Activism: The Pursuit of Wellness For Others While Supporting Our Own
The world today is riddled with injustice. However, it is also brimming with people, organizations, and opportunities to rise against it. Given the consistency with which we are shown various injustices meant to get an emotional rise and subsequent engagement on any given platform it can be overwhelming to try and navigate what you may want to do about it. This post is not meant to advise any particular form or direction of activism but rather to encourage the use of activism as a tool towards mental and overall wellness.
What it is
Activism in the terms relevant to this post can be defined as intentional engagement in activities that directly or indirectly support the wellbeing of subjects in an area of interest, most often towards the goal of large-scale or systemic change for a just future. In our current social/political/economic/environmental/etc. climate there are many potential areas of interest and due to the internet - especially social media - emotionally triggering content and calls to action are almost constant.
Wellness From Activism
Emotional destabilization and hopelessness/helplessness are common among those who see and interface with such content on a regular basis. This destabilization can be experienced in the form of anxious or depressive moods and lead to effects such as social isolation, sleep disturbance, rumination, panic, appetite changes, irritability, increased substance use, and other functional impairments to daily life.
In response to these effects we look towards the goal of wellness to sift through all that we may be experiencing and figure out what areas need to be addressed through self-care. As a reminder the 8 areas of wellness are: physical, intellectual, environmental, emotional, financial, social, spiritual, and occupational. One of the options to improve any one or multiple of those areas is activism. By giving of your own resources, be it time, energy, money, or any other skills we have, we are sending signals to our bodies and minds that we are acting against the thing that caused us to feel destabilized, helpless, or hopeless.
As a result, we quiet that internal alarm saying something is wrong and needs to be fixed. This process does not require we solve the problem; it simply calms that internal state of fear or dread through intentional action. Like pacing when on a stressful phone call, it does not resolve the source of distress but it releases some of the excess, pent-up energy that our survival system sends to tell us to sprint when we are actually running a marathon.
What Activism Can Look Like
From the standpoint of personal psychology, the building blocks of activism are what are important: time, energy, and/or money. The giving of these pieces in any combination and amount are what make up all forms of activism and more importantly for our context provide the sense of release and a healthy directional outlet for the destabilized energy.
Below are more specific forms of activism that have been utilized throughout history that can help guide ideas and engagement out in the world and online. This list is not exhaustive but provides a good base of inspiration and was pulled from a more in-depth article about each form which you can read here.
- Sit-ins/Walk-outs
- Speeches
- Community Organizing
- Voting
- Crafts
- Letters
- Volunteering
- Education
- Fundraising
- Single-time, Monthly, or Yearly Donations
- Campaigning
- Strikes
- Mutual Aid
- Petitioning
- Life Support
- Art
- Talking With Friends/Family
If there are reasons any specific form of activism feels overwhelming, not relevant, or outside of what is possible for you; return to the building blocks and ask the question “how can I give my time, energy, or financial resources?” to support your area/s of interest. You may just find that your set of skills, experience, imagination, and resources allow you to support in new and unique ways that benefit your own mental health and the larger-scale goal.
Activism and Mental Health
Though there are many reasons to feel discontent with parts of our world today; there are just as many reasons to feel encouraged by the people and outlets for pursuing change. When we find ourselves in that place of fear, helplessness, or hopelessness, the simple yet effortful actions of giving our time, energy, and/or money towards causes we believe in is not only a small step towards a better future but also takes a small step toward wellness in the present.
At RAFT Counseling, we are dedicated to supporting you in the pursuit of wellness. If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms indicative of anxious or depressive overwhelm and feel helpless or hopeless about yourself or the world we want to help. Simply visit our website or contact us to get connected and on the path towards the version of yourself you want to be that is well in all areas of life.
Resources for Further Consideration
- Harvey, B. (2023, January 2). 26 types of activism to know (Plus examples). Good Good Good. https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/types-of-activism