Racism is bad for our health. That’s no news flash, but it’s important to state outright. Consistent proof gathered over years of research says that racism and discrimination are linked to mental and physical outcomes. Increased risk for hypertension, smoking and a heightened stress response are a few of the physical symptoms. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, feeling on edge, and intense anger are a few of the mental health outcomes.
Yet the story isn’t all bad, because we know plenty of people who have survived and thrived despite racism. In psychology, we call those skills coping strategies – the things you do to manage stress. Some people deal with stress in healthier ways (e.g., hit the gym hard, spend more time in prayer or with friends) others less so (e.g., drink, push themselves to work extra hard to prove people wrong). A researcher, Dr. Sherman James, cautioned us not to overwork ourselves in the face of adversity. His idea was in part, inspired by the folktale of John Henry, a steel driver, who competed against the newly invented steam power machine to show that he was still worthy
of the job. Legend has it that he won, but died immediately after as a result of the stress and how hard he pushed his heart. One of the John Henryism questions is, “When things don’t go the way I want them to, that just makes me work even harder.” This attribute can be a blessing and a curse. It can drive us to reach impressive heights and also contribute to our suffering.
It’s important to think about how you deal with discrimination when it hits you personally or affects the Black community. Do you pray about it, go for a smoke, have an extra drink, call up a friend to vent, go for a run, listen to your favorite song?
Whatever it is that you usually do, try picking up one more positive strategy you can use the next time you are forced to cope with discrimination.
In addition to increasing our options for how we deal with or cope with racism, research also suggests that acknowledging racism and having a healthy racial identity can also protect us. Some people believe that you should see race as less important or simply ignore racism. Others fear that if you focus on race and racism too much, you will get a chip on your shoulder and make your life harder. Research says that seeing race and acknowledging racism is better for your health, because it can help you understand what is happening and not think that it’s simply something about you. Of course, it’s important to be self-reflective and accountable, but we should not own the negative messages that are perpetuated about Black people. The website www.defythelie.org outlines strategies for staying emotionally well in the context of racism.
Racism can negatively impact our mental and physical health, yet cultivating resilience and coping strategies can improve our odds.
By Kira Hudson Banks, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
Saint Louis University
