Our communities have had to adapt to new health concerns, policies, changes in employment, education barriers, and social lives. Many of our community members struggle to keep that future as they survive without assistance or safety nets to stay afloat. In addition to the impacts brought by changes necessary for public health responses, there has been an ongoing series of protests and civil unrest taking place in an international response to racism and structural oppression. After the violent murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless others, we must witness the U.S. culture of violence against Black people as it converges with a historical pandemic. How’s that for a 2-for-1 deal?
Our country’s heritage of racism and colonialism has led to social disadvantages that affect our relationship to health and how it has largely been defined by hegemony. In fact, COVID-19 has shown a higher prevalence in Black and Latinx populations in comparison to white Euro-Americans. While risk is increased by having underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, which are highly prevalent in African Americans, these conditions are often related to a lack of access to health care and health affirming environments. The main determinant is who must leave their home. Black and Latinx people are more likely to work front-line jobs as essential workers, use public transportation, or live in multigenerational homes where social distancing becomes difficult (Oppel et. al 2020).
People of color are forced to carry the burden of living as racialized people within interlocking systems of oppression and deal with the present threat of COVID-19. We are constantly bombarded by news reports, trending hashtags, and casual office conversations on Black death. It becomes easy to get caught up in the narrative that decides to be Black is to Suffer. This complex overlap of isolation, racial stress, wide-spread financial strain, and the disruption of support services could contribute to increased substance use or alcohol intake as we seek familiar, accessible ways to distract ourselves, seek comfort or self-medicate by dampening intense feelings of anxiety, depression, and other mental health experiences. What’s more is that alcohol is cheap, easy to buy, and works fast. A 2017 study revealed that in young adults 18-22 years of age, “34.8 percent engaged in binge drinking and 9.7 percent engaged in heavy alcohol use (NIAAA)” in the last month.
Moments such as these require a personal and community effort. In honor of the activism we’ve seen, I offer an act of resistance to those who are looking. Continue to find new ways to celebrate life by creating, inspiring movement, and finding things that bring you joy while acknowledging what doesn’t on a deeper level. Such acts are a refusal to be erased, particularly during a time in quarantine where it becomes easier to feel invisible, as well as ways we can lend ourselves more grace and care.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Mental
- Practice self-compassion
- Grieve lost opportunities and set new goals that excite you, even if they’re small.
- Cry when you need to and laugh when you can
- Use counseling services provided by OSU (First 10 Free)
Physical
- Practice yoga
- Dance
- Go for a walk
Spiritual
- Meditation
- Finding online religious services or podcasts that align with your beliefs
Creative
- Paint (without sipping!)
- Learn a new skill like caring for plants
Social
- Starting or joining a virtual book club/interest club
- Calling loved ones and checking in
- Identifying a trusted confidant
Resources
- Therapy for Black Girls Podcast
- OSU Counseling and Mental Health Services
- Collegiate Recovery Community
- OSU Student Wellness Center
- OSU Career Services
- Equitas Health
- Local Alcoholics Anonymous Search Engine
- How to Spot Alcohol Dependency
References
Oppel, R., Gebeloff, R., & Rebecca, K. (2020, July 05). The Fullest Look Yet at the Racial Inequity of Coronavirus. Retrieved September 19, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/05/us/coronavirus-latinos-african-americans-cdc-data.html
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.) Fall Semester-A Time for Parents To Discuss the Risks of College Drinking. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2020, from https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/niaaacollegematerials/factsheets/collegefactsheetforparents.aspx
-Faith Lewis, Wellness Ambassador