What Is Vacant Esteem

“Vacant esteem” is a term introduced by Dr. Joy DeGruy in her work on Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS). It refers to the sense of internalized self-worthlessness or low self-esteem experienced by many Black people due to centuries of racial trauma, oppression, and systemic dehumanization. Dr. DeGruy explains that vacant esteem is one of the key symptoms of PTSS, which is the cumulative psychological and emotional injury passed down across generations of Black people, originating from the brutal experiences of slavery and continuing through ongoing racism and discrimination.

Key Characteristics of Vacant Esteem:

Internalized Negative Beliefs: Individuals suffering from vacant esteem often internalize society’s negative messages about Blackness, leading to feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness, or inferiority.
Lack of Self-Worth: There is a pervasive sense that one is not valuable, which can manifest in self-destructive behaviors, unhealthy relationships, and a disconnection from one’s cultural identity and strengths.
Cultural and Historical Roots: The phenomenon is directly linked to historical experiences of enslavement, where Black bodies and lives were dehumanized. Over time, this deep devaluation became ingrained in the psyche of descendants of enslaved Africans, perpetuated by modern systemic oppression.

Dr. DeGruy’s Explanation

In her book, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing, Dr. DeGruy highlights that the dehumanization from slavery stripped generations of Black people of their dignity and sense of self-worth. The residual effects are seen today in how some members of the Black community view themselves, often feeling less valued by society and by extension, by themselves.

Addressing Vacant Esteem:

Healing from vacant esteem involves recognizing its roots in the trauma of enslavement and systemic racism and actively working toward the restoration of Black self-worth. Community healing, cultural reconnection, therapy, and education are all vital tools in combating the effects of vacant esteem. Dr. DeGruy advocates for both individual and collective efforts to build self-esteem and value within the Black community.

Understanding vacant esteem helps shed light on the mental health challenges that can arise from intergenerational trauma and systemic oppression, offering pathways toward self-healing and empowerment.

How Does It Affect Arrested Development

Researched and Curated By Rev. Dr. Philippe SHOCK Matthews

“Arrested development,” in the context of trauma and racial oppression, refers to the stunted emotional, psychological, and social growth of individuals or communities due to the long-term effects of historical and ongoing trauma. When discussing the impact of vacant esteem on arrested development, particularly within Black communities, the two are intricately linked through the legacies of enslavement, systemic racism, and generational trauma. Dr. Joy DeGruy’s work on Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS) gives us insight into how these phenomena are related.

1. Internalized Oppression and Developmental Stagnation

Vacant esteem, as an internalized sense of worthlessness, directly impairs an individual’s or community’s capacity for growth and self-actualization. Individuals who suffer from vacant esteem struggle with confidence, self-worth, and a positive sense of identity. These limitations can stifle:

Cognitive Development: People with low self-esteem may not explore or develop their intellectual capacities to their fullest potential. Feeling worthless can lead to avoidance of challenging situations, fear of failure, and a lack of motivation to pursue education or personal goals.
Emotional Maturity: Vacant esteem can prevent individuals from building strong emotional foundations, as they may lack self-love, emotional resilience, or confidence in their ability to form healthy relationships. This emotional stunting hinders personal growth and contributes to arrested development.
Social and Economic Advancement: When people internalize a sense of worthlessness, they are less likely to pursue opportunities or advocate for themselves in social or professional contexts. This contributes to cycles of poverty, marginalization, and continued systemic disenfranchisement.

2. Generational Trauma and Stunted Growth

The impact of vacant esteem is often multigenerational, affecting families and communities. Children raised by parents or caregivers who suffer from vacant esteem may inherit similar emotional and psychological challenges. This can create patterns of arrested development across generations, in which entire communities struggle with identity, self-worth, and growth.

Lack of Cultural and Historical Knowledge: When esteem is vacant or diminished, individuals may lose connection to their cultural roots, identity, and history. A weakened sense of cultural identity can lead to confusion and insecurity about one’s place in society, contributing to arrested development in terms of self-actualization and cultural empowerment.

Delayed Emotional Healing: Because vacant esteem is rooted in unaddressed trauma, emotional healing may be delayed. The unresolved grief and anger passed down through generations keep many Black people stuck in cycles of pain and emotional immobility.

