In the current period of social unrest and global injustice, those on the frontlines of advocacy may feel mentally and physically exhausted from constantly protesting social issues.
Some protesters have expressed the urgency of social movements such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Stop Asian Hate making it challenging for people to relax.
“Because of how quickly things moved, there wasn’t a lot of space to slow down,” said Mary Celestin, founder of the grassroots advocacy organization San Jose Strong.
Celestin said the organization was founded after an increase in BLM protests called for justice for George Floyd’s murder.
Emerald May Rubio is a therapist, community activist and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) rally organizer who echoed similar feelings of burnout like Celestin. She said one of the most exhausting parts of constantly protesting is the mental and emotional turmoil that follows.
“Being on stage and being around [protesting] is exhilarating, but at the same time the aftermath and beforemath is trauma activation,” Rubio said.
A 2020 study for the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry looked at more than 20 countries/regions after a major protest. Researchers found that the prevalence of major depressive symptoms increased by 7%, regardless of personal involvement in the protests, which suggests shared community anxieties about social issues.
Rubio said it’s difficult to escape traumatic and triggering events addressed at protests because as a therapist, conversations surrounding specific trauma still show up in therapy sessions and it’s hard to take on other people’s stressors.
However, many protesters find a sense of empowerment and solidarity through demonstrations.
Rubio said at times she felt she was using advocacy as a means of “coping” with trauma.
“I was just so frustrated. I am delivering therapy services and I’m holding everyone’s container,” Rubio said. “Here I am crying every single day, looking for a protest. I was willing to drive two hours to a protest.”
The feeling of community empowerment is one of the biggest positive results some protesters said they experience. However many also expressed feeling threatened when they’re on the ground advocating for change because they feel like they have a target on their backs.
Karin Jeffery is an SJSU kinesiology and sports psychology lecturer who teaches stress management and said there are physical risks to protesting, which in turn affects the mental well-being of advocates.
“When you’re feeling threatened, you’re always on alert and scanning for threats which puts you in a state of fight or flight,” Jeffery said. “Our stress hormones are being produced at a higher level and your blood pressure and breathing rate goes up.”
She said this ongoing stress and “high-alert” mindset, especially in marginalized groups that constantly feel targeted, turns into chronic stress.
Chronic stress, unlike acute stress, can last for weeks, months or years and takes a toll in the form of a shortened lifespan, Jeffery said.
William Armaline, an SJSU sociology associate professor and community leader, said protesters and especially young leaders may experience constant fear and stress largely because of past experiences that protest leaders faced.
Notable activists and protesters such as Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated advocating for civil rights in the ’60s.
He also said organizing and protesting is a sacrifice advocates make because individuals are not paid and are putting themselves at risk for a greater cause.
“Balancing the rest of their life with that can be very challenging,” Armaline said.
Although protesting can be detrimental to the mental health of those involved, many protesters have found comfort with other activists during difficult situations.
James Huang, an Archbishop Mitty High School junior, has spoken at local Stop Asian Hate rally’s and said he and his friends received criticism for protesting and organizing. However, he also said the support from the protesting community keeps him going.
“When you talk to people, you are less lost in your thoughts,” Huang said. “It feels a lot easier to tackle because sometimes you feel like it’s you versus the entire system of injustice or disappointment. Having people with you is just super important.”
Celestin and Rubio also said they participate in different healing practices and open dialogues which help with the stress of protesting and continuously working on advocacy efforts.
“If you are only showing up in that protest space, yes these are all the things we are angry about and it’s still important,” Celestin said. “But there is a lot of community empowerment in those spaces and opportunities for healing.”
