Hidden Costs of Advocacy: Burnout in Social Justice and Political Resistance

For those of us in the US, our world has turned upside-down seemingly overnight. Many of us are reeling over the harm that is perpetuated by the changes and deeply fearful for the stability of our democracy and safety in the world. Many are feeling increasingly unsafe, from the effects of layoffs and illegal seizures of jobs and livelihoods on behalf of a government run by the unelected, to cuts to safety nets, to censuring voices and eliminating life-saving and life-sustaining programs and systems. While many of us are struggling to understand our place in the chaos, we still hold values of the unending pursuit of justice and peace. Yet we risk burnout if we aren’t careful.

The cost of social justice and political resistance work is high. Historically, those of us who protests are often ill-resourced to begin with—the marginalized, BIPOC, women, queer people, unhoused, folks who are chronically ill. We aren’t a part of the elite that are holding all the power and reins. And many of us aren’t able to find the deep resourcing needed to speak out—because we’re already exhausted.

You’re not alone. Social justice organizers and activists experience burnout, moral injury, and emotional exhaustion as we push for change in a world that often resists it. Burnout doesn’t just affect individuals; it weakens movements and communities. It is what oppressors expect and hope for—it’s part of the strategy to maintain power. So without intentional well-being check, we can find ourselves depleted, disillusioned, and disconnected.

Your voice matters—and so does your well-being. This month, let’s explore some ways burnout and moral injury affect advocates—and ways forward to restore our well-being for sustainability for true, long-term change.

Protests can be soul-care, too

5 Ways Burnout and Moral Injury Affect Advocates

1. Moral Injury: The Psychological Toll of Injustice

Moral injury happens when we witness or are forced to participate in actions that violate our deeply held ethics and values, especially when we feel powerless to stop the harm. Being a citizen of an oppressive regime is a type of political abuse and moral injury that can cause real psychological harm and trauma. For social justice advocates, this can mean fighting tirelessly against unjust systems, only to see those systems persist or worsen. It can also arise from internal conflicts—such as making compromises to survive within oppressive institutions or facing ethical dilemmas in movement work. Over time, moral injury can lead to profound grief, guilt, and a loss of trust in the very ideals that once fueled activism.

2. Emotional Exhaustion and Compassion Fatigue

Are you feeling tired yet? Threat to self and others is something that chips away at our inner resourcing. And when we are social justice advocates, because we are highly attuned to the collective harm that is being done, we are especially susceptible to the emotional fatigue of holding space in trauma-heavy spaces. This emotional labor leads in time to compassion fatigue, where the emotional reserves needed to care for others become depleted. This exhaustion can manifest as numbness, irritability, or detachment, making it difficult to stay engaged with the work or maintain meaningful relationships.

3. Living in an Unjust System Erodes Mental and Physical Health

We are not separate from the systems we fight against; we, too, must navigate economic instability, discrimination, and institutional barriers for ourselves and those we care for. The stress of trying to cope with the everyday while pushing for systemic change is overwhelming if not checked. Chronic stress can arise in symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, auto-immune issues, and even recurrance of latent past traumas and panic. None of this is normal—and our bodies will be the first to tell us so.

4. Cynicism and Disillusionment

Change often takes time and feels slow and unending when we want it, like, yesterday. We can easily become cynical as a result—feeling as if others are not taking seioursly what we feel is essential in the road for peace and justice in our communities and world at large. We witness hypocracy, performative allyship, even the co-opting of movements by power-hungry folks who don’t have others’ best interst in mind. The hope that once fueled activism can erode into bitterness, making it difficult to stay engaged or believe in the possibility of transformation.

5. Isolation and Strained Relationships

If we aren’t careful, the all-consuming fears of how the world will end up without our impact can cause strained relationships with partners, family, and friends. We sometimes can forget that urgency isn’t always the best avenue, or that commitment to change can look different from our own. Emotionally weighted down, we can find ourselves feeling stuck and isolated. Also, social justice groups themselves can have infighting or burnout or ideological conflicts that undermine the mission and disband the efforts for sustainable change. These rifts can make us feel even less supported and wondering where our place is for making a difference.

While all of these are ways that this work can chip away at our soul’s purpose—finding ways to resource us can be easier than you’d expect. Joy, creativity, fostering relationships and learning about burnout resistance—these are essential ways to improve our well-being.

