Updated 2/22/2022

What Is Self-Care?

“I see self-care very simply as intentionally doing things to take care of yourself,”Mikah Maly-Karros, LMFT, said.

“Self-care can be very easily misconstrued as something that is superficial, but as a therapist, I see that the most important part of self-care is really doing that internal work. Because that’s really the only way you can know what your needs are and then find ways to provide for those needs.”

Examples of internal work can be developing better self-awareness,self-compassion, self-forgiveness, understanding your own identity, and learning what is good for you and what’s not,” Maly-Karros said. Self-care is necessary to live our fullest lives and it’s more important than ever.

Witnessing or experiencing brutal acts of racism, whether first or secondhand, is a leading form oftrauma. When we hear traumatic stories, see disturbing images, or watch videos of people being murdered and harassed because of their race, we can experience vicarious trauma, which might lead to symptoms ofpost-traumatic stress disorder. It can be challenging to process these devastating occurrences, especially for Black Americans who have such acomplicated relationship with the mental health care system.

How to Practice Self-CareTo ensure that Black people stay healthy both physically and mentally, it is important to make self-care a top priority.“For some, in the past, self-care has been seen as a ‘luxury.’ However, it’s imperative to practice healthy self-care strategies, now more than ever, and to be intentional about integrating these practices into daily routines”Dakota King-White, Ph.D., LPCThere’s still a stigma in the Black community around taking care of our mental health, but Dr. King-White said more people are beginning to place an emphasis on taking care ofthemselves. “It’s great to be able to help take care of our family and our friends, but if we’re not well physically, mentally, and emotionally, we’re not going to be well for other people and we’re not going to be at our best,” she said.A few self-care strategies Dr. King-White recommends include:Setting healthy boundaries with the people in your lifeSetting adequate rest and taking breaks throughout the dayPracticing gratitudeSpending time with loved onesEngaging in activities that foster a sense of communityStaying physically activeLimiting social media and news intakeMaly-Karros also recommends taking occasional breaks from triggers such as the news and social media “because we need that space to restore ourselves.” The media can sometimes overwhelm us and it can be hard to separate our lives from the ones on our screens.She also stressed the importance of setting boundaries. If you’ve felt emotionally exhausted and often misunderstood, you’re not alone, which is why Maly-Karros stresses implementing boundaries for your non-black associates, friends, and family. She encourages you to ask yourself what your responsibility is in situations (for example, explaining anti-racism to someone) and what is not.Additionally, understanding when you’re beginning to run low on energy is another way to practice self-care. Low energy looks different for everyone and tends to reveal itself as irritability. Physical manifestations include things such as the inability to sleep, a loss of appetite, nausea, and headaches, Maly-Karros explained. “Generally, taking care of yourself on a baseline level is really, really important. Making sure that you’re sleeping enough, eating healthy, and exercising on a daily basis because stress and extremely stressful situations are very much connected to our physical body as well,” she said.“Boundaries are one of the most essential ways of practicing self care — particularly for black and brown people. Knowing, setting, and holding space for your own needs is critical.”Talkspace therapist Ashley Ertel, LCSW, BCD, C-DBT

How to Practice Self-Care

To ensure that Black people stay healthy both physically and mentally, it is important to make self-care a top priority.

“For some, in the past, self-care has been seen as a ‘luxury.’ However, it’s imperative to practice healthy self-care strategies, now more than ever, and to be intentional about integrating these practices into daily routines”

Dakota King-White, Ph.D., LPC

There’s still a stigma in the Black community around taking care of our mental health, but Dr. King-White said more people are beginning to place an emphasis on taking care ofthemselves. “It’s great to be able to help take care of our family and our friends, but if we’re not well physically, mentally, and emotionally, we’re not going to be well for other people and we’re not going to be at our best,” she said.

A few self-care strategies Dr. King-White recommends include:

Maly-Karros also recommends taking occasional breaks from triggers such as the news and social media “because we need that space to restore ourselves.” The media can sometimes overwhelm us and it can be hard to separate our lives from the ones on our screens.

She also stressed the importance of setting boundaries. If you’ve felt emotionally exhausted and often misunderstood, you’re not alone, which is why Maly-Karros stresses implementing boundaries for your non-black associates, friends, and family. She encourages you to ask yourself what your responsibility is in situations (for example, explaining anti-racism to someone) and what is not.

Additionally, understanding when you’re beginning to run low on energy is another way to practice self-care. Low energy looks different for everyone and tends to reveal itself as irritability. Physical manifestations include things such as the inability to sleep, a loss of appetite, nausea, and headaches, Maly-Karros explained. “Generally, taking care of yourself on a baseline level is really, really important. Making sure that you’re sleeping enough, eating healthy, and exercising on a daily basis because stress and extremely stressful situations are very much connected to our physical body as well,” she said.

“Boundaries are one of the most essential ways of practicing self care — particularly for black and brown people. Knowing, setting, and holding space for your own needs is critical.”

Reimagining Self-Care For the Future

Self-care should be an everyday act of nurturing and loving yourself. It can look like relaxing in a bath or spending time with loved ones — whatever you need to pour into yourself to nurture your body and mind. When the demonstrations begin to die down and the news cycle shifts, it’s imperative that the Black community continues to practice self-care.

“Self-care looks like protecting your time and your sanity. It can be walking away from conversations that don’t serve you. It is about prioritizing your mental health and peace.”

Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.

Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.

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