Bay Area

Opinion – Coronavirus and Your Mental Health

Published

4 years ago

April 29, 2020

What happened to living for the weekend? Where did hump day go? When will sports return? When will these kids return to school? Where can I buy toilet paper? When will life return to normal? When will I be able to return to work? These and so many other questions have been looming in our consciousness (minds) for more than six weeks. We all know that the coronavirus has significantly impacted our lives.

At the beginning of this pandemic, it was rumored that the Black community was not being impacted, but within weeks we witnessed many African Americans being diagnosed, treated and dying due in part to health disparities.

Very simply, the lack of access to health care, some living without health insurance or being minimally insured, having diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and the impact of racism and cultural biases in medicine are just some of the factors that have impacted our physical and mental health outcomes.

Fears of transmitting the coronavirus have most of us unable to escape the grim reminders of the deaths and infections that have touched African Americans. We know that as the virus increases, so does our anxiety. We begin to worry or become concerned if we or one of our loved ones or friends will be infected. Most of us are unable to be tested and if we are tested, many of us are concerned about the slow turn-around in obtaining results. Testing in underserved communities is slim to none right now.

During these times, it is important to try to stay in the present and not think about the worst thing that could happen. Try to figure out exactly what and how you are feeling (e.g. scared, stressed, fearful, sad, helpless, or angry). Anxiety and feeling distressed is our body’s biological reaction to a threat and the Coronavirus is a real threat especially when we are not able to control our daily lives.

Some symptoms that you might pay attention to include: change in sleep pattern, overeating, over-drinking, increasing drug use or unhealthy behaviors, feeling irritable, or wanting to just escape. For the most part, we are social animals and connecting with others helps us thrive.

Below are some common sense, easy-to-follow recommendations.

1. Maintain a schedule for the household with flexibility.

2. Stay up to date on all COVID-19 information. Listen to the doctors and scientists. Limit the amount of COVID-19 news you watch!

3. Focus on positive aspects of your life and things that you can control.

4. Seek social support from family members and/or friends and maintain social connections (e.g. Facetime, Zoom, Skype, Calls, making Tik Toks, etc.)

5. Engage in relaxation techniques and exercise.

6. Eat healthily.

7. If you are feeling overwhelmed, seek support from a mental health provider. In today’s world, you don’t even have to leave your home, Tele Psych is available. Telepsychology will allow you to access a licensed provider in the comfort of your home or other personal space. It is convenient, prevents missed appointments and may encourage those in our community concerned about the stigma of mental health to seek the help they need to “rise up” to life’s challenges facing us today.

Lenore A. Tate, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Sacramento, Ca. She has previously worked as principal consultant to the California Assembly and Senate Health Committees as well as the Senate Office of Research. For further information, see www.Lenoretate.com or email at: DRTATE20@gmail.com.

Dr. Lenore Tate

Special to California Black Media Partners

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

13 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

6 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”