3. Impact on Community Development

On a larger scale, vacant esteem affects collective growth. Communities marked by low self-esteem and intergenerational trauma may struggle with cohesion, resilience, and self-determination. This form of arrested development keeps Black communities in a state of:

Survival Mode: When self-worth is lacking, communities often focus on surviving rather than thriving. Vacant esteem reinforces feelings of powerlessness, making it difficult to organize for collective growth, challenge systemic inequalities, or advocate for broader societal changes.
Limited Economic and Educational Opportunities: Arrested development manifests when individuals and communities, believing they have limited value, internalize the systemic limitations imposed on them. This limits access to higher education, entrepreneurship, and leadership positions.

4. Healing Vacant Esteem and Arrested Development

Healing vacant esteem is crucial for breaking the cycle of arrested development. Some strategies include:

Cultural Reconnection: Rebuilding a sense of pride in Black history, culture, and identity helps combat the negative self-image that drives vacant esteem. Knowledge of one’s ancestors, traditions, and resilience strengthens self-esteem and fosters personal and communal growth.
Trauma-Informed Therapy: Engaging in therapy that addresses racial trauma and internalized oppression can help individuals unpack the layers of pain and shame that contribute to both vacant esteem and arrested development. Experts like Resmaa Menakem and Dr. Thema Bryant advocate for trauma-informed practices that focus on embodiment, emotional healing, and reclaiming one’s identity.
Collective Empowerment and Social Justice: Participating in collective movements for justice and equality empowers individuals and communities. It helps foster a sense of agency, community pride, and forward movement, which combats the inertia of arrested development.

Vacant esteem perpetuates arrested development by limiting self-worth, emotional maturity, and social advancement. Overcoming this cycle involves addressing the deep-seated trauma rooted in the Black experience and reclaiming individual and collective empowerment through healing, education, and cultural pride.

How Does It Affect Functional And Social Literacy

Vacant esteem has profound effects on both functional and social literacy, as these forms of literacy are essential for navigating society, building relationships, and engaging in both personal and community advancement. Functional literacy refers to basic skills in reading, writing, and numeracy that enable individuals to function effectively in daily life, while social literacy involves the ability to understand, engage, and navigate social systems, relationships, and cultural norms. When vacant esteem is present, it hinders the development of both types of literacy, affecting individuals and communities in complex ways.

1. Impact on Functional Literacy

Functional literacy, which includes basic educational skills and the ability to apply them in real-world contexts, is often stunted when vacant esteem is prevalent.

a. Lack of Motivation and Confidence in Learning

People who experience vacant esteem often struggle with a lack of belief in their own intellectual abilities. This lack of self-confidence can lead to:

Educational Disengagement: Individuals may disengage from formal education or lifelong learning because they feel that they are incapable or unworthy of success. A sense of worthlessness can lead to avoidance of school or educational settings where they feel inadequate or judged.
Fear of Failure: Internalized feelings of inferiority can manifest as a fear of failure, causing individuals to shy away from new learning opportunities. They may not push themselves to acquire new skills, impacting their ability to fully develop functional literacy.

b. Educational Disparities and Systemic Racism

Vacant esteem is often compounded by systemic issues like unequal access to quality education. Black communities that face underfunded schools, lower academic resources, and racial discrimination in educational settings are more likely to see gaps in functional literacy. Vacant esteem, fueled by these external forces, may reinforce negative self-perceptions, discouraging students from believing in their capacity to succeed academically.

Generational Effects: Parents who have internalized vacant esteem due to their own experiences of trauma and systemic oppression may pass on these limiting beliefs to their children. This can result in generational cycles of educational underachievement, where low functional literacy persists across generations.

