It's election day here in the U.S, the stressful culmination of what feels like a never-ending election cycle. While it's sound to be aware of what's going on (and to vote, if you're reading this on Tuesday morning and you haven't yet, in many places you still have time: https://www.rockthevote.org/how-to-vote/), there's also a temptation to sit and refresh social media in hopes of news all day. Truth is, that's not great on a mental heath front, and it's exhausting and draining to boot. So, if you need some ways of distracting yourself while we await the results, here are a few suggestions. If you have more, fee free to share!
https://thehill.com/changing-america/we ... h-ahead-of
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... elief.html
https://www.explore.org/livecams (these livecams cover everything from puppy and kitten rooms, the old dog sanctuary, fat bears, and fruit bats).
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams (watch the sea otters play).
Election Day Distractors
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We ask that users looking for general, ongoing emotional support post in this area of the boards, and that you use this space to both ask for, give and receive that support primarily from each other, rather than from our staff and volunteers. As a staff, we simply are often too overextended with all we need to do in running the organization and its services to do that for extended periods of time, and one of our main aims of our community at the boards has always been to facilitate peers to better be there for each other.
Users often report that they have no in-person peers they can talk to or seek support from: we want this to be a space for online peer support and somewhere everyone can get some practice asking for, getting and giving support so that doing it with people in your lives feels more doable.
Please remember that neither staff, volunteers nor your fellow users can provide or replace mental healthcare when that is something you need. Users struggling with issues like anxiety, depression, abuse or physical health issues are strongly encouraged to seek out qualified, in-person help with those issues in addition to peer or staff support.
We ask that users looking for general, ongoing emotional support post in this area of the boards, and that you use this space to both ask for, give and receive that support primarily from each other, rather than from our staff and volunteers. As a staff, we simply are often too overextended with all we need to do in running the organization and its services to do that for extended periods of time, and one of our main aims of our community at the boards has always been to facilitate peers to better be there for each other.
Users often report that they have no in-person peers they can talk to or seek support from: we want this to be a space for online peer support and somewhere everyone can get some practice asking for, getting and giving support so that doing it with people in your lives feels more doable.
Please remember that neither staff, volunteers nor your fellow users can provide or replace mental healthcare when that is something you need. Users struggling with issues like anxiety, depression, abuse or physical health issues are strongly encouraged to seek out qualified, in-person help with those issues in addition to peer or staff support.
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Sam W
- previous staff/volunteer
- Posts: 10320
- Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:06 am
- Age: 33
- Awesomeness Quotient: I raise carnivorous plants
- Primary language: english
- Pronouns: she/her
- Sexual identity: queer
- Location: Coast
Election Day Distractors
And you to whom adversity has dealt the final blow/with smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go/turn to and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain/and like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.