The following statement was released by the American Psychological Association following nationwide protests tied to the murder of George Floyd.
WASHINGTON — Following is a statement by Sandra L. Shullman, PhD, president of the American Psychological Association, regarding the mental health consequences of recent high-profile violent events targeting African Americans:
“George Floyd, dead after a police officer knelt on his neck.
“The deaths of innocent black people targeted specifically because of their race — often by police officers — are both deeply shocking and shockingly routine.
“We are living in a racism pandemic, which is taking a heavy psychological toll on our African American citizens.
Racism is associated with a host of psychological consequences, including depression, anxiety and other serious, sometimes debilitating conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders.