2. Impact on Social Literacy

Social literacy involves understanding social cues, building healthy relationships, and navigating societal structures effectively. It also includes the ability to interact meaningfully with others, recognize power dynamics, and function within one’s cultural and social environment. Vacant esteem has several detrimental effects on social literacy:

a. Difficulty Forming Healthy Relationships

Vacant esteem can lead to challenges in forming and maintaining healthy, supportive relationships, as individuals with low self-worth may:

Struggle with Boundaries: People with vacant esteem may have difficulties asserting themselves or establishing healthy boundaries in relationships, fearing rejection or not believing they are deserving of respect.
Internalized Negative Social Roles: They may adopt roles that reinforce their low self-worth, such as being overly accommodating, people-pleasing, or accepting toxic behaviors from others, which limits the development of healthy social skills and interpersonal literacy.

b. Marginalization from Social Systems

Vacant esteem often leads individuals to withdraw from social systems and community engagement because they don’t see themselves as valuable contributors. This marginalization affects social literacy in several ways:

Disconnection from Social and Cultural Norms: People with vacant esteem may feel alienated from their own culture, traditions, or communities, which stunts their ability to navigate social spaces where cultural knowledge and identity are central. This creates barriers to understanding social hierarchies, historical contexts, and collective actions.
Inability to Challenge Oppressive Systems: Social literacy involves recognizing injustice and advocating for change. When vacant esteem is present, individuals may internalize oppression, believing they have little power to challenge societal norms or systems of racism. This passivity can prevent them from developing the social literacy needed to engage in activism, leadership, or community organizing.

3. Psychological and Emotional Barriers

Vacant esteem deeply affects emotional regulation and cognitive processes, which are essential for both functional and social literacy. These emotional and psychological barriers include:

Chronic Stress and Trauma Responses: Individuals affected by vacant esteem may experience heightened stress and trauma responses, such as hypervigilance, anxiety, or depression, which affect cognitive function and concentration. This limits their capacity for learning and social engagement.
Emotional Numbing and Disengagement: Some people may emotionally disengage or become “numb ” to cope with the pain of vacant esteem. This detachment makes it difficult to form meaningful relationships, learn social cues, and interact effectively in social environments, further limiting social literacy.

4. Impact on Community Literacy and Collective Growth

On a larger scale, vacant esteem can affect B1 communities’ collective functional and social literacy. When vacant esteem is widespread, it can contribute to:

Cultural Disconnection: If a community experiences a collective sense of worthlessness, it may disconnect from its cultural heritage and social systems, making it harder to pass on critical cultural knowledge, traditions, and skills to younger generations.
Limited Community Advocacy: Communities affected by vacant esteem may have fewer people who feel confident enough to engage with or challenge institutional systems that perpetuate inequality (e.g., educational reform, legal systems). This limits social literacy at the community level, reducing the community’s ability to organize, advocate for rights, and participate in civic life.

5. Healing and Empowerment: Rebuilding Literacy

Addressing vacant esteem is crucial for rebuilding both functional and social literacy within Black communities. This involves:

Cultural and Historical Reclamation: Reconnecting with Black history, culture, and traditions can foster a renewed sense of pride, which is foundational for improving both functional and social literacy. Individuals who feel pride in their identity are more motivated to learn, grow, and engage.
Trauma-Informed Educational Practices: It is vital to create learning environments that acknowledge historical trauma and vacant esteem. Culturally responsive teaching, mentorship, and community-based education can rebuild confidence and skills in functional literacy.
Community Empowerment and Social Movements: When communities collectively address issues of vacant esteem through social movements, empowerment initiatives, and education, they can rebuild social literacy. Movements for justice, self-determination, and healing can foster collective growth, enabling communities to challenge systemic oppression and advocate for equitable resources and opportunities.

Vacant esteem severely impacts both functional and social literacy, limiting educational attainment, social engagement, and overall community growth. Healing from vacant esteem through cultural reclamation, trauma-informed education, and community empowerment is essential to restoring these critical forms of literacy within Black communities.

Vacant Esteem Affects IQ And EQ

Vacant esteem can impact both IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient or Emotional Intelligence), though not directly lowering innate intelligence, but by inhibiting the expression and development of cognitive and emotional capacities. The long-term effects of internalized trauma, systemic racism, and low self-worth can create environments that stifle intellectual and emotional growth, making it harder for individuals to reach their full potential in both areas.

