(even if the stats don’t always say so)
In the EU today, 46% of respondents in a Eurobarometer survey said they had experienced mental health issues — such as anxiety, depression, or stress — over the past 12 months. Work related stress is especially high: over 44% of European workers say their stress increased during the pandemic.
In six surveyed EU countries, 38% of workers say they are at high risk of poor mental health.
These are not U.S. numbers. These are ours.
But for US, Black women in Europe, our stress is compounded by burdens rarely captured in broad surveys:
- Navigating racial bias and microaggressions in everyday life
- Overwork in jobs where your voice is undervalued
- Cultural expectations of strength that suppress emotional expression
- Barriers to mental health care: bias, lack of representation, language or financial constraints
The European report Being Black in the EU reveals entrenched racism across housing, policing, employment, and social services.
Research from Mental Health Europe notes that racialized communities in Europe face higher barriers to mental health support and often higher rates of distress.
A few real stories:
- During COVID 19, studies of Black women in Europe showed high stress associated with juggling essential work, caregiving responsibilities, and social isolation.
- The “strong Black woman” stereotype continues to persist across cultures. It pressures many Black women to mask pain, ignore exhaustion, and collapse only in private.
These pressures do real damage:
- Sleep suffers
- Decisions feel harderVulnerability to chronic disease rises
- Creativity, joy, relationships get choked
But there is hope. Stress does not have to be your default setting.
Short, consistent practices — breathwork, gentle movement, body scans — change body chemistry. They dampen cortisol, activate the parasympathetic system (rest and digest), and help your nervous system recalibrate.
The 3 Day Tension Release Course from Rooted for Care was created with our needs in mind. Over three days, you will receive:
- Practices you can use even if you have 5 minutes
- Tools to interrupt stress before it takes hold
- Reminders to care for your body, mind, and spirit
What are you experiencing? You do not need more hustle. You need more ease. Try the 3 Day Tension Release.
Sign up free here: https://bit.ly/3DayTension
