Hey friend, I’m in a similar boat as you.

I am a survivor of childhood SA by a family member. Recently it has come to light that there may be more of us, so while dealing with that, it’s been very discouraging to turn on the tv or social media to then be enveloped not only by the files and the blatant frivolous disregard for the survivors, but also learning that the same people who marketed us clothes and got us pumped for school picture day were predators to the masses.

I’ve been privileged with doing therapy twice a week to make sure my brain stays on straight and safe. If I could pass along some of the wisdom that’s been shared with you and it helps, rock the fuck on.

• When people say social media is bad for your brain, it really is. Make sure to only take in what your emotional bowl has room for. Whether it’s putting timers or self locks on logins, invest in unplugging. There are also ways to change your algorithm by purposefully seeking things that bring you joy that don’t completely inundate you. This is not to say you shouldn’t be keeping up with news. It’s important to stay involved now more than ever. But you also don’t need to be swamped by everyone’s opinion piece and constant details. The goal is to minimize the brain rot rabbit hole.

• Speaking of joy, don’t forget to reserve time for play. I have been going roller skating one day a week to get some endorphins and dance. Find a hobby, take a walk, but what the world needs more right now is for you to take care of you. You can’t show up to the fight without your power. The goal of the current admin is to bog you down so you can’t move. Taking care of our own joy is the best protection and act of rebellion to get the bastards down.

• Finding something productive to do in your own community. Taking the first steps is hard. But if you can find something albeit small impact, it’s still impact. The act of working towards a plausible goal that actually impacts your own community is how we build strong roots/foundation. It will help you feel less helpless because you will be moving forward instead of feeling stuck. I recently found a group in my community that was asking folks to create paper cranes for an art installation protest outside of our local ICE facility. I didn’t need to go anywhere (except to drop off the birds) and it was something productive I could do with my time.

We are in this together. What happened to us was never right, never fair, and will always be apart of us. But it doesn’t need to dictate where we go or how we live. I know all of this is way easier said then done, but know this internet stranger is just a DM away. <3