1. Impact on IQ (Cognitive Development)

IQ typically measures cognitive abilities such as logical reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and analytical skills. While vacant esteem does not diminish one’s inherent intellectual abilities, it can indirectly affect cognitive performance by creating psychological and environmental barriers to intellectual development.

a. Chronic Stress and Cognitive Function

Vacant esteem, as a result of internalized racial trauma, can contribute to chronic stress, which negatively affects brain function and cognitive performance:

Cognitive Overload: Continuous stress from low self-esteem, racism, and feelings of inadequacy can overwhelm the brain’s capacity to focus, problem-solve, and retain information. This reduces working memory and impairs the ability to concentrate, which can manifest in lower IQ scores or reduced performance in academic and professional settings.
Disruption in Neurodevelopment: Research shows that chronic exposure to stress, especially in childhood, can disrupt normal brain development, particularly in areas involved in learning and memory, such as the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. When vacant esteem is rooted in generational trauma and stress, the impact can accumulate over time, affecting intellectual growth.

b. Educational Disengagement

As vacant esteem often leads to a sense of worthlessness, it can cause disengagement from education and intellectual pursuits:

Avoidance of Challenges: When individuals believe they are incapable of success, they are less likely to pursue challenging educational opportunities or engage in activities that stimulate intellectual growth. This can limit exposure to environments that foster cognitive development, affecting measurable IQ.
School-to-Prison Pipeline: In the context of systemic racism, many Black children are funneled into the school-to-prison pipeline due to discriminatory policies and low academic expectations. Coupled with these external factors, Vacant esteem can lead to academic underachievement, reinforcing beliefs of intellectual inferiority and further limiting cognitive development.

2. Impact on EQ (Emotional Intelligence)

EQ, or emotional intelligence, refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and navigate emotions—both one’s own and those of others. Vacant esteem can significantly impair emotional intelligence by undermining the self-awareness, self-regulation, and interpersonal skills needed for healthy emotional interactions.

a. Self-Awareness and Self-Regulation

Vacant esteem weakens an individual’s ability to connect with their emotions and regulate their emotional responses:

Low Self-Awareness: When people internalize negative beliefs about themselves, they may struggle to fully recognize and understand their emotions. This emotional disconnection can manifest as a lack of emotional clarity, difficulty identifying feelings, and challenges in addressing emotional pain.
Poor Emotional Regulation: The chronic stress and trauma associated with vacant esteem often lead to emotional dysregulation. Individuals may experience frequent emotional highs and lows, engage in self-destructive behaviors, or struggle to calm themselves in stressful situations, all of which undermine emotional intelligence.

b. Empathy and Social Relationships

Vacant esteem also affects the interpersonal components of emotional intelligence, such as empathy, social skills, and relationship management:

Difficulty in Building Trust: People who suffer from vacant esteem may find it hard to trust others or form meaningful connections. Their internalized sense of worthlessness can lead them to avoid close relationships or feel unworthy of love and support, impairing their ability to develop healthy social and emotional bonds.
Limited Empathy: While empathy is often a strength in Black communities due to shared cultural experiences, vacant esteem can limit an individual’s ability to extend empathy to others when disconnected from their emotions. If someone feels unworthy, they may struggle to relate to others on an emotional level, which weakens interpersonal relationships.

c. Impact of Generational Trauma on EQ

Generational trauma, passed down through vacant esteem, can stunt the emotional development of entire families and communities. When parents or caregivers have low self-esteem and unresolved trauma, it can affect their ability to model healthy emotional behaviors for their children, leading to cycles of poor emotional regulation and underdeveloped EQ.

Emotional Numbness: To cope with the pain of vacant esteem, some individuals may shut down emotionally, becoming numb to both their own feelings and the emotional needs of others. This detachment is a survival mechanism but limits emotional intelligence, particularly in areas like empathy, social awareness, and emotional expression.
Intergenerational Effects: Children raised in environments marked by vacant esteem may struggle with emotional intelligence because they have fewer opportunities to witness and learn healthy emotional management skills. They may internalize the same feelings of worthlessness and emotional suppression, continuing the cycle of low EQ across generations.

