Practice Self Care
What If is a physically and psychologically taxing environment. Make sure to prioritize self care after the event:
- Deep clean yourself
- Get someone to check you for tick bites or other injuries
- Eat nutrient-rich foods and hydrate
- Catch up on sleep
- Take a break from substances
- Spend time with family and friends
- Unpack and do laundry
- Consider journaling or talking to others who attended What If
Don’t Divorce Your Parakeet
There’s an old burner saying that you shouldn’t “divorce your parakeet” immediately after a burn. That means that you should wait a couple of weeks to decompress before you make any big life changes like quitting your job, ending a relationship, or getting (or getting rid of!) a pet.
If the feeling that you should make a big change persists, double-check your decisions with family, friends, or a therapist.
Ask for Help
If something happened to you at the event or you’re having difficult feelings after the event, don’t hesitate to reach out for help to family, friends, or one of the services below (all are staffed 24h/day). You can also contact any of these services if you’re concerned about someone else.
- Crisis Helpline: call 1-800-784-2433 or text 9-8-8
- Mental Health Support: call 310-6789 (no area code needed)
- Alcohol & Drug Use Referral Service: call 1-800-663-1441
- Victim Support: call 1-800-563-0808 or text 604-836-6381
- Find specific services in your community: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/
If you would like support with an incident at the event, contact the Conduct Committee: https://gvias.org/conduct/
Thanks to our Culture Committee for putting these resources together!
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How are YOU decompressing and practicing self-care after What If?