Coping in Dark Times: How Empathetic People Can Stay Engaged Without Burning Out

The weight of the world feels heavy right now. It’s not just the headlines—it’s the relentless wave of policies that strip away rights, dignity, and safety from entire communities. For those of us who feel deeply, who cannot turn away when we see injustice, these moments can feel crushing.

The temptation to withdraw is real. But we know that silence and apathy are what allow harmful systems to thrive. The challenge, then, is this: How do we stay engaged without losing ourselves in exhaustion and despair? What are some ways we can work for good while preserving and protecting our own hearts and minds?

1. Channel Emotion into Action

Empathy is a powerful force, but on its own, it can become paralyzing. The antidote? Action.

• Call your representatives – Even when it feels pointless, it matters. Flood their offices with calls, emails, and letters. Make them hear us.
• Donate where it counts – Organizations like the ACLU and RAICES are on the front lines. Even small contributions add up.
• Volunteer – Whether it’s supporting local food banks, crisis hotlines, or advocacy groups, direct action gives us back a sense of agency.
• Protect your community – If your state or town is enforcing harmful laws, look for ways to counter them. Help people register to vote, offer transportation to important meetings, or support legal defense funds.

Channeling grief and rage into action gives us momentum. 

And momentum is what keeps movements alive.

 

2. Set Boundaries with News Consumption

Staying informed is necessary, but drowning in an endless news cycle? That only fuels despair.

• Schedule your news intake – Limit it to once or twice a day. Doomscrolling at midnight will not help anyone.
• Follow solution-oriented sources – Instead of just consuming the worst of the worst, follow activists and organizations that offer tangible ways to fight back.
• Unplug when needed – It’s okay to step away. The world will still be here when you return, and you’ll be stronger for taking a break.

3. Find Community & Support

We are not meant to carry this alone.

• Lean on like-minded people – Join local activist groups, attend protests, or just have deep conversations with friends who understand.
• Engage in mutual aid – Offer what you can and accept it from others too—whether that’s a meal, a ride, or even just time.
• Seek professional support if needed – If the weight of it all is too much, therapy can be a life raft. There is no shame in needing help to keep going.

Hope is built in community. Find yours, and hold onto it.

4. Ground Yourself in Joy & Resilience

Oppressive systems rely on our exhaustion. Our joy is resistance.

• Prioritize what nourishes you – Gardening, yoga, reading, music—whatever reminds you that life is still worth fighting for.
• Celebrate small wins – Every lawsuit that blocks a harmful law, every activist who makes a difference—these moments matter.
• Reconnect with nature – Even a short walk in fresh air can remind you that the world is bigger than this moment of despair.

5. Keep the Long View in Mind

This is not the first time humanity has faced oppression. And it will not be the last.

• Learn from history – Movements have faced dark times before, and they have survived. So will we.
• Mentor and educate – Talk to younger generations. Teach them what’s happening. Equip them to carry the fight forward.
• Vote, always – And help others do the same. Elections alone won’t save us, but they are a tool we cannot afford to ignore.

6. Care for Each Other

Compassion must extend to ourselves and those around us.

• Take breaks together – Plan a lunch, a coffee, a walk—where politics and news are off-limits. Give yourselves space to breathe.
• Check in on friends – A simple text, a kind gesture. Let them know they are not alone.
• Engage in collective decompression – Join a yoga class, start a book club, watch a comforting movie together. Anything that reminds you of life outside the fight.
• Allow yourself to feel joy – Not as an escape, but as fuel. Love, laughter, and rest are not luxuries; they are survival tools.

We Keep Going

None of this is easy. The grief is real. The rage is justified. The exhaustion is valid.

But we are not powerless. And we are not alone.

We fight. We rest. We care for each other.

And then we fight again.