3. Environmental Factors and Their Role in IQ and EQ

Both IQ and EQ are shaped by genetics and environmental factors such as education, social interactions, and exposure to supportive or traumatic experiences. Vacant esteem creates a psychological environment that is not conducive to the optimal development of either type of intelligence.

a. Systemic Racism and Structural Barriers

The external pressures of systemic racism further compound the effects of vacant esteem on IQ and EQ. Black individuals and communities often face barriers such as:

Limited Access to Quality Education: In many Black communities, schools are underfunded and resources are scarce. When students internalize vacant esteem in this context, they may believe they are undeserving of quality education, further limiting their intellectual growth.
Over-Policing and Criminalization: Experiences of over-policing, mass incarceration, and the criminalization of Black bodies instill fear, trauma, and low self-worth. This emotional burden affects the ability to develop strong EQ, as survival often requires emotional suppression rather than emotional growth.

b. Collective Empowerment as a Path to Healing

Healing vacant esteem and its impact on IQ and EQ involves addressing both personal and collective trauma. Community-based healing, reconnection to cultural roots, and the fostering of pride in Black identity are crucial steps in repairing the damage caused by vacant esteem.

Educational Empowerment: Culturally responsive education that highlights Black history, achievements, and resilience can counter the negative effects of vacant esteem on cognitive development. When individuals see themselves reflected positively in their education, it fosters both intellectual growth (IQ) and emotional empowerment (EQ).
Emotional Healing through Community: Participating in community healing practices, such as group therapy, cultural rituals, and social justice movements, can rebuild emotional intelligence by fostering empathy, self-awareness, and collective resilience.

While vacant esteem does not directly lower IQ or EQ, it profoundly influences the environment in which both cognitive and emotional intelligence develop. Chronic stress, disengagement from education, emotional suppression, and social alienation all contribute to limiting intellectual and emotional growth. However, by addressing the trauma of vacant esteem through culturally responsive education, trauma-informed care, and collective healing, individuals and communities can rebuild both their cognitive and emotional capacities, moving toward greater self-actualization and empowerment.

How Is Vacant Esteem Related To Trauma

Vacant esteem is deeply rooted in the experience of trauma, particularly racial and intergenerational trauma within Black communities. The term, coined by Dr. Joy DeGruy in her work on Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS), refers to a profound sense of internalized worthlessness and low self-esteem that arises as a result of historical, collective, and individual trauma. This trauma, primarily rooted in the horrors of slavery, colonization, and systemic racism, continues to affect Black individuals and communities today, perpetuating feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.

1. Historical and Intergenerational Trauma

Vacant esteem is a direct outcome of intergenerational trauma, where the psychological wounds of slavery and systemic racial oppression are passed down across generations. The enduring impacts of the Maafa (the Black Holocaust, referring to the transatlantic slave trade and its aftereffects) have left deep scars on Black communities, affecting their collective identity and self-perception.

Slavery and Dehumanization: Enslaved Africans were treated as property, subjected to brutal physical, emotional, and psychological abuse. This dehumanization stripped them of dignity and value, and over time, these experiences were internalized by their descendants, who inherited both the trauma and the accompanying feelings of low self-worth.
Post-Slavery Oppression: Even after emancipation, Black people faced continued systemic oppression through Jim Crow laws, segregation, racial violence, and institutionalized racism. These ongoing traumatic experiences perpetuated the internalized belief that Black lives were less valuable, reinforcing vacant esteem.

This intergenerational transmission of trauma contributes to vacant esteem because the feelings of worthlessness and devaluation are passed down through familial and cultural lines, even when the direct experiences of trauma may not be consciously remembered.

2. Ongoing Racial Trauma

Racial trauma refers to the psychological and emotional damage caused by experiences of racism, discrimination, and racial violence. Vacant esteem is tied to this form of trauma, as Black individuals continue to face systemic racism in multiple areas of life—education, employment, healthcare, and the criminal justice system. These repeated experiences reinforce a sense of powerlessness and low self-worth.

Microaggressions and Racial Stereotyping: Constant exposure to racial microaggressions, negative stereotypes, and biased representations in media erodes self-esteem. Black individuals who face these daily assaults may internalize these negative messages, leading to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, key aspects of vacant esteem.
Over-Policing and Criminalization: Experiences of racial profiling, police violence, and mass incarceration further perpetuate the trauma of dehumanization, contributing to vacant esteem by reinforcing the belief that Black bodies are criminalized and disposable in society.

