If you are part of the movement that stands for equality for all and accountability for those in power, then good on you for helping build a better future. But here’s some advice: take care of yourself first.
Just as the civil rights movement of the 1960s didn’t end segregation overnight, the Black Lives Matter movement requires time to chip away at the racist institutions across the country.
Anyone part of the movement has to understand that dismantling systemic racism is a marathon, not a sprint.
Spending every waking moment dedicated to activism — from attending protests to continuously posting on social media, will only ensure you’ll lose the energy to continually participate in the movement well before it reaches its goals.
There’s even a name for it: activist burnout.
According to GoodTherapy, a therapy and psychology resource website, activist burnout is when social or political activists feel overwhelmed, frustrated, hopeless and depressed after participating in activism for a prolonged amount of time.
While not an officially recognized mental health condition, it is important to note that activist burnout can lead to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Of course, no one is asking you to leave the movement and to stop protesting. But stepping back for a little while will keep you sane in the long run.
GoodTherapy also points out taking a break from activism and doing other unrelated activities can help those who struggle with activist burnout.
It’s not just a psychological matter either because the stress from burnout can manifest itself in various ways. According to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center, the symptoms can affect the body, mood and behavior and can run the gamut from headaches to lack of motivation to social withdrawal as well as other symptoms.
“People leave all the time,” said Chanelle Helm, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Louisville in a 2018 interview with Vice, “They think the work is too heavy, the work is too hard — we’re not getting black liberation right now so why bother?”
According to a 2015 research paper by Cher Weixia Chen and Paul C. Gorski, altruism is one of the biggest causes of activist burnout.
Selflessness is one of the things that spurs activism, but one can be selfless to a fault.
A culture of selflessness exists in most activist groups, to the point that they don’t practice self-care, considering it selfish and ultimately burning out because they don’t take care of themselves.
If enough people in a movement burn out in such a manner, the movement may find itself deflated by sheer lack of numbers.
It’s also important to remember that the Black Lives Matter movement will not just be landmark victory after landmark victory. Due to the entrenched nature of systemic racism, there are going to be some losses as well.
Reforming racist institutions like the police, which has been around for hundreds of years, will not happen immediately, especially because so many people are invested in such systems of power.
With that in mind, it’s important to enjoy the small victories as the Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements achieve them, not just the ones that will go down in history.
Remember what protesting has accomplished as you prepare to fight a lengthy battle against injustice. Remember that George Floyd’s murderer was charged with second-degree murder and the officers with him also received criminal charges.
Remember that across the U.S., police reform is being discussed more candidly than ever before.
According to an infographic by USA Today, 33 cities in 18 states are considering police reform, including things like banning chokeholds, decreasing funding and increased transparency for policing measures.
Enjoy every win, even if it’s just educating someone on the issues, be prepared to keep on fighting systemic injustice and most importantly, remember that in order to stay energized for social justice and human rights activism, you have to take care of yourself first.
