I am so thankful I had an
opportunity to present to the Black Women of Chester County in Action’s “An
Evolving Journey – We’re Still Here Embracing Where We’ve Been, Where We Are
Going and Where We Want to Be” on May 4, 2024.
One of the reasons I am so
passionate about this topic is when I learned that Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey
affectionately known as Bonnie had taken her own life on January 8, 2024. Dr.
Bailey served as the vice president of student affairs at Lincoln University of Missouri, a historically
Black university.
Taken from her obituary “In 2016, she presented her dissertation,
"My Sister, Myself: The Identification of Sociocultural Factors That
Affect the Advancement of African American Women into Senior-Level
Administrative Positions." Bonnie, an engaged and dynamic speaker, presented
"My Sister and Myself" on several college campuses, national
conferences, churches, and organizations.”
How could a woman who seemed to be
so full of positivity and so strong reach a point where she felt like she had
no other choice than to die by suicide? The answers may be found in the myth of
the “strong black woman”. This idea of a strong black woman, can stifle being
one’s authentic genuine self, one’s true self, one how God has designed you. The
idea of the strong Black Woman is killing us, literally and metaphorically.
As we look at reimagining the
strong Black woman let’s define a few terms.
Reimagine – Reinterpret,
rethink, to redefine/develop a new idea about the way something should be.
Strong – Having the power to
move heavy weights or perform other physical demanding tasks. Have the ability
to withstand great force or pressure.
Resilience – can cope with
stress on one had; places us at heighted risk for physical and psychological
distress.
In order to reimagine the strong
Black women we must look at the various factors that make up one’s overall
wellness including those that are emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational
, physical, intellectual and environmental in nature. We must also define
wellness.
“Wellness refers to a holistic
approach in which mind, body, and spirit are integrated. It is a way of life
oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit
are integrated in a purposeful manner with a goal of living life more fully
(Myers, Sweeney, & Witmer, 2000). Wellness is more than the absence of
disease, a state defined as “health,” and incorporates a concern for optimal
functioning.”
Data shows that 1 in 5 women in any
given year will have a diagnosable mental disorder a mental, behavioral, or
emotional disorder . In adults, 1 in 25 experience serious mental illness; defined
as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional
impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major
life activities. Think about your 5 closest female friends, one of you is most
likely dealing with a mental health challenge such as depression anxiety or
even thoughts of suicide.
Neglecting our overall well-being and self-care lead to
physical and Mental health problems. In addition, lack of exercise, poor
nutrition, inadequate sleep, and chronic stress can increase the risk of developing
conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, weakened immune
system, and other physical ailments.
There are other factors that keep
us from achieving wellness including:
Trauma - Occurs when a
person is overwhelmed by events or circumstances and responds with intense
fear, horror, and helplessness. Extreme stress overwhelms the person’s capacity
to cope. There is a direct correlation between trauma and physical health
conditions such as diabetes, COPD, heart disease, cancer, and high blood
pressure.
Stress -Is an
emotional/bodily reaction to physical, psychological and/or emotional demands.
It is an applied force or system of forces that tend to strain or deform the
body. When we encounter stress it is a survival mechanism used to respond to
perceived dangers and it is a powerful
internal communication to raise awareness.
When you put trauma and stress
together they can result in a mental health condition known as Post-Traumatic
stress disorder . This disorder also known as PTSD is triggered by a terrifying
event, exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual
violence in one (or more) of the following ways:
- Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s).
[indirectly]
- Witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to
others.
- Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a
close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or threatened
death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent or
accidental.
- Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive
details of the traumatic event(s) (e.g., first responders collecting human
remains, police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse
[counselors working w/clients who are abused/traumatized]
When women face mental health
issues, it not only affects them but can cascade to others, impacting families,
communities, and workplaces. Therefore, women’s mental health matters for a
number of reasons.
·
There is no health without mental health.
·
Mental disorders/illnesses are wide-spread and
under-treated.
·
There is a significant co-morbidity between
mental illness and substance use disorders (SUD).
·
Risk for SUD is elevated among those with mental
illness.
·
Mental health affects other health outcomes.
·
Women are generally gatekeepers for family’s
health.
·
Women are generally the caregivers for ill
family members.
·
MH strongly affects the developing child’s
health.
Let us never forget what God says about his creation.
- Psalm 139: 13-14: For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full
well.
- Eph 2:10 – For we are God’s handiwork, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
I hope I have demonstrated why we
need to reimagine the Strong Black Woman. If you would like to learn more about
the steps you can take to reimagine your life as a strong Black woman I
encourage you to register for my free course on my new client learning portal.
It not only explains the need but also gives you actionable steps reaffirmed by
God’s word to help you to be healthy and whole.
Be Blessed,
Dr. Taunya Tinsley
