Introduction to Project and First Entry (October 24th, 2021)

 Introduction  



We are now in a time in society where discussing mental health issues and disorders is becoming more prevalent and socially acceptable, and where having mental health issues and disorders is less shameful. Statistics from the American Psychological Association show that, "A total of 87% of American adults agreed that having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of, and 86% said they believe that people with mental health disorders can get better, according to the poll" (APA 2019). At the same time, Black women and girls are advocating and discussing mental health issues that are pertinent to our identities as we face institutionalized and cultural barriers to accessing mental healthcare. Alongside an alarming lack of Black people within the psychology field and the centering of the white experience in professional studies surrounding mental health issues and disorders, there is also an enduring stigma surrounding mental health in Black communities. Dismissing our mental health was once a survival tactic for our community in the past, but now we are still dealing with the negative effects of this. For Black women specifically, we have internalized a mindset called the "Superwoman Schema", in which we feel the need to be strong and resilient in all situations (Ishmael 2021). Although beneficial in some cases, it often causes us to suppress our emotions and eventually break down when it's too much, which is something I know all too well. For a large portion of my life, I have struggled with putting my personal well-being above all else, and witnessed my mother and grandmothers doing the same. All I knew how to do in the past was to suppress my emotions and keep moving, but as I started to struggle with anxiety, this became extremely difficult for me. I chose to do this project because I am still learning how to properly engage self-care practices, and need to find comfort in being still as I am always moving or doing something to be productive or to avoid relaxation. By engaging in deep breathing daily for a few weeks, I hope to see my stress levels decrease, and my willingness to engage in self-care practices increase. I know that this project will be difficult for me as it something new that I am trying, but as our society is becoming more accepting of discussing mental health and prioritizing our personal well-beings, I too want to be more accepting of my own mental health issues and what I need to do to address them.

First Entry

For the first day of this project, I did not even engage in the deep breathing practice for the day. I realized that beginning this habit would be difficult for me, but now I realize that engaging in deep breathing and relaxing is extremely difficult for me when I am having a rather stressful day. I had three assignments to complete in the night as they were due the next morning, and that kept me busy and anxious throughout the entire day. In the future, I would like to find a way to make engaging in this deep breathing practice easier for high stress days, because doing deep breathing may actually help me cope with the same stressful situations that I am experiencing.


Sources

Bethune, S. (2019, May). Survey: Americans becoming more open about Mental Health. American Psychological Association. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/05/mental-health-survey.

Ishmael, A. (2021, March 19). Black women's mental health is often invalidated - & that problem starts at home. Why Its So Hard For Black Women To Talk Mental Health. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/03/10328806/black-women-mental-health-trauma-effects.

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