A black woman’s guide to understanding stress: the first step to stressing out stress.

There is always going to be stress in our lives. It is a part of who we are. However, excessive stress usually is the greatest threat to a healthy living. Understanding the actual meaning, causes and signs of stress is the first step to coping and stressing out the monster that threatens us.

What is stress?

Stress in the most simple term is a pressure exerted forcibly on a body/object  to produce a defirmation . It is a compulsion, an influence. In other words, stress is that which brings about a reaction on the normal body flow. By default, our body has a response mechanism of fight or flight designed to protect us from harm and get us ready to take to challenges.

During a stressful period, the body produces and releases chemicals (hormones- adrenaline) which trigger the alertness and readiness to respond. Excessive influx of these chemicals carry with it consequences that will affect the ability of the body to function effectively. It is this breakdown of functionality that makes excessive stress to be a poison to a well being.

Causes and effects of stress on the black woman.

There are different circumstances and situations that can cause excessive stress for the woman. It is usually those things that could result to or make you to be; frustrated, angry, unhappy, tensed, or make you feel worthless.

Black women for  centuries have been subjected to so much stressful conditions that leave them appearing less worthy compared to women from other races. Due to our cultural believes, poverty, racism, family situations plus several other situations that we have come to live with.

Cultural believes: Culturally, there are so much expectations heaved on the shoulders of the woman. From caring for the family- children, husband, parents, parents in law and other members of the family. Often with so much to do, the woman have less and less time to think and care for herself. Unfortunately, women have left these to continue for ages, handing down so believes further to their sons and daughters. Thereby continually creating the environment where it is okay for a man to use and abuse the woman without remorse.

Poverty/Neglect: Often, when poverty hits the family, it is the woman who bears the brunt of it all. Given the believe system that we have just discussed, the woman’s needs of course is never a priority, leaving her neglected and unkempt. She develops an attitude of a super woman., caring for everyone and neglecting the goose that lay the golden eyes. In effect, we see a sudden crash in her health resulting in chronic arthritis, hypertension, depression and even death.

Racism/discrimination: This has remained the most challenging source of stress for the black globally. Discrimination and let down which black women receive directly and indirectly from employers, carers, the media and the society in general has kept the black woman defensive, angry and frustrated leaving them with attitudes and lifestyles that are unhelpful both to their health and self development.

Family: Child bearing adds stress to the lives of every woman not just the black woman. But with support and help from the family the woman copes better. With situations such as those discussed above, it is extremely challenging and stressful for the black woman to cope.

Other sources of stress: So many other sources include; job stress, sudden death, illness, bad relationships, domestic violence, just to name a few.

Black women of Academics.

Toni Morris

Toni Morrison:

A literary icon. A woman filled with knowledge and zeal that we are proud to copy. A pearl woman setting the pace for the next generation of writers.

In what seemed like an informal gathering with friends of writers and poets, Toni’s first novel – The bluest eyes was born. She had told the group a short story of a black girl who longed to have blue eyes. Given the positive reactions that she received, she decided to develop the story into a novel, which became a success. Having had a huge success with the bluest of eyes, Toni went on to release her second novel Sula which was to rocket her into the limelight. Sula was nominated for The National Book Award. Although the novel did not make it, she was not going to give in or give up. Morrison went on to release yet another novel Song of Solomon. As soon as Song of Solomon hit the racks, it was literally the BOMB! Song of Solomon won The National Book Critics Circle Award. Making it the second novel by a black writer to be so awarded.

Toni’s 4^th novel Beloved won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and The American Book Award. However failed to win the National Book Award sparking a huge protest from other writers. But later in 1998, Beloved was streamed into a film starring Oprah. 2006 saw Beloved named by The New York Times as the best American Novel published in the last twenty-five years.

Aside her many accolade, Morrison lectured English at the State University of New York. She was later appointed to the Albert Schweitzer chair at the University of Albany, and until retirement, she held the Robert Goheen chair in the humanities at Princeton University(where the first Lady Michelle Obama graduated from) .
She founded the Princeton Atelier to help emerging literary and arts students to collaborate with world class artists. Which has been spectacularly phenomenon.

                        The Facts:

Toni’s Novels and years released:

The bluest of eyes……….1970.

Sula……………………   1973.

Song of Solomon ……….1977.

Beloved …………………1987.

Tan Baby………………  1981.

A Mercy………………….2008

Awards and Honours:

Honourable Doctor of Letters Degree – Rutgers University. ………………………………...                                                                    May, 2011.

Doctor of Letters Degree                    Oxford University……………………………………..                                            .June,2005.

National Book Foundation’s Medal of Distinguished

Contributions to America’s Letters…………………………………………………………………                                       1996.

Nobel Prize in literature……………………………………                                                                       1993.

Pulitzer Prize for fiction………………………………………………                                                              1987.

American Book Award………………………………………………                                                              1987.

Visiting professorship --  Bard college ………………………………………………                                                                          1987.

Barnard Medal of distinction  --  Barnard College………………………………………………..                                                          1979.

National Book Critics Circle Award  ……………………………………………….                                                                          1977.

Pearlwoman!

Prof. Anionwu

Prof. Elizabeth Nneka, Anionwu.

         (RN, PhD, CBE, FRCN).

Prof. Elizabeth is a pearl woman. A nursing educator. An academic promoting a multi-ethnic perspective in nursing and midwifery recruitment, education, research and practice. In 1998, when the centre for the promotion of the above mentioned was established, Elizabeth named it after MarySeacole for her unsung contributions to nursing soldiers in the Crimean war.

Elizabeth was born and raised in Birmingham by her Nigerian parents. Her father; Mr L.O.V Anionwu was a barrister and ambassador to the UK.

She went on to study Nursing and is a Professor and Head of the Mary Seacole centre for nursing practises at Thames Valley University. She is also an Honorary Professor at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

In 1979, Anionwu was appointed the first ever Sickle cell and Thalasseamia counsellor in Britain. She became the head of the Brent Sickle Cell and Thalasseamia centre in 1990. From then on, she lectured at the institute of Child Health, University College London, as the senior lecturer in community and genetic counselling.

Elizabeth’s time in nursing have seen her publish several books in this area, including but not only The politics of Sickle Cell and Thalaseamia, CO written with Dr Karl Atkin and published in 2001 by Open University Press. Also in 2005, she was commissioned to write a short history of Mary Seacole by the Royal College of Nursing.

As we speak, Elizabeth is a member of The King’s Fund Management Committee, The NHS Sickle Cell and Thalaseamia Screening Programme Implementation Group. She is also, the vice chair person  to the Department of Health’s Refugee Health Professional’s Task Force. She is again the patron of the Sickle Cell and Thalaseamia Association of Counsellors. She remains also the treasurer to the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal. The Queen also has awarded Elizabeth CBE for her services to Nursing.

©Fauntee writes.2012-03-27