The cumulative effect of these traumatic experiences feeds vacant esteem, as individuals internalize the negative perceptions imposed upon them by a racist society.

3. Psychological Mechanisms of Trauma and Vacant Esteem

Trauma, especially when it is chronic or intergenerational, can severely affect a person’s self-concept and identity. Vacant esteem arises from several key psychological mechanisms that trauma activates:

a. Internalization of Negative Beliefs

One of the central mechanisms by which trauma leads to vacant esteem is internalized oppression. Over generations, systemic racism and discrimination create an environment where Black individuals and communities absorb society’s devaluation of Blackness. This internalization manifests as:

Self-Blame: Trauma often leads to self-blame, where individuals feel responsible for their suffering, even when the root cause is external. In the context of vacant esteem, Black individuals may come to believe that they are inherently inferior or undeserving, echoing the societal messages they receive.
Learned Helplessness: Repeated experiences of trauma and oppression can lead to a sense of helplessness, where individuals feel powerless to change their circumstances. This belief in their inability to affect change or escape discrimination feeds into feelings of worthlessness and vacant esteem.

b. Disrupted Identity and Sense of Self

Trauma disrupts a person’s sense of self and identity, especially when it is tied to race and cultural belonging. In the context of Black trauma, individuals may experience a fragmented sense of identity due to:

Cultural Alienation: Trauma often results in a disconnection from one’s cultural roots and heritage. For Black people, the forced displacement during slavery, the erasure of African cultural practices, and the ongoing stigmatization of Blackness create a sense of cultural loss. This cultural dislocation fuels vacant esteem, as individuals struggle to find pride and value in an identity that society deems inferior.
Identity Conflict: Trauma can lead to internal conflicts about one’s identity, especially in a society that devalues Blackness. For some, this results in attempts to assimilate or reject their cultural identity, further compounding feelings of low self-worth.

c. Trauma and Emotional Dysregulation

Emotional and psychological trauma affects how people regulate their emotions and engage with their internal sense of worth. The constant stress from racial trauma impacts emotional stability, leading to:

Depression and Anxiety: The trauma-induced feelings of worthlessness can contribute to chronic depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, all of which are core elements of vacant esteem. Individuals may struggle with feelings of hopelessness, believing that they lack the capacity to improve their lives or their communities.
Emotional Numbing: To cope with ongoing trauma, some individuals may emotionally “shut down” or become numb, distancing themselves from their feelings of pain and worthlessness. This emotional numbness is a defense mechanism but can also reinforce vacant esteem by preventing individuals from fully processing and healing from their trauma.

4. Collective Trauma and Vacant Esteem

Vacant esteem is not just an individual experience—it is also a collective one. Black communities as a whole carry the weight of historical and present-day trauma, which manifests in communal expressions of low self-worth.

Internalized Racism in Communities: Entire communities may collectively internalize the negative messages imposed by a racist society. This collective vacant esteem can show up in self-destructive behaviors such as internalized racism, colorism, or perpetuation of negative stereotypes within the community.
Community Disinvestment and Marginalization: Vacant esteem can also affect how Black communities perceive their worth in the broader society. Historical disinvestment in Black neighborhoods, underfunded schools, and lack of economic opportunities can reinforce the belief that Black lives and spaces are undervalued. This communal form of vacant esteem can hinder collective action and social progress.

5. Healing Vacant Esteem through Trauma-Informed Approaches

Addressing vacant esteem requires a trauma-informed approach that acknowledges the deep connection between racial trauma and self-worth. Healing strategies include:

Cultural Reclamation: Reconnecting with African and Black history, traditions, and cultural pride can help rebuild a positive sense of identity, countering the effects of vacant esteem. Knowledge of the resilience, creativity, and accomplishments of African ancestors helps individuals and communities reclaim their worth.
Trauma-Informed Therapy: Psychological interventions that address both individual and collective trauma can help people process their pain and begin to dismantle the internalized negative beliefs that fuel vacant esteem. Therapists like Dr. Thema Bryant emphasize the importance of addressing racial trauma in therapeutic settings.
Community Healing and Empowerment: Collective efforts, such as community organizing, social movements, and group healing practices, can help Black communities confront vacant esteem. By working together to challenge systemic racism and reclaim dignity, communities can rebuild their collective self-worth and break the cycle of trauma.

