I’ve been feeling blue along with my fellow peers on this earth. So much has happened and all seems to be hitting us at once! Well known people dying this year, COVID-19 making the whole world stop and those common feelings of self-doubt and restlessness. Then the spotlight on the murders in police uniforms – I admit, in the past, I’ve watched those videos that circulate our world with #NameofDeceased But I did not click onto the video of George Floyd’s murder.
It hurts to see such events reoccurring in the year 2020. I’ll never understand why anyone would hate their fellow beings on the bases of their skin-colour. I can’t comprehend the logic!
- If you were born blind, you would not see any colours.
- All humans’ origins have been scientifically traced back to Africa!
My heart hurts when I see those hashtags when I log into any of my social media platforms and it seems like everyone is sharing the same horrific clip of the murder of an innocent person by a member of the police.
It’s okay not to view such aspects of our corrupt world. It’s okay not to click on the hashtags and view disturbing images and hear traumatic sounds. It’s okay to tune out of your social media and give your mind a break.
Your mental health is important! And while I’m aware of what horrendous things happen in our world, I’m also aware my mental health can’t cope with the constant negative highlights. I wholeheartedly support the fight for equality and diversity and the right to not receive such hate based on your:
- disability.
- gender reassignment.
- marriage and civil partnership.
- pregnancy and maternity.
- race.
- religion or belief.
- sex.
We must all remember to look after our mental health.
When I noticed I was being affected by everything going on, I did the following:
- Turned off all social media notifications.
- Silenced specific trends/people I follow – So when I was logged into social media, I would not receive an influx of stressful trending topics.
- Left my phone in a drawer in another room, placed it on flight mode or do not disturb.
- Advised people who were constantly talking about topics that made me feel low, that I can’t discuss it with them.
- Silenced/Left Group chats on WhatsApp that just appeared negative or were sharing those traumatic videos.
It’s okay to do that.
I was feeling so overwhelmed with being lockdown due to COVID-19 and then finding out a black person was murdered for being black. I felt like I was losing my mind and so I took the actions above and although I never felt 100% happier – I felt like my mind could cool down for a moment and process everything at my own pace. (I read a few articles on events occurring around the world and the movement that has sprouted from the tragic loss of George Floyd’s life.)
I reiterate its okay for you to put your mental health first and take some time to repair.
The year is 2020 and we as a world haven’t found equality amongst all. We haven’t valued black people as we do non-black. It sometimes feels like we are in some realistic nightmare and while we all know what needs to be done, the ignorant ones slow us down and continue to bully, mock and murder people based on race, disability, religion/belief, age, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment.
I long for the time we transition into a world that is 100% equal and diverse and a world that remains equal until the end of life.
Love,
Unique Fatso
Unique Fatso 