How to take care of your mental health while being an activist
Activism is truly a noble and important act. It involves exerting a great deal of effort to challenge the status quo for the betterment of humanity. Mental health is just one example of an advocacy which is vital in Asia due to the rise of mental health issues here. Yet, open discussions around mental health are still fairly taboo and misunderstood by many. Mental health activists are people who raise awareness on mental health issues through various ways such as speaking publicly regarding mental health struggles, educating the public through mental health organisations and advocating for policies that improve people’s mental health.
While these activities may sound exemplary and inspirational, it requires a lot of brain power and energy. Ironically, being an activist may actually be bad for your mental health. Thus, it is important for mental health activists to take care of their own mental health at all times. The following are some ways and tips to take care of your mental health while being an activist:
1. Maintain healthy boundaries between you and your work
Firstly, it is important to set boundaries between what you can and cannot do. Allocate some time to figure out what you are willing to partake in and what might affect you too much mentally or physically. For example, be aware of triggering mental health topics you want to avoid or how much time you choose to invest in being an activist. Once decided, start establishing those boundaries. Politely communicate your boundaries and actively stick to what you have established. Boundaries may look like saying “no” when you are uncomfortable or setting your notifications on silent during downtime.
2. Self-care!
Self-care involves unwinding and taking care of your own needs. This is incredibly essential if you have been advocating and attending to other people’s needs for a while. Each person’s self-care routine may look different from others, but what matters is that you feel relaxed and well while doing it. Here are some ideas for self-care:
Be around nature! – hiking, walking in the park, admiring scenery
Relaxing activities – meditation, journaling, yoga, watching tv, listening to music
Artistic activities – crafting art, dancing, singing, drawing, knitting
Physical activities – running, working out, boxing, Zumba, games
Healthy food – drinking water, making healthy smoothies, cooking balanced meals
Chores – cleaning, sweeping, ironing, organising
Beauty – spa, massage, skincare, face masks, nail painting
3. Have a support team
It’s great to help others but even helpers need help too! Being an activist can be overwhelming at times, so it is comforting to have a shoulder to rely on. Whether it’s your family, close friends, colleagues or even your therapist, it is always good to unravel your thoughts with someone. You can also join some communities and groups that provide emotional support. With mediums like social media, you can connect with many others in the same situation as you everywhere around the world. Here are some groups you can join:
Women's Advice Group And Mental Health Support (Facebook group)
Advocates for People with Mental Illnesses (Facebook group)
And of course, there’s also Calm Circles that are held by Calm Collective Asia!
4. Celebrate the small wins
Lastly, celebrate each win, big or small. As an activist, change often takes time and improving the stigma around mental health may take a while. The public may be reluctant to accept change and need more exposure towards the subject before embracing the concept you are advocating for. Thus, as activists, it is important to celebrate small wins such as being able to make a difference in a person’s life or receiving a positive news article about your work. Keep a journal and write down those wins you are thankful for. It’s these little successes that accumulate and turn into a massive one! One little action makes a chain reaction.
All in all, I hope this article has helped guide you or bring new ideas on how to take care of your mental health as an activist, regardless of the cause you support. There is no set way to look after your mental health, but there will be a method that works for you.
Do you ever feel emotionally exhausted from supporting or caring for others? You may be experiencing ‘compassion fatigue’, but there are ways to prevent this. Read this article.