Here’s What to Do Instead of Leaf Pie to Deal With Anxiety
Humor is hard. The post-tragedy humor is even more complex: It’s not for nothing that The Onion took two weeks to publish its first issue after 9/11. Tina Fey’sWeekend News response to the Charlottesville, Virginia massacre, in which she urged the American public to ignore the Nazis and stay home with a leafy pie, was a playful attempt to create humor out of our shared grief and shock, but it missed the mark. The last thing we need now is for people to stay at home and feed on their feelings. It’s time to put down the forks and get to work.
Donate some money
Let’s say you were about to buy a giant cake. Why not take these funds and donate them to an anti-Nazi organization in your area? You can donate to anti-protest groups, such as the local DSA chapter , or organizations that require action from Congress, such as Indivisible . Both organizations provide useful information that can help you connect with your political spokesman, as well as resources for disseminating information and denouncing the alt-right movement.
Protest online and disabled
If you’re scared and angry, take this energy and channel it into real work in your community, including the Internet. You don’t need to confront anyone, but your public condemnation of hate crimes and the alternative right movement prevents them from speaking out if they are unpopular.
You might think it doesn’t matter much, but showing up at a protest helps to express your anti-hate position. If you don’t like being on the front lines, you can help in another way. You can make (good) signs or spread the word by polling your area
Call some politicians
Call your local representatives. They can help by pressuring law enforcement to prosecute hate crimes and public statements denouncing the activities of the alternative right, but you may have to put some pressure on them. You can write emails, tweets, or even letters, but the most effective method is the good old phone. If you can’t reach them by phone , the next best way is email and fax.
Write down your worries
Zero studies have shown that yelling at cake helps anything. Logging your emotions in a journal or blog is good for your mental health and can boost your self-esteem. It can make you feel good enough to go out and do something about it. (See above)
If you’re not a fan of long, drawn-out writing, why not keep a gratitude journal ? You can start each day with one sentence describing what you are grateful for. It is a useful tool to provide perspective when you are feeling overwhelmed in a junkyard.
Eat something healthy before dessert
We have a long battle ahead – you need real food. Take care of yourself: cook yourself a meal a week ahead, or go to the grocery store and buy a whole damn grilled chicken to keep you going.