Protecting your mental health and well-being while speaking out — Assembly

Assembly’s toolkit provides young women with information and resources to care for yourself while you advocate for others.

Warning: This article mentions depression and anxiety, which could be triggering to some readers.

Around the world, young women like you are challenging injustices in your communities and leading the fight for education and equality.

This work can be invigorating, but it can also be draining. Ongoing concern about your cause and your community, discrimination because of your gender, race, age or one of your other identities, challenges balancing your advocacy with your academic and personal commitments and many other aspects of speaking out can take a toll on your mental health and well-being.

Your activism is important — but so is taking the time to take care of yourself.

This guide — developed in collaboration with young women around the world — will help you identify challenges of youth activism that might be affecting your well-being and offer you strategies to protect your mental health.

Prioritising yourself will not only benefit you psychologically and physically, but it will also help you sustain your activism long term. Change takes time, and by looking after yourself first you’re able to ensure you have the emotional energy and capacity to continue speaking out on the issues you care about for months and years to come.

This document is not exhaustive and may not represent your experiences with mental health and youth activism. It also does not replace professional psychological support. In the “Resources to support you” section, we’ve linked out to mental health organisations and helplines that can assist you in finding professional care — and if you have suggestions for additional ideas, we’d love to hear them!

A HUGE thank you to all the young activists who provided input on this guide, including Kaushar Barejiya, Sakina Bharmal, Ada Bhat, Gargi Bhavsar, Eduek and Uforo De Nsentip, Eileen Huang, Te Manaia Jennings, Khwahish Khan, Dekshina Nair, Chisom Onyekwere, Megna Rajagopal, Anagha Rajesh, Maryam and Nivaal Rehman, Sweta R.K. and Vanshika Srivastava.

Let’s get started.

Challenges young women activists face that might be affecting your mental health. (Courtesy of Victoria Fernandez / Malala Fund)

Below are some problems other young women have experienced in their activism that have affected their mental health.

Tokenism. Oftentimes leaders, officials, companies or organisations put young women activists in formal and informal positions in order to give the appearance of inclusion and collaboration without actually implementing their ideas or allowing them to create change. Being tokenised in this way can leave young activists feeling hurt and frustrated that their time has been wasted and that their opinions and efforts aren’t taken seriously by those in power. Teen gender equality activists Yande Banda and Selin Ozunaldim recently called out the U.N. for tokenism at the 2021 Generation Equality Forum, saying youth speakers were cut off and used as “window decorations” rather than meaningful participants at the conference.
Discrimination. As a young woman activist, you might experience prejudice based on your gender (sexism), your race (racism), your age (ageism), your ability (ableism) or because of one of your many other identities. Discrimination can pervade your own movement — a space you perhaps once believed to be safe — compounding the stress and anxiety you might already feel as a result of your work. Discrimination against young women activists can come in many different forms: tone policing, failure to make events accessible, lack of media coverage, tokenism (see above!), meetings during school hours, not accommodating non-English speakers, restrictive dress codes and more. Many of these examples can be considered microaggressions, indirect or subtle forms of discrimination that reinforce systems of oppression.

“I started voicing my opinion on issues that matter to me at around the age of 15. There are a lot of labels that come with being a young activist. I was regarded as being ‘loudmouthed,’ some of my opinions weren’t considered ‘ladylike.’ That made me feel like I was under constant scrutiny, and I am pretty sure a lot of fellow young activists have experienced the same.”

— Khwahish Khan, 20, India

Lack of inclusive language. Words have the power to engage, educate and inspire — but they also have the power to oppress, alienate and stereotype. Sometimes discriminatory language choices are purposeful and sometimes they are unintentional. But even if accidental, when people don’t understand the origins, histories and meanings of the words they use, they can cause real harm to you and your community. Failure to use your pronouns and mispronunciation of your name can also make you feel undervalued and not seen.
Code-switching. This is the process of shifting from your style of speech, appearance, behaviour and expression in ways that will optimise the comfort of others in exchange for equal treatment and opportunities. Young women activists of colour often feel they have to code-switch in White-dominant settings in order to be heard or respected, resulting in mental and emotional exhaustion.

