Why Racism Is A Mental Health Issue

11/3/2020

Good Morning Family,

On the eve of Election Day, so much is on our minds.

I wanted to take a moment to share a little hope that regardless of what happens, we will persevere.

Most of us know that politics is a construct and won’t change everything or even very much and it is us who hold the power to do our individual parts to carry the momentum of improvement for a better tomorrow.

Unfortunately though, the threat of a white supremacist president in office for another four years is a heavy thought to carry.

I’ve been thinking a lot about racism lately inspired by the pain and courage of the Black Lives Matter movement. I am currently personally experiencing a Karen situation with a neighbor and I have experienced racism in various forms my entire life as have many of you.

I’ve been thinking about ways racism and also entitlement is a mental health issue, so with that being said I am hereby committing to doing my part as mental health professional to seeing how I can advance making racism a mental health diagnostic by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Others have tried and it is not an accident that they have not succeeded as much of the psychology world is made up of white professionals.

I don’t believe very much in diagnosing or the very colonized institution of “psychology” but I do believe something important can be learned, modeled, controlled, or changed if we start to make people who are racist or entitled more accountable or identifiable in a measurable sense. Let’s get them some treatment stat. Let’s change how education educates what racism really is and how it has created and perpetuated so much harm. Who wants to join me?

Racism, bigotry, and entitlement cause trauma and are a mixture of mental health symptoms such as narcissism, fear, psychosis, anger, paranoia, etc.

I can’t think of anything better to dedicate my time or platform to. For us, for our children, and for those who came before us who prayed for this day.

All 📷’s taken by me in my lifelong quest to show how beautiful and strong our culture is. Every day we grow stronger.

Ometeotl