Vacant esteem is inextricably linked to trauma, particularly the intergenerational and ongoing racial trauma that Black individuals and communities face. It is both a symptom of and a response to the internalization of oppression and dehumanization resulting from centuries of slavery, systemic racism, and racial violence. Healing vacant esteem requires addressing the trauma at its root, fostering cultural pride, and engaging in collective healing efforts to restore a sense of dignity and worth within Black communities.

Vacant Esteem Alters The Brain

Yes, vacant esteem, which is deeply rooted in racial trauma and systemic oppression, can indeed alter the neurobiology of the brain. This alteration occurs through chronic stress, emotional dysregulation, and trauma responses, all of which have measurable effects on brain structure and function. The ongoing psychological and emotional impact of vacant esteem can lead to long-term changes in how the brain processes stress, emotions, and cognition. These changes are especially significant when vacant esteem is experienced from a young age and compounded over generations due to intergenerational trauma.

1. Chronic Stress and the Brain

Chronic stress, which is often triggered by vacant esteem, plays a significant role in altering brain structure and function. Vacant esteem, being a manifestation of internalized trauma and low self-worth, can lead to ongoing feelings of helplessness, inadequacy, and fear, all of which activate the body’s stress response.

a. HPA Axis Dysregulation

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a central part of the body’s stress response system. When individuals experience chronic stress due to vacant esteem, the HPA axis becomes dysregulated:

Cortisol Overload: Prolonged stress causes the brain to release excessive amounts of cortisol, a stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels over time can damage key areas of the brain, particularly those involved in emotional regulation and cognitive functioning.
Hippocampal Shrinkage: The hippocampus, which is critical for memory and learning, is highly sensitive to chronic stress. Sustained exposure to elevated cortisol can cause shrinkage in the hippocampus, leading to difficulties in memory retention, emotional regulation, and learning. This can limit cognitive development and reinforce negative self-beliefs tied to vacant esteem.

b. Amygdala Hyperactivity

The amygdala is the part of the brain responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear and threat detection. Chronic stress associated with vacant esteem can cause the amygdala to become hyperactive:

Heightened Fear Response: A hyperactive amygdala can result in heightened emotional reactivity, particularly fear, anxiety, and hypervigilance. For individuals suffering from vacant esteem, this can manifest as an exaggerated sense of threat in social situations, fear of rejection, or heightened sensitivity to negative feedback, all reinforcing feelings of low self-worth.
Emotional Dysregulation: An overactive amygdala reduces the brain’s capacity for emotional regulation, making it difficult for individuals to manage their emotions or cope with stress in healthy ways. This emotional instability can exacerbate the self-perception issues that are central to vacant esteem.

2. Trauma and Structural Changes in the Brain

Vacant esteem is often a result of both individual trauma (e.g., experiencing racism, discrimination, and personal abuse) and intergenerational trauma (the passing down of trauma from the transatlantic slave trade, colonization, and systemic racism). Trauma has well-documented effects on the neurobiology of the brain, leading to structural and functional changes.

a. Prefrontal Cortex Impairment

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is responsible for higher-level cognitive functions such as decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Trauma, particularly from early experiences of racial trauma or chronic exposure to systemic oppression, can impair the development and function of the PFC:

Reduced Executive Functioning: Individuals who experience vacant esteem may struggle with decision-making, problem-solving, and impulse control because trauma affects the PFC’s ability to function optimally. This can lead to difficulties in school, work, and relationships, reinforcing negative self-beliefs and perpetuating the cycle of vacant esteem.
Difficulty with Emotional Regulation: The PFC also plays a crucial role in regulating emotional responses. When trauma impairs the PFC, individuals may have difficulty managing their emotions, making them more susceptible to feelings of worthlessness, depression, and anxiety—all core elements of vacant esteem.

b. Impact on the Brain’s Reward System

Vacant esteem can also disrupt the brain’s reward system, which includes the dopaminergic pathways that govern feelings of pleasure, motivation, and reward-seeking behavior:

Reduced Dopamine Sensitivity: Chronic stress and trauma can reduce the brain’s sensitivity to dopamine, making it harder for individuals to experience pleasure or feel rewarded by their accomplishments. This can reinforce the sense of worthlessness associated with vacant esteem, as individuals may feel that nothing they do is enough or that they are incapable of achieving success.
Lack of Motivation: When the brain’s reward system is disrupted, individuals may struggle with motivation, making it difficult to pursue goals, engage in learning, or seek positive social interactions. This lack of motivation further perpetuates vacant esteem, as individuals become disengaged from activities that could help them heal and grow.

3. Intergenerational Trauma and Epigenetics

Vacant esteem, particularly when transmitted across generations, is also linked to the emerging field of epigenetics. Epigenetics refers to how trauma can alter gene expression, which can be passed down from generation to generation.

a. Trauma-Induced Epigenetic Changes

Research has shown that trauma can affect how genes are expressed, particularly those related to the body’s stress response and emotional regulation:

Altered Gene Expression: Individuals who experience trauma, particularly racial trauma, can pass on altered patterns of gene expression to their children. These changes do not alter the genetic code itself but affect how genes are “switched on or off” in response to stress. This means that descendants of traumatized individuals may be more vulnerable to stress, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation, all of which contribute to vacant esteem.
Inherited Vulnerability to Stress: Epigenetic changes can make future generations more sensitive to stress, increasing their likelihood of developing vacant esteem due to the compounding effects of both inherited trauma and ongoing racial discrimination.

4. Vacant Esteem and Mental Health Disorders

The neurobiological changes associated with vacant esteem and trauma can contribute to the development of various mental health disorders, which further alter brain function.

a. Depression and Anxiety

The chronic stress and negative self-perception associated with vacant esteem are major risk factors for depression and anxiety:

Neurochemical Imbalances: Depression is often linked to imbalances in neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Vacant esteem, by reinforcing feelings of worthlessness, can contribute to these imbalances, leading to chronic depression. Similarly, anxiety, often caused by a hyperactive amygdala and trauma-related stress, is commonly found in individuals suffering from vacant esteem.
Cognitive Distortions: Depression and anxiety exacerbate cognitive distortions—patterns of negative thinking that reinforce feelings of inadequacy, helplessness, and self-blame, which are central to vacant esteem. These mental health conditions, in turn, reinforce the neurobiological effects of trauma, creating a vicious cycle.

b. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Individuals who suffer from vacant esteem may also be more likely to develop PTSD, particularly if they have experienced racial trauma or discrimination. PTSD further alters brain function, particularly in areas related to memory, emotional regulation, and stress responses, worsening the neurobiological impact of vacant esteem.

5. Healing the Neurobiological Effects of Vacant Esteem

While vacant esteem can significantly impact the brain, healing is possible through trauma-informed interventions that target both the psychological and neurobiological effects of trauma.

a. Trauma-Informed Therapy

Approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and somatic therapies can help individuals rewire their brains by processing trauma and building healthier self-esteem. These therapies focus on changing negative thought patterns, regulating emotions, and healing the nervous system from the effects of chronic stress.

b. Mindfulness and Embodiment Practices

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises, can help calm the HPA axis, reduce cortisol levels, and regulate emotional responses. Trauma experts like Resmaa Menakem emphasize the importance of somatic healing practices in addressing the embodied trauma that leads to vacant esteem.

c. Cultural and Community Healing

Reconnecting with cultural heritage and engaging in collective healing practices can also help repair the neurobiological damage caused by vacant esteem. Community support, cultural pride, and collective resilience-building can foster a sense of belonging, empowerment, and self-worth, which are essential for healing the brain from trauma-induced changes.

Conclusion

Vacant esteem, rooted in racial trauma and systemic oppression, significantly impacts the neurobiology of the brain. Chronic stress, emotional dysregulation, and trauma-related changes in brain structure and function all contribute to the perpetuation of low self-worth. However, through trauma-informed therapies, mindfulness practices, and cultural healing, it is possible to reverse some of these neurobiological effects and begin the process of healing vacant esteem at both individual and collective levels.

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