4 Ways On How To Deal With Anxiety When You Are A POC

Despite living in the 21st century, racial anxiety is still very real. In many cases, it’s just as prominent as ever, especially for People of Color (POC) living in certain communities across the country. 

You might feel like you don’t fit in, to the point where you’re disregarded or even degraded. You might even be fearful of your community, or even the state of the country itself. 

Needless to say, it’s not uncommon to deal with anxiety when you’re a POC. 

While you might not be able to change the state of the world on your own, there are things you can do to manage your personal anxiety and find some peace of mind, no matter your situation. 

Let’s cover a few tips on how to deal with anxiety when you’re a POC, so you can take more control over your thoughts without letting your fears consume you.

1. Find a Support System

One of the best things you can do to manage your anxiety is to spend more time with like-minded individuals. Seek out other POC in your community who might be struggling with the same worries. 

You might even consider joining a support group, or an organization specifically meant to help POC deal with such things. 

Knowing you’re surrounded by people who understand you and want to lift you up can make a big difference. It will give you something to look forward to and can boost your comfort levels while reducing your anxiety.

2. Be More Mindful

Most anxiety stems from worrying about “what if?” 

For POC, those “what ifs” can include thinking about the past and wondering what life might be like if things were done differently. It also might include being fearful about what the future brings. 

Unfortunately, it’s easy for those “what if” thoughts to spiral out of control, fueling and feeding your fear to the point where it becomes overwhelming. 

A good way to manage those thoughts is to practice mindfulness. By focusing on the present moment and practicing deep breathing, you can let those worrying thoughts pass you by. It’s a great practice to understand and apply, and it can help you manage your symptoms every day.

3. Focus On What You Can Control

Again, because anxiety tends to stem from “what if” situations, it gets worse when you focus on everything out of your control. 

We all struggle with circumstances we can’t do anything about, but it’s often worse for POC who might be dealing with lingering effects of racism or discrimination. The world at large needs to continue to make changes and progress forward, but it’s not going to happen overnight, and it’s something you can be a part of but can’t control completely. 

Instead of focusing your fear on those major things, choose to focus instead on what you can control. 

What areas of your life are you confident in? What can you change? How can you make an impact right now? When you start to focus your attention on what you can do instead of what you can’t, your worries will feel smaller.

4. Practice Self-Compassion

There are still plenty of stigmas surrounding mental health, especially in many POC communities. People sometimes view anxiety as a weakness or evidence of having little self-control. 

That simply isn’t true. 

If you had a friend struggling with anxiety, think about how you would treat them. Chances are, you would be compassionate, understanding, and loving. 

Why not treat yourself the same way? 

The more you try to ignore your emotions or even criticize yourself for feeling them, the more intense they’re likely to become. It’s important to accept your feelings as real and valid and show yourself compassion and kindness as you navigate through them. 

If you’re a POC struggling with anxiety, these strategies can help. However, it’s always a good idea to talk to a mental health professional if you’re worried you can’t overcome your racing thoughts. Feel free to contact us for more information or to set up an appointment for anxiety counseling.