“There have been so many moments in our journey when we have felt burnt out because of school, extracurriculars and running initiatives for our nonprofit and if we don’t take breaks during this time or rest, we end up not being able to put our best selves forward in any of this work.”

— Maryam and Nivaal Rehman, Canada

Intergenerational trauma. In the 20th century, psychologists started observing a phenomenon where trauma is passed down from generation to generation; descendants of a person who has experienced a terrifying event show emotional and behavioural reactions to the event that are similar to those of the person. Events that may lead to intergenerational trauma include displacement, legacies of racism and enslavement, natural disasters, gender-based violence, parental incarceration, divorce, alcoholism or child abuse. Speaking out against the injustices your community faces and has faced in the past can trigger or exacerbate intergenerational trauma in many young activists, making it difficult to practise activism without experiencing painful emotions.
Imposter syndrome. When you doubt your abilities or feel like a fraud and like you don’t deserve your success, it can be hard to push your activism forward and assume a leadership role within your movement. Women, particularly women of colour, are more likely to experience imposter syndrome and not believe in themselves due to lack of representation (not seeing anyone else who looks like them) as well as pervasive racist and sexist stereotypes.

“Upward comparison, which means comparing ourselves to someone we perceive to be better off or more proficient than ourselves, is one of the common mental health challenges young activists face. This could change if we realize and embrace the fact that every activist’s story or journey is unique!”

— Uforo and Eduek Nsentip (De Nsentip Twins), 19, Nigeria

Identifying what you are experiencing. (Courtesy of Victoria Fernandez / Malala Fund)

All of the challenges in the previous section — and the many others not listed — can impact your mental health in a variety of ways. Below are some conditions that you could be experiencing as a result of your activism.

Stress. The physical, emotional and intellectual reaction to perceived threats, demands or pressures. Stress often results in feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope. Ongoing or long-term stress can impact your physical, psychological and emotional health with symptoms including exhaustion, trouble sleeping, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, chest pain, headaches, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, sadness, low self-esteem and more.

Burnout. The response to prolonged stress. Burnout can lead to depression and anxiety. The reverse is also true: Depression or anxiety can lead to stress, which can lead to burnout (see more about those below).
For activists, passion for your cause can lead to overwork and continual exposure to inequalities can deplete you. Your work might require a great deal of mental, physical and emotional energy with little reward or progress. All of this can lead to higher rates of burnout. Symptoms of burnout include headaches, lack of sleep, fatigue, a cynical outlook, emotional detachment, sense of inability to cope, reduced rationality and more.

“I often notice burnout when I start to feel exhausted every day I wake up, my energy levels are very low and my motivation to do the things I once loved begins to disappear (burnout can be a catalyst for depression). This is when I know I need to take a step back and recalibrate and recharge. This is when I know I need to begin to care for myself and drop some things from my to-do list or ask for help. Burnout is a sign to slow down. It’s a sign that I am neglecting myself and I am not ‘filling my cup up’ first but rather trying to give from an empty cup.”

— Te Manaia Jennings, 21, New Zealand

Anxiety. A physiological response triggered by a perceived risk of danger, demands, loss or failure characterised by feelings of tension and physical changes like increased blood pressure. For people with anxiety disorders, the anxious feelings do not go away and can get worse over time. Symptoms of anxiety include increased heart rate, being irritable, trembling, trouble breathing, dizziness, muscular contractions, sweating, feeling restless, having sleep issues and more.

“Over this past year, we were doing our university studies, extracurriculars on campus, running campaigns for our nonprofit, volunteering with external nonprofit organizations and even had summer jobs to gain experience in the career fields we want to pursue. Sometimes, the workload is so much that we only get a little bit of time to ourselves at night before we go to sleep and continue to work again the next day. Especially with the stress of doing school online and professors not being as accessible in the online world, we faced anxiety about whether we would be able to get all of our work done for our various commitments. We have slowly developed a better routine however, and recognized that breaks and self-care are necessary to recharge and will actually help us do all of our work in a better way.”

