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1/13 If you've been involved in activism for more than a few months, you've probably seen (and very possibly felt) the symptoms of burnout: Feeling grumpy and exhausted all the time, snapping at people, feeling paranoid and pessimistic about the future.
2/13 Being an activist often means facing off against a police force equipped and eager to shed blood or working long hours without any compensation only to watch your efforts be met with death threats from bigots and stalled by politicians. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/head-games/202006/4-reasons-why-activists-burn-out
3/13 Then there's the ever-present fear that the state will come for you. Activists are frequently followed by police and are increasingly being thrown into unmarked vans by unnamed federal agents. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/17/portland-protests-federal-arrests/
4/13 Honestly, if current events haven't made you at least a little paranoid, you're probably not grasping the level of fascism we're at.
So at this point, who isn't burnt out? Isn't that just how it is right now? I mean, kinda. Many of us are facing immense levels of stress.
So at this point, who isn't burnt out? Isn't that just how it is right now? I mean, kinda. Many of us are facing immense levels of stress.
5/13 But here's the thing: Activists who are burnt out are more likely to be a liability to their cause than an asset. So while you might be tempted to tough it out, the best thing you can do for your community is to take better care of yourself.
http://www.edchange.org/publications/Activist-Burnout-Chen-Gorski.pdf
http://www.edchange.org/publications/Activist-Burnout-Chen-Gorski.pdf
6/13 So how the fuck does anyone fight fascism and not implode? It turns out the list of things that relieve and prevent burnout is exactly the same list of things build and maintain good mental health.
7/13 How to fight burnout: Spend quality time with people you trust, talk/write out your feelings to friends/a therapist, set boundaries (Say no! Say it a lot!), eat plenty of nourishing food, get quality sleep, move your body, and spend time in nature https://cmha-yr.on.ca/learn/news/activists/
8/13 If you're feeling burnt out, it means you need rest, love, and fun. This work is often difficult, grueling, thankless, heartbreaking, and scary. We do it because we have to, but we aren't built to live like this long term. Can you? Maybe. But that doesn't mean you should.
9/13 One of the most frustrating aspects of burnout is that it's usually hardest for the person experiencing it to see that's what's happening. If you're lucky, someone in your life will recognize what's happening and suggest it. If you're smart, you'll listen and make changes.
10/13 Another issue is that maintaining good mental health requires having the privilege (e.g., money) to prioritize sleep, quality food, privacy, etc.
We need vastly better community care in order to make self-care even possible for everyone.
We need vastly better community care in order to make self-care even possible for everyone.
11/13 What I'm asking of you today is to consider two things: a) No matter how good your self-care game is at the moment, I bet you can think of at least one thing to improve your mental health and resiliency — please work on that (even if you feel okay right now)
12/13 and b) Be open to the possibility that you might be experiencing burnout without realizing it. If someone you trust suggests you might be a little burnt out, please consider the possibility that it might be true and take steps to improve your mental health
13/13 This tweet sums up this thread quite nicely, I think https://twitter.com/hungover_the/status/1217268335638990848
