Taking part in protests and demonstrations can be good for your physical and mental health, a British study released on December 23 has found.

Psychologists at the University of Sussex found that people involved in campaigns, strikes and political demonstrations experience an improvement in psychological well-being that can help them overcome stress, pain, anxiety and depression.

“The take-home message from this research therefore might be that people should get more involved in campaigns, struggles and social movements, not only in the wider interest of social change but also for their own personal good”, researcher Dr John Drury told the Reuters news service.

Volunteers were asked to describe what it was about taking part in such collective action that made them feel so good. Drury said the interviews revealed that the key factors were that participants felt they had a collective identity with fellow protesters. They also derived a sense of unity and mutual support from taking part.

Such was the strength of the feelings they experienced that the effects appear to be sustained over a period of time.

From Green Left Weekly, January 15, 2003.
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