activistas, 11J, psicología, Cuba

Activists take refuge in work in such a way that it becomes their enemy

MADRID, Spain.- Luis García Villameriel is a Spanish psychologist specializing in clinical psychology, emergencies and human rights. For almost ten years he has accompanied human rights defenders in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, working to improve the emotional well-being of activists.

We met him in Madrid. It is very hot and that reminds you of Cuba. During his work supporting activism networks on the island with the NGO Psychology Without Borders, Luis has had the opportunity to meet numerous human rights activists, many of whom have been affected by the repression unleashed in the country after the demonstrations of July 11 and 12, 2021 (J11).

―Has the psycho-emotional state of activists worsened since 11J?

We do not have data to determine if the psychosocial state of the activists has worsened or is maintained, but a greater increase in the demand for care has been noted. It is true that the level of resilience of the people in Cuba is immense, but 11J is one more milestone in the country’s history in which it seems that something is going to change so that in the end nothing changes, or little changes, and that produces hopelessness and psychologically affects activists.

However, after 11J, it seems that the existence of street noise, and the regime finds people on the street who are not political activists, but people claiming social aspects related to food, transportation, housing, etc. This already existed before 11J, but perhaps it has increased this year, and this context has a high moral and motivational value for activists, given that their actions are reinforced by the population. On the other hand, the strong repression generates a state of shock that raises the level of stress, and they also feel obliged to rise to the occasion (if any neighbor goes out to protest, how can I not be there? and committed to the maximum?). In the end, all this does is create more tension and the activists have to deal with more stressors.

―Many Cuban men and women have been exiled since 11J. What psycho-emotional consequences does exile have on activists?

A thesis could be written on this… There are several scenarios. On the one hand we have those who go into exile by force and urgency and who aspire to return, and have to manage an ambivalence of emotions: the feeling of having abandoned their loved ones, migratory grief, impotence…

A second group are those who leave voluntarily to seek a better life, and once they find a small corner of tranquility they make an effort to forget and leave what they have experienced behind. Likewise, feelings of guilt and migratory grief appear, and the effects of having to start a new life (economic problems, adaptation, language, etc.). The common factor in all of them is the existence of migratory grief together with feelings of guilt.

And we cannot forget the third group that is related to exile: those who stay. They also have to live with ambivalent feelings such as the uneasiness of having lost militants in the struggle (they are more alone), envy for not having had the same “luck”, and resentment for feeling abandoned. On the one hand, they say they understand why other activists have left, but on the other they feel that those who have left owe them a debt, that they have stayed, and discouragement is usually present among those who remain.

―What are the most frequent psycho-emotional affectations in activists?

Tables related to stress, mood problems and, sometimes, post-traumatic stress. However, it is important not to lose sight of other types of derived psychological manifestations such as the abuse of alcohol and other substances, irritability, personality changes… and other non-clinical ones, such as family and social environment problems, as important for human development.

One characteristic that we have found and that is systematically repeated is that activists take refuge in work in such a way that it becomes their enemy, and they create a very toxic relationship with their activity. They spend endless hours, have frenetic activity, and sleep, eating, and personal relationship imbalances occur, so promoting healthy lifestyle habits becomes a priority in care.

―Do women activists have the same psychosocial effects as men? Are there aggravated or particular affectations for them due to the fact of being women?

If we refer to Cuba, and from what I have been able to observe, study and know, we find ourselves before an eminently macho society. And it is a structural machismo, accepted and normalized. This means that women who are in political or human rights activism suffer from machismo in these settings as well. It manifests itself in the duplication of roles (activist and mother, activist and wife, activist and housewife) and the burden that this entails in terms of work and responsibility. Many of these burdens are assumed automatically: there is no consultation, no negotiation; as if it were the “natural order of things” women perform certain tasks, and if they do not do them they are demanded (care of children, of the home, assisting the husband even if both work, etc.).

It is also reflected in leadership. Women are condescendingly “allowed” to be leaders, but then penalized if they have children neglected or if they “ruin” their marriage. It goes without saying that women are also questioned about their ability if they compete with a man, even if he surpasses him in skills and abilities.

Obviously, this implies an increase in stress factors that affect mental health and balance and personal well-being. Conceptually, she is no different from any woman in any of the public or professional spheres, but activism carries far greater threats to personal and family security and integrity than any other activity, so the stress load multiplies exponentially, and in consequently, its effects.

Another nod that structural machismo offers us is that women activists are expected to be strong, indestructible and, therefore, it is seen as a weakness that they become depressed, that they suffer from acute stress, or that at one point they “lose their shit.” ”. If a man gets out of control and aggressive, he is a man and has the right to explode. If a woman does it, he is an uncontrolled neurotic, a hysteric, and is not up to the task.

“What good is psychotherapy?”

It serves to provide patients with tools to deal with the psychological manifestations they are experiencing, in a way that improves their emotional well-being, helps to overcome adverse situations, and protects against the appearance of more serious psychological disorders.

I take advantage of this point to point out that the vast majority of psychological manifestations of activists are normal responses to a context that is abnormal and maladjusted. Clinical psychology seeks strategies to modify patterns in behavioral disorders, irrational beliefs and unpleasant emotions that interfere in the patient’s life and in their relationships with others. However, when these reactions arise as a result of a hostile environment, they are not distorted thoughts or irrational beliefs, so it is necessary to work with another perspective of adjustment and adaptation to this abnormal environment.

Can you tell us about a success story?

There was a case of an activist who presented a picture of acute stress, as a result of receiving threats and police harassment, in addition to physical attacks by State Security. After a series of interventions, communication with the family was improved, emotional expression was facilitated, and he was trained in a series of coping and stress management strategies that significantly improved his life and that of the people around him. . We must never forget that the psychological protection of the family and the immediate environment are a basic pillar of the life of any person, and when this is affected, it seriously damages the person.

―Many activists have to be treated by online psychologists. Does online psychotherapy work just as well?

Not at all. I am a convinced retractor of online attention. I am not saying that they do not work, but they lack everything that is necessary for a good therapeutic intervention. There is a lack of physical closeness between the professional and the patient. The therapeutic engagement is more difficult, all the observation about body communication, environment, and others, is completely lost. Commitment on the part of the patient is weakened.

Now, it is preferable to receive attention online than not to receive anything.

―Do you think that in Cuba psychotherapy is already perceived as something natural and necessary or are there still taboos and misinformation around it?

Surely there will still be many taboos and misinformation. In Europe there are also. But I have noticed greater sensitivity towards the need for psychological support. The big problem in Cuba may not be a perceived need to receive psychological support, but rather the lack of options to receive it. The activists are hardly going to want to open up emotionally in front of someone from a State cabinet who can report to State Security or who at a given moment tells them, “but you can’t talk to me about politics.” So it is very difficult for someone to want to go to therapy.

―What would you say to an activist from Cuba who does not want to go to therapy because they say that “problems have to be solved by oneself” or that “therapy is for weak minds” or that “it is useless”?

I have long criticized colleagues who proselytize as if we had to recruit converts. It is true that we must make our work more visible and that we have to make an effort to serve the people who need it rigorously. Sometimes bad practices, and there is a lot of that, feed the bad reputation of psychology, and that is why we have to make an effort to provide quality and effective services. I would also tell you to be very careful with the “miraculous recipes” that unfortunately are widespread in Latin America: family constellations, Bach flowers, biodanza, and other practices that are not recognized by the scientific community because they have no basis, but that are trendy.

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