Racial trauma can be deadly for Black people. Here are five ways to cope with it.

Rewatching George Floyd get killed during Derek Chauvin’s murder trial the same month Daunte Wright and Ma’Khia Bryant died on camera was an exhausting reminder of how race can be the difference between life and death in any situation. Living with that realization on a daily basis isn’t just emotionally harmful; it also affects your physical health. Race-based discrimination and stress can lead to depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many other disorders. In this episode, host Nicole Ellis speaks with mental health experts to provide five ways Black people can cope with race-based stress.

Jump ahead to the noted time stamp if you want to go straight to one of these tips.

What is racial trauma? (1:07)

What does racial trauma look like in our daily lives? (1:45)

Tip #1: Create boundaries around what you watch. (2:24)

Tip #2: Practice 5-7-9. (2:43)

Tip #3: Pay attention to your senses. (2:57)

Tip #4: Look to your ancestors. How did they heal? (3:24)

Tip #5: Create Black joy and rest your body. (4:23)

Watch more episodes of ‘The New Normal’

“The New Normal” is a series from The Lily and The Washington Post that talks about how to navigate the different ways news affects our everyday lives, hosted by Nicole Ellis. The Lily is a publication of The Washington Post that covers critical stories about women and gender.

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