What Can Filipino Americans Do When Trauma and Anxiety are Constant?
What Can Filipino Americans Do When Trauma and Anxiety are Constant?
There is a war in Europe, nepotistic dictators in rule, uteruses under constant policing, and mass shootings abound.
I write this on a day that marks the 144th day of the year 2022. The United States just experienced our 212th mass shooting of 2022. Filipino Americans come from a lineage of people who fled a country because of war, because of dictatorship terror, and because of the possibilities of having a better life for their family. We are no stranger to uprooting our lives in response to our anxiety rising and to escape trauma.
So, what can we do when what our elders tried to escape becomes the reality we current live?
Learn what happens to ourselves when anxiety and trauma happens
Psychological impact: Experiencing direct or indirect trauma (witnessing violence to others, reading about violence, or vicariously experiencing traumatic events) can create a range of emotions and reactions - anger, fear, frustration, helplessness, revenge. These may feel overwhelming or insidious. Other symptoms of anxiety may also include feelings of irritability, constantly thinking about distressing thoughts, avoidant behaviors, and even panic attacks.
Physiological impact: One may also experience physiological disturbances, like sleep changes (difficulties sleeping, or oversleeping), eating or digestive issues, and even muscle aches or body tensions.
Interpersonal impact: Experiencing trauma and anxiety can disrupt and negatively impact our relationships with others. One might project their strong emotions on others, or when traumatic events happen
Seeking safety: Addressing immediate needs
Finding Kapwa: “Kapwa” of shared identity has been identified as an essential and central value for Filipinos. Finding and connecting with community, sharing commonalities with others, celebrating and commiserating together, or even feeding each other are ways we express kapwa.
Re-establish a sense of safety: Figuring out and creating safety plans, self-care strategies, and navigating through the crisis are all part of how one might find grounding and safety.
Feeling hopeful, capable, or some sense of control: Finding ways to connect back to a sense of calm and agency is important as well. Some ways to feel hopeful can be to connect with others who are organizing for change, becoming civically engaged, or donating towards a cause.
Cultivating care for your long-term needs
Practicing self and collective care: Integrating, as habits, hobbies, or rituals, your care practices. Surround yourself with a community of friends and family who support and encourage your well-being and wellness practices. Seek support!
Sloooooooow dooooooooown: Take time to get re-oriented, to recoup, or to re-balance. Take a nap, reconnect with your body, tend to your loved ones, and/or be present with any and all emotions that come.
Re-Learn “Resilience”: Dr. E.J.R. David once stated, “I had to learn that my resilience was already a fact. The fact that I am here, and that my people are still here despite systematic attempts to erase us is already proof of our resilience. So you ask where we found our resilience? I found my resilience in my community - in my ancestors - in our history. That’s where I found resilience, strength, and courage. Knowing that they are still with me, knowing that my community is still with me, and know that I am never alone. Really, the issue is not our resilience - the question is not whether we are resilient enough or not resilient enough. We have already proven that for generations over and over again. The world needs to stop oppressing us. The problem is not our resilience but a world that constantly requires our resilience, & a world that has come to learn that our resilience is permission for our continued oppression.”
Take Action!
Engaging in activism is oftentimes a great form of self-care and collective care! Volunteering, donating, and finding ways to connect in with community can be a healthy way to channel your emotions into creating change.
Seek support!
Lean into kapwa by connecting in and checking out resources at Therapin*y (therapist who is Pinay, Pilipino, Pinoy, Pinxy). Here, you may find answers to many of the questions you may have about when to seek professional support like a medical professional like a therapist, engage with an ancestral healer, or curious about medication. To learn more about our therapists, healers, and wellness practitioners, check out our community of providers.