— Maryam and Nivaal Rehman, Canada

Depression. A common but serious illness that causes a persistent feeling of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness and loss of interest or pleasure. It can affect how you feel, think and handle daily activities — such as sleeping, eating or working. Symptoms of depression include irritability, sleep issues, tiredness or lack of energy, weight loss or gain, restlessness, feelings of worthlessness, trouble concentrating, aches and pains and more.

Ways to protect your mental health and well-being. (Courtesy of Victoria Fernandez / Malala Fund)

In addition to professional psychological support, here are some ways you can look after your mental health and well-being while speaking out on the issues you care about.

Understanding what you’re agreeing to before you agree to it — and learning to say no.

Research shows that society conditions young women to always say yes, prioritising others’ needs over their own in order to seem likeable and supportive. As an activist, it can be especially tempting to agree to every opportunity when it could help advance your cause.

But saying yes all the time can leave you feeling exhausted and overextended. It can also prevent you from prioritising what is important to you — both in your activism and in your personal life.

Learning to say no is a necessary tool. Before agreeing to any new project, event, speaking engagement or opportunity, figure out if it’s worthy of your time. Assess the potential impact of the engagement and analyse whether or not what they’re asking of you is realistic in the given timeframe, if you’re being adequately compensated for your efforts and if you’re able to balance this with your other commitments.

Saying no isn’t selfish. It allows you to create boundaries (see more on that below!) and ensures you are able to succeed at the opportunities you say yes to and that you can have a balanced, healthy life. If someone has a hard time understanding why you’re declining an opportunity to protect your time and energy, they might not be someone you want to work with in the first place!

“I wish I had known that sometimes it’s OK to set boundaries if I am already stressed or have a lot to do and it does not make my efforts as an activist any less important. I remember those days when I used to experience burnouts as I already had so many projects on my plate — yet I used to take more as I did not want my efforts to be considered less effective. I wish then I had known how to prioritise myself first.”

— Gargi Bhavsar, 13, India

Setting boundaries.

As a young woman, your activism is probably just one of the many responsibilities on your plate. You have your schoolwork, your family obligations, your social commitments and your other hobbies and activities. Balancing all these priorities can be challenging, especially when technology can make it feel like you’re on call 24/7. There’s always another text, email, Slack or DM to respond to. Setting boundaries in your activism affords you the space and permission to take time away from this work and focus on other aspects of your life.

Start by making clear to the people you work with what times you are and aren’t available for meetings or to respond to emails — and stick to it! If you said you’re not going to be on email after 6 p.m., disable notifications on your phone during that period so you aren’t tempted to read or reply. If someone tries to schedule a meeting outside your working hours, remind them of your schedule and ask that they respect it. Let your collaborators know how you prefer they contact you. If Instagram is a personal space for you, ask them to contact you over email instead. If you hate staring at a screen, tell your colleagues you prefer they give you a call instead of sending a message.

“Since most of the advocacy I did was on social media, I’ve also learned to set boundaries with people online, most of whom are virtually strangers. The anonymity of the internet emboldens people to say some nasty things that they wouldn’t normally say to another person’s face, so I keep my comments on Instagram limited to friends and people I follow back only. I sometimes disable my message requests as well. It’s OK to go private!”

— Eileen Huang, U.S.

Taking breaks to recharge.

It can feel like there’s never a good time to take time off from your activism. You might feel guilty stepping away from your work when there’s so much to do and so much progress to make.

But working for prolonged periods without a break is bad not only for your psychological and physical health, but also for your activism. The more tired and burnt out you feel, the less effective and productive you will be. In prioritising your mental health, you are setting yourself up to be able to sustain your activism long term. Many people find that time away allows them better perspective and the chance to come back with new, creative ideas.

