Peace and independence are two things that we are all aware of what they mean but do not actually experience every day. As a Black-American woman, a part of me will always be grateful that I received the education we all deserved, that I have my own company, and a very lovely family. But of course, behind these successful looks that I may have, there are other women like me who have been through the worst just because of our skin color and gender. Because of the discrimination we face on a daily basis, most of us blacks have never truly experienced what it is like to live a life of peace and independence. And little did we know that peace and independence are not only related to our mental health but also connected.
What is Peace?
For me, peace is a deliberate and intentional state of calm despite the presence of stressors. You’ll know you’re at peace when, despite the struggles you’ve been experiencing, at the end of the day you’ll still feel relaxed and not stressed.
Let’s say you’re having a problem with your work because there are too many deadlines needed to meet, but despite this, your composure is still there. You know that this is just work and your work does not define who you are. That’s why you’re still calm. This, my friend, is what we call real peace of mind.
What is Independence?
Most of the time, we only hear the word independence when it is associated with politics. However, independence refers not only to the freedom of a country, state, or government, but also to our personal lives.
Independence means freedom from control by an external power. This can take many different forms, such as the simple control of some strict parents or the manipulation of your boss at work. Being independent means that, despite the superficial comfort you’ll feel in depending on others, you still choose to stand on your own and not be controlled by others. Yes, I know independence can sound scary, and having social support is okay. But having too much social support and completely depending on others will never be healthy.
What is the relationship between peace, independence, and mental health?
Now, you’re wondering what peace and independence have to do with our mental health. Well, it is simple. Having no peace and independence can negatively affect your mental health. How? Look at our example below.
Let’s say you’re always hot-headed because of work and adulting, and it’s affecting your daily functioning.This means you no longer have any peaceful moments in your daily life.Peace does not exist in you, resulting in rocky mental health. You’ll never feel completely calm and happy because of this, which may also result in mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and many more.
Another example would be whenever you exhibit a fawn response. This is when you deny your own thoughts and feelings because you might displease others. Let’s say, as an adult, you don’t actually like this kind of car you’re buying, but because this is what your father said that you should buy, you just follow him. In that simple circumstance, you can already see the fawn response you had when you just did anything that would please someone other than yourself.
If you want to learn more about Fawn Fear Response, click here.
And if you want to know if you have Fawn Fear Response, take this quiz we made for you.
So for you who’ve been relating to all these situations I’ve mentioned, please do not hesitate to message us because we can help you overcome this lack of peace and independence in your life. Shirley Therapeutic and Consulting Services, LLC is a diverse therapy clinic that can meet the needs of anyone. If you’d like to talk about your mental health, feel free to message us here.
Reference:
Independence: Overview and Examples. Study.com | Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit. Research Schools, Degrees & Careers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 4, 2022, from https://study.com/learn/lesson/independence-overview-examples-what-is-independence.html
