The ABCs of Activism Burnout

After airing out your opinions and asking others to help in fighting for change for weeks, do you end up feeling tired and overwhelmed? Do you sometimes lose hope in your cause? This might be a case of activism burnout.

Activism Burnout: What is it?

Activism burnout is when an activist, a person fighting for political or social change, feels hopeless, overwhelmed or even depressed after long periods of activism. Contrary to popular belief, activism burnout is real. In fact, it has actually been seen all the way back in the 1970s. Despite not being recognized as a mental health condition itself, it is an avenue for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. The symptoms include:

• Anxiety

• Guilt

• Isolation

• Irritability

• Anger

• Sadness

• Pessimism

• Disappointment

Not everyone will experience these symptoms however even experiencing one of them would still be counted as burnout and shouldn’t be left untreated.

Why is it important?

In times such as now where it seems almost everyday we hear some sort of bad news and the world seems to be descending into a state of constant chaos, we will want to speak up. Activism is as prevalent as ever and it is no lie that it is a tough and tiring job. Activists are faced with constant criticisms. Not everyone has the same opinion and the clashing of opinions will almost be regular. We cannot help ourselves but to get mad at the people working against you. There will also be times where nothing seems to be working out. That no matter how much you fight, there still hasn’t been a change made. It may reach a point where our optimism turns into pessimism. This is why as activists, self-care is important. What would be the point of all the activism if it cannot be sustained?

How to Solve Activism Burnout

While there isn’t an exact way of dealing with activism burnout as it hits each person differently, there are suggested ways where we can cope.

1. Taking care of yourself physically

Sometimes it's as simple as fixing your lifestyle. Eating healthy, exercising and getting the full eight hours of sleep may help in getting the body to its proper shape and even feeling stronger than ever.

2. Talking to family and friends

It is a common saying that “there’s no place like home.” Home is the best place to be. In times of trouble, don’t forget that there are people such as your family and friends who bring the feeling of home. Those are the people who will be there for you and be ready to listen to whatever you have to say to them.

3. Don’t overwhelm yourself with unachievable goals

I know we want to make a difference as soon as possible. However, not everything can be fixed in a matter of seconds. Sometimes it is okay to take a break and stay out of the fighting. It is better to fight slowly over long periods of time than going all out all at once with the risk of burnout.

“Dismantling power dismantles you instead.”- Marie Solis

References

Activist Burnout. (n.d.). Good Therapy. Retrieved from:

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/activist-burnout

Activist Trauma Support. Sustainable Activism and Avoiding Burnout [Brochure]. Retrieved from:

https://www.activist-trauma.net/assets/files/burnout_flyer_rightway.pdf

Khan A. (2015, May 27). Activist Burnout Is Real – And You Probably Need to Read These 4

Ways to Manage It. Everyday Feminism. Retrieved from: https://everydayfeminism.com/2015/05/dealing-with-activist-burnout/

Solis, M. (2018, December 17). When Dismantling Power Dismantles You Instead. Vice. Retrieved from: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3k95kk/when-dismantling-power-dismantles-you-instead-v25n4