via U.S. Army
In the moment, watching and sharing police shooting videos can feel like the right thing to do.
Encouraging public outcry, at times, seems like the ONLY way to avenge the deceased. But psychologists are discovering that there is a dangerous side effect to this approach.
“There’s a heightened sense of fear and anxiety when you feel like you can’t trust the people who’ve been put in charge to keep you safe. Instead, you see them killing people who look like you,” clinical psychologist Monnica Williams told PBS.
“Combined with [indirectly and directly experienced] everyday instances of racism, like microaggressions and discrimination, [this] contributes to a sense of alienation and isolation. It’s race-based trauma.”
Historically, we’ve been conditioned to appear superhuman and hide our pain, sometimes leading to apathy concerning the pain of others as well.
But as more Black people experience symptoms of physical and mental health crises including symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), chronic depression, social anxiety, substance abuse, etc. it’s time for us to acknowledge that, while Black deaths matter, the grief it leaves behind is real too.
Choosing perhaps to take social media breaks, changing the autoplay settings for shared videos, and seeking the help of a trained professional when #wokeness overwhelms one’s ability to connect or function are crucial to protecting the psyche for the hard work of justice ahead.