Racial Trauma, Management, and Self-care Workshop: Module One

Racial Trauma and Its Effects on People and Communities

According to Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy, “Racial oppression is a traumatic form of interpersonal violence which can lacerate the spirit, scar the soul, and puncture the psyche.”

What is Racial Trauma?

Racial trauma, a form of race-based stress, can develop when Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are repeatedly exposed to repetitive acts of racism. Although similar to posttraumatic stress disorder, racial trauma is unique in that it involves the collective impact of racism and race-based stress on individuals as well as communities of color. Racial trauma may result from acts of racial discrimination, directly or indirectly witnessing racial violence, historical or intergenerational trauma, institutional racism, microaggressions, and the increased exposure to media depictions of racism.

What Effects Do Racism and Racial Trauma Have on Your Health and Well-Being?

Racial trauma can take a toll on your physical and emotional health. Although you may experience and react to racial trauma in different ways, repeated exposure to racism and discrimination can lead to the following symptoms. Take some time to review the below list of signs and possible reactions that you may experience as a result of racial stress or trauma.

Potential Reactions to Racial Stress and Trauma:


Re-experiencing Thoughts & feelings pop into one’s mind Reliving what happened feels like it’s happening again Getting upset at reminders	Avoidance Try to block it out & not think about it Try to stay away from reminders Feel numb or no emotions
Increased arousal Always afraid something bad will happen More easily startled / jumpy Trouble with sleep or concentration Go into fight or flight mode	Dissociation Things feel unreal, like a dream Trouble remembering parts of what happened Disorganized and behavior no longer predictable or regulated
Changes in Your Behavior or Actions: Increase or decrease in activity level Short temper and/or angry outbursts Non-stop talking Difficulty communicating or listening Inability to rest or relax Decline in job performance; absenteeism Frequent crying Hyper-vigilance or excessive worry Becoming accident prone Alcohol or drug use to cope Increased sleep or trouble sleeping	Changes in Your Body: Stomach aches Headaches Body aches, pains, and/or tension Increased or decreased appetite Weight loss or gain Sweating or chills Tremors, muscle twitching, and/or muscle fatigue Being easily startled Chronic fatigue or sleep disturbances Immune system issues (e.g. catching more colds)
Changes in Your Emotions: Feeling heroic, euphoric, or invulnerable Denial Worry, anxiety, or fear Confusion Depression (sense of sadness and/or hopelessness) Guilt Apathy Grief Hopeless or suicidal thoughts Loneliness Anger or heightened irritability Low self-esteem Feelings of humiliation Lack of trust Difficulty controlling emotions	Changes in Your Thinking: Memory problems Disorientation and confusion Slow thought processes Lack of concentration Difficulty setting priorities or making decisions Negative self-talk Negative attitude Poor judgment Lack of self-confidence
	Social Changes: Isolation Blaming Difficulty in giving or accepting support or help Inability to experience pleasure or have fun.

Re-experiencing

Thoughts & feelings pop into one’s mind
Reliving what happened feels like it’s happening again
Getting upset at reminders

Avoidance

Try to block it out & not think about it
Try to stay away from reminders
Feel numb or no emotions

Increased arousal

Always afraid something bad will happen
More easily startled / jumpy
Trouble with sleep or concentration
Go into fight or flight mode

Dissociation

Things feel unreal, like a dream
Trouble remembering parts of what happened
Disorganized and behavior no longer predictable or regulated

Changes in Your Behavior or Actions:

Increase or decrease in activity level
Short temper and/or angry outbursts
Non-stop talking
Difficulty communicating or listening
Inability to rest or relax
Decline in job performance; absenteeism
Frequent crying
Hyper-vigilance or excessive worry
Becoming accident prone
Alcohol or drug use to cope
Increased sleep or trouble sleeping

Changes in Your Body:

Stomach aches
Headaches
Body aches, pains, and/or tension
Increased or decreased appetite
Weight loss or gain
Sweating or chills
Tremors, muscle twitching, and/or muscle fatigue
Being easily startled
Chronic fatigue or sleep disturbances
Immune system issues (e.g. catching more colds)

Changes in Your Emotions:

Feeling heroic, euphoric, or invulnerable
Denial
Worry, anxiety, or fear
Confusion
Depression (sense of sadness and/or hopelessness)
Guilt
Apathy
Grief
Hopeless or suicidal thoughts
Loneliness
Anger or heightened irritability
Low self-esteem
Feelings of humiliation
Lack of trust
Difficulty controlling emotions

Changes in Your Thinking:

Memory problems
Disorientation and confusion
Slow thought processes
Lack of concentration
Difficulty setting priorities or making decisions
Negative self-talk
Negative attitude
Poor judgment
Lack of self-confidence

Social Changes:

Isolation
Blaming
Difficulty in giving or accepting support or help
Inability to experience pleasure or have fun.

Table Sourced from Family-Care, Community-Care, and Self-Care Tool Kit: Healing in the Face of Cultural Trauma by the Community Healing Network and the Association of Black Psychologists

What Effects Does Racial Trauma Have on Communities of Color?

The collective experiences of racial trauma can have significant impacts on the physical, social, and psychological health of families and communities. The historical trauma transmitted across generations can result in higher rates of mental and physical health issues within communities of color.

Racial Trauma is Real: The Impact of Police Shootings on African Americans, an article by Dr. Erlanger A. Turner and Jasmine Richardson (2016) discusses how communities of color are impacted by repeated exposure to discrimination and racism and offer steps for healing after experiencing racial injustices in the community.

Go forward to Racial Trauma, Management, and Self-care Workshop: Module Two

Page last modified April 12, 2022

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