Check Yourself: How to Resist Advocacy Burnout

Check your Shame

When you stop and take time off, check shame or guilt at the door. Remember that shame is internalized oppression. It is the voice that puts us down when we need to be built up. Burnout and moral injury are not personal failures; they are symptoms of fighting systems designed to exhaust us. Naming these struggles—whether through therapy, peer support, or personal reflection—can be the first step in reclaiming energy and agency.

TIP: Joy IS Resistance

In systems designed to oppress and exhaust, joy itself is an act of defiance. Black feminist scholars such as Audre Lorde and bell hooks have long argued that radical joy is a form of political resistance—one that denies oppressive systems the ability to dictate the emotional landscapes of marginalized people. Research from positive psychology also supports this idea, showing that experiences of joy increase resilience, deepen relationships, and enhance problem-solving abilities—all of which are crucial for sustaining advocacy. Balance outrage with laughter is true soul food.

Check your Breaks

Remember that success takes time, and sustainability is all about healthy boundary setting. Movements are marathons, not sprints. Shifting from an urgency-driven mindset to one that prioritizes sustainable, long-term engagement allows advocates to continue their work without self-destruction. This might mean focusing on smaller, local wins or embracing roles that align with one’s energy and capacity.

TIP: Research on the civil rights movement highlights the role of freedom songs in sustaining morale and fostering solidarity. Similarly, Indigenous-led movements often incorporate storytelling and visual art to preserve cultural identity and inspire collective action. Creative practices don’t just alleviate burnout—they fuel the imagination necessary for envisioning a better world.

Check your Spirit

Our ability to give to others is directly related to our inner resourcing. Nourishing yourself from the inside-out is not a luxury—it is essential to justice work. Engaging in practices that restore nervous system balance, such as time in nature, creative expression, mindfulness, prayer, or movement, can help counteract chronic stress. Likewise, setting clear boundaries—whether by limiting social media exposure, stepping away from toxic organizing spaces, or taking breaks from activism—can create space for renewal.

Check out my Setting Boundaries for Burnout Prevention here.

TIP: Protest IS Self Care!

While protests are often associated with struggle and hardship, they can also be sources of deep renewal. Social psychology research suggests that collective action reinforces a sense of belonging, agency, and hope, which are all protective factors against burnout.

Involvement in protests and demonstrations can offer:

• A sense of purpose: Reminding advocates why they began their work in the first place.

• A collective energy boost: Being surrounded by like-minded individuals can rekindle motivation.

• A physical and emotional release: Chanting, marching, and engaging in direct action provide catharsis, helping to release pent-up frustration and grief.

When burnout threatens to dull an advocate’s passion, returning to the streets, to song, or to movement work that reconnects them with their mission can be an antidote to despair.

Check your Roots

Remember to start small—within yourself, your family, and your local community. Find your people and use them for support. Community engagement is essential. History consistently shows that movements for social change begin in relationships and small communities. Strong bonds of trust, shared vision, and mutual support create the foundation for long-term resistance as well as long-term well-being. Investing in reciprocal relationships, seeking mentorship, and participating in healing-centered spaces can provide the connection and solidarity needed to weather the challenges of activism. Rest is most effective when it happens within a community that affirms its necessity and offers positive reinforcement for doing so. We need others to mirror back what we know is true!

TIP: Creativity IS Resistance

Studies in psychology and neuroscience indicate that creative expression can counteract stress and trauma, helping individuals process difficult emotions and maintain a sense of purpose. Movements that center art, music, storytelling, and dance not only create emotional refuge but also shape culture and consciousness in ways that traditional activism alone cannot.

Moving Forward—Together

Our well-being is worth fighting for—just as peace and justice is. The struggle for liberation must include self-preservation, healing, and sustainable ways of engaging in the work. Rest, joy, creativity, and connection are not distractions from activism—they are essential tools of resistance.

If you are experiencing burnout or moral injury, reach out here. I always offer free consultations to folks ready to listen into their soul so that they can do the good work of love and connection in their work and relationships. Please know that your exhaustion is never a sign of weakness—it is a sign that you care deeply. And that care, when nurtured, can continue to fuel change in ways that honor both the movement and your own humanity.