Racial trauma, sometimes referred to as race-based traumatic stress (RBTS), refers to mental and emotional stress resulting from racial bias, discrimination, microaggressions, and hate crimes.
Individuals who experience racial trauma deal with the pain of the initial event and the lingering negative side effects. Many individuals experience post-traumatic stress disorder as a result and can develop trauma-related depression and anxiety.
RBTS can look like PTSD, but it is not classified as a mental health disorder; instead, it is considered a mental injury resulting from racial injustice and discrimination.
Common symptoms related to racial trauma
Distress
You may find yourself constantly thinking about and reliving the event, which can include having flashbacks, nightmares or terrors.
Avoidance
Are you finding yourself avoiding people, places or things that remind you or seem connected to the event? If someone experiences a traumatic situation in their home, they may feel the need to move.
Compromised sense of trust or general safety in the world
A person may lose trust in others in society and begin to feel unsafe, even in places that have felt safe for long periods.
Disassociation
Disassociation describes when a person feels numb or disconnected from their own life and the people in it. This can happen as a result of trauma.
AF-EMDR
Experiences of racism and discrimination can become deeply held in the body, leading to ongoing distress. Attachment-Focused Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (AF-EMDR) helps release the weight of these painful experiences, supporting healing, self-worth, and a stronger sense of safety and empowerment in daily life.
Get support
If you are suffering and have been subjected to RBTS, please reach out to me. I would be more than happy to talk you through the way that I work. I am seeing clients online and in my office in Hove.
