Michelle Obama has 'depression' due to racism

Former First Lady Michelle Obama says she's suffering from a "low-grade depression" in the midst of a pandemic, rough race relations in the U.S. and political discord.

"Not just because of the quarantine, but because of the racial strife, and just seeing this administration, watching the hypocrisy of it, day in and day out, is dispiriting," Obama says in her "The Michelle Obama Podcast" on Wednesday.

Brian Smedley, Chief Diversity Officer for the American Psychological Association, says the feeling is familiar for many Americans, but especially people of color.

"We're dealing with a virus pandemic and a racism pandemic," he says. "The challenge is that racism continues to unfairly advantage some, unfairly disadvantage others, and in so doing, sap the strength of the entire society."

He says race-based violence can cause trauma for both people experiencing it and those witnessing it.

The fallout can be felt in symptoms like sleeplessness, headaches, stomach issues, and even post-traumatic stress, Smedley says.

Obama chats with Washington Post opinion columnist and friend Michele Norris in the episode about the rise in protests over racial inequity in the wake of George Floyd's death while in police custody.

She added the mounting stories of Black people being wrongfully arrested and killed have also been weighing on her.