How to Heal Your Mind from Conspiracy Theorists

January 6, 2021 is a day we will never forget: The Day of the Insurrection. Images of the U.S. Capitol Building being stormed during a congressional session to confirm the Biden/Harris ticket will remain in our collective memories for many years to come. The fact that we were ushering in our nation’s first Black woman as Vice President creates a remarkable dichotomy, highlighting the chasm between the old guard and the hope of progress. While the attack was outrageous, it was a long time coming. The wound that broke open on Wednesday had been festering since the birth of this brutally conceived nation. The lies that have been told to the American citizens scaling the walls of the Capitol are no different than the lies of white supremacy and national superiority that have been told for centuries. What has changed is the speed at which these lies can be disseminated.

When I was a kid growing up in the eighties, we learned about the impending age of information and technology, but nothing prepared us for its impact on the lies embedded in our national psyche. We imagined quickly accessing and sharing music, art, movies, research and science. There was no such word as “disinformation” back then. There was no internet. We didn’t know lies could be monetized quickly and strategically: the bigger the lie, the greater the profit. Conspiracy theories have emerged from the corners of dusty rooms to find their place as their own profitable industry. Our disgraced president has collected over $250 million dollars from his disinformation campaign. Misinformed American citizens believe they are fighting for justice. It’s sad to be in the presence of profound ignorance, but even worse to be in the realm of strategically orchestrated malice.

2020 was a year when many of us were forced to bring self-care to the forefront of our priorities. We simply had to maintain our mental health under the pressure of a multitude of simultaneous environmental stressors. 2021 is off to a hell of a start. The good news is the events at the Capitol Building this past Wednesday could very well be the catalyst our nation needs to take action. Legislators can enact laws to counter disinformation and radicalization within our borders. Laws to contain the power of an unstable president. And laws to make sure our governing bodies accurately reflect our diverse population.

But what do we do when we can’t stop watching television? When we find ourselves fearing the dissolution of the imperfect and fragile democracy that we call our own? What can we do with our pent-up energy and stress?

We can follow what our courageous leader, Stacey Abrams, did when she came under fire. We can take our energy and use it for a just cause. We can do what Nancy Pelosi did after congress was attacked. We can get on with the business of doing good work. We can do what Hillary Clinton did after losing a sexist election to an unqualified conman and narcissist. We can dust ourselves off and keep going.

Before we do any of this, we must give ourselves room to recover.

Today I encourage you to pause. Turn off the television for an hour or so. Light a candle. Read a prayer or a poem. Meditate or sit in contemplation. Take a nap. Let your mind and your body rest. And when you’ve allowed yourself respite, take a moment to think about how you can turn your outrage into action.

Check on a friend. Support what John Lewis called “good trouble.” Bring positive energy into a space that’s full of anger. Discuss solutions.

When I was a kid, nothing prepared us for the weaponization and monetization of lies at the speed of light. This nation lost some of its last bits of innocence on January 6, 2021. It’s time for us to grow up and confront the monster we created with all the maturity of a well-raised adult.