Earth week is a lovely time, but busy time for those in climate + environmental work. I realized it's earth day and I haven't even been outside... so i'm clearing my schedule + headed to the beach :)
— Leah Thomas (@Leahtommi) April 22, 2021

How much time off you need looks different for each person. Maybe an hour off at lunch for a walk or a day without any responsibilities or commitments will restore you. Maybe you need a week off or a longer term break from your work in order to feel like yourself again. Be honest with yourself about what you need to replenish your energy.

“I wish someone would have told me that it’s OK to take a break. When you walk into this space of advocating for what’s right, you want to be everywhere, you have an urge to ‘be all out there.’ As I learned over the years, activism is a collection of efforts which don’t have to be loud, all they ever need to be is consistent, and you get to decide the pace.”

— Khwahish Khan, 20, India

Stepping away from social media.

An important part of taking a break is also taking a digital break. Staying attuned to the news and conversation on social media can feel like a 24/7 job — and it can also lead to faster burnout. You may not realise until you step away the ways social media is affecting you and your mental health. Studies show that prolonged social media use can make young people more susceptible to depression, anxiety and other illnesses.

Logging off social media for a bit allows you to focus on yourself, your ideas and your priorities, while also freeing up a lot of time. Did you know that in 2020, the average daily social media usage of internet users around the world was more than 145 minutes per day?

If a digital detox sounds difficult, start by taking small steps. Set usage limits on certain apps or remove notifications altogether. If it’s safe to do so, try going somewhere without your phone or put your phone in an inaccessible place in your bag while you’re out, allowing you to enjoy some screen-free time. If you’re planning a prolonged social media break, let your followers know what you’re doing, why and when you’ll be back. Think of ways you can connect with people in person or through activities that don’t involve screens.

“I wish more people knew the security risks that come with being a youth activist. Activism is a physical and mental health risk, but we’re willing to take it because it’s work that needs to be done.” https://t.co/xGKHr33bke
— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) December 24, 2019

Protecting yourself on social media.

Social media can be a powerful tool to raise awareness about the issues you care about and build movements. It can also be a source of harassment, discrimination and surveillance and pose serious physical and mental health risks.

Taking a few simple steps can ensure you are staying safe on social media. Don’t share identifiable information — like your address, what school you attend, your phone number — and use a service like DeleteMe to remove personal information from the internet, like relatives or addresses. People can use this information not only to track you in real life but also to try to impersonate you online. Create strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication to each of your accounts (Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Gmail, etc.) to prevent someone else from accessing your accounts.

Many social media sites also allow you to limit or filter comments and messages or use a third-party app like Block Party. This can be especially helpful if you find yourself the recipient of unwanted messages. Remember that internet harassment is a serious issue. If you are being targeted online, you can report it to the platform so they can review your case and take action. You can also restrict or block the account so they don’t have access to your content. Make use of the resources below or reach out to a mental health professional, your friends, family and community for support.

“As someone whose advocacy took place primarily online, I did not register the harm I experienced — mostly misogynistic and racist online harassment — until much later. I realized I was unable to complete tasks with the same urgency and clarity that I had before. When that happens, recognize that it’s OK to take a break, step back and breathe before you continue anything else.”

— Eileen Huang, U.S.

Setting realistic goals and celebrating small wins.

Social change can take a (really) long time. That’s why it’s important to set realistic goals and acknowledge small wins along the way. If you wait to celebrate until you’ve achieved the purpose of your activism, you might be waiting months, years or decades! Research shows that when people feel a sense of progress, they are more likely to be productive in the long run.

It’s important to distinguish between your mission and the goals that will get you there. Your mission is the large-scale change you’re trying to achieve as an activist. Your goals are a series of small, specific and realistic steps that will help you achieve your mission. Acknowledging these victories not only makes you feel good — but it also enhances your motivation and keeps you engaged in your cause.

