him to rest, many of the mothers with me who had sons screamed out from a place that was deeper than that of a Black man unjustly dying at the hands of a white man. For Black and brown folks, his death symbolized a history of a particular kind of stress and lack of respect caused by structural racism. Waiting for a verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial presented, to many, excessive anxiety because of the possibility of re-traumatization and fear caused by a long history of persistent, systemic police brutality in our communities of color. There has been so much invested in this case that many of us are mentally exhausted, for we felt that we are a part of it all - for justice for George Floyd is justice for us all. So many individuals confessed to being mentally and emotionally drained - from the testimony, the replaying of the video from that fateful day, images from the courtroom, and even more killings of other men of color. If there was no guilty verdict and no resolution, the re-trauma could be just as real as the initial event. Oftentimes, as a result, unresolved anger, nightmares, fears, and worries, whether realistic or not, can become validated because of the inability to make sense of why these things keep happening. So it is important to take care of your mental health during these uncertain times because some of the possible effects of historical trauma can be low self-esteem, depression, substance abuse, self-destructive behavior, addiction, and unmanaged anger. Right now, because of a guilty verdict, at least for now, a sense of relief and elation have come. Each of us, though, should be aware of how much psychological stress that we can manage because similar cases are on the horizon. It's extremely important that we take time to heal and process, which can mean purposely taking a break from it all. You can still keep abreast of what's happening, but manage what you take in - so that you can take care of yourself. Next, try not to keep it all in - you don't have to go through this by yourself. Find a trustworthy person to talk to about your feelings and reflect in a shared positive space. Set boundaries and surround yourself with those who are encouraging and can help move you forward instead of keeping you stuck and intensifying your anger. Exercise, play, find an old friend and joke about good times, go on a nature trail, listen to good music, engage in journaling - any constructive activity that will help you reenergize. If your struggles are those that your friends, family, pastor, or companions cannot help you with - seek a confidential counselor because your pain and anguish may be the result of unfinished business triggered by a series of events. On the Prairie View A&M University campus, we encourage you to use and share the resources below if you or someone you know is in need of support: * Students can contact Student Counseling Services (SCS), which provides mental health services for undergraduate and graduate students on the three PVAMU sites: 936-261-3564. * Students can also access Student Counseling Services 24-Hour Crisis Hotline: 936-553-0990. * The Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention (RSVP) Program provides a confidential space for students impacted by sexual violence, relationship violence, or stalking, including friends or partners of survivors: 936-261-1468. * Faculty and staff can access the Employee Assistance Program through Human Resources, which provides a network of services, including free and confidential short-term counseling. * The entire PVAMU community can access All Faiths Chapel, where Dean Charles Lewter III is available to talk confidentially and provide support. SCS will also be happy to refer you to private resources in the community. Our hope is that you absorb the dynamic programs and resources that PVAMU has just for you as we remain committed to helping you develop into the dynamite men and women that you are destined to be. Bernadine Duncan, Ph.D., serves as director of Student Counseling Services and The Women's Center (Health Services) at Prairie View A&M University. Sandra M. Phoenix HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Building Capacity for Humanities Special Collections at HBCUs - Become an ally and partner with us to protect, preserve and share a more authentic record of American history. 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