“As we are addressing sensitive and systemic issues, there are no definitive metrics for success. The goal seems very far away. That’s why it is very important for activists to celebrate small victories along the way, and keep ourselves motivated to stay on track.”

— Ada Bhat, UAE and Anagha Rajesh, India

Practising physical, emotional and mental self-care.

Self-care is not selfish, it’s about self-preservation. You are taking care of yourself, which then allows you to better take care of others. Sometimes self-care can look like skin care and staying hydrated. Sometimes it looks like journaling, developing hobbies outside of your activism or seeing a therapist. Figure out what brings you joy.

We asked some young women around the world how they practise physical, emotional and mental self-care — check out their ideas below!

Dekshina Nair, 17, India
- Physical self-care: Exercises, good food, yoga, cycling, dancing
- Emotional self-care: Writing in my journal every day, reading books (especially self-help books and motivational books, which not only relax the mind but also gives me strength and confidence) and playing a musical instrument. I also read articles about young girls and women and their stories and experiences.
- Mental self-care: I don't mind the negativity life throws at me, I search for the positivity in me. I am an optimist. Even in the smallest things I find happiness. I take everything with a smile.
Te Manaia Jennings, 21, New Zealand
- Physical self-care: I love exercise, and there are so many forms of exercise too (running, dancing, swimming, yoga, Pilates). Due to my scoliosis I try to do gentle exercises that support my medical condition and listen to my body intuitively in the process of physical movement. I always try to prioritize exercise because your body is your vehicle in life and you must allow it to move and release any pent up energy, if your vehicle is not intact then you aren’t going anywhere.
- Emotional self-care: I believe your emotional well-being is inextricably linked to how you experience yourself, the people and the world around you. So I often start with reflecting on what is happening around me, with my relationships, thoughts and quality of life. If I feel I am lacking in one department I will try to get to the root of why this is then begin to work on it. I also just like time to really tap into my emotions because they are a character of their own and they need attention and love. I encourage everyone to always check in with themselves and how they feel.
- Mental self-care: Journaling, meditating as well as having a solid schedule and routine help. Being mindful of what you consume into your mind and body are also very important, everything you watch or see or hear has an influence on you whether you consciously know it or not. This includes social media use. I try to limit my use on social media because it can be quite negative and draining, and I am also mindful of what I consume on a daily basis, being sure to drink LOTS of water and take daily vitamins.
Maryam and Nivaal Rehman, Canada
- Physical self-care: Outdoor activities like playing volleyball, canoeing, horse riding, and when we can’t do these things, just going out for a walk in our communities is also really helpful.
- Emotional and mental self-care: This often consists of taking time offline, not tuning into the news for a few days and doing other things we love like painting, cooking and reading. A lot of our work requires us to be informed about the world and constantly work to solve global issues in whatever way we can, but the pressure can add up and get very difficult at times, which is why we make sure we take time off. We’re never truly disconnected however, and some of our best ideas for making a difference come when we take this time off and our minds have been cleared!

Resources to support you. (Courtesy of Victoria Fernandez / Malala Fund)

This section features mental health organisations and helplines that can assist you in finding professional care as well as resources other young activists have found helpful when looking after their mental health and well-being while speaking out. If you have suggestions for additional ideas, we’d love to hear them!

Helplines to call

Befrienders Worldwide (global)
IMAlive (global)
Centro de Asistencia al Suicida (Argentina)
Kids Helpline (Australia)
CVV – Life Valorization Center (Brazil)
Bell Let’s Talk (Canada)
AASRA (India)
SAPTEL (Mexico)
She Writes Woman (Nigeria)
Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (Philippines)
LifeLine (South Africa)
Samaritans (U.K.)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (U.S.)

“As cliche as it sounds, I would have loved to hear [before I started my activism] that I wasn’t alone, and that no matter how dark or lonely the journey is or can feel, that there are always others out there who know exactly how you feel.”

— Te Manaia Jennings, 21, New Zealand

Organisations to connect with