SimonXIX’s avatarSimonXIX’s Twitter Archive—№ 42,976

                    1. Hey, kids, it's time for Real Talk. *Turns chair backwards and sits legs spread* #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
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                    For the past few months, I've been suffering from depression which has exacerbated my underlying anxiety #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
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                  While it's not been outwardly noticeable to most people in my life, it's meant I've expended so much more energy everyday.
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                Basic social interactions, going outside, etc. all took up so much more energy than usual. I have been so tired #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
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              Plus as it went on, I felt like I was letting more and more people down: letting more friends down, neglecting my responsibilities, etc.
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            It was a struggle even to get out of bed. I'm not good at asking for help so it took a lot to contact Occupational Health.
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          When I told them that work situations were contributing to my depression, they told me to take a resilience course. I was not happy.
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        I kept blaming myself: for doing too much, for drinking caffeine and alcohol contributing to anxiety, for just being rubbish.
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      Taking time for self-care helped. Rediscovering hobbies I enjoy helped. Talking about it openly helped.
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    So now I'm feeling a lot better. I /want/ to go outside and interact with people and do what I enjoy doing.
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      And I guess I'm saying all this because people at work told me how useful they found it to have someone talk openly at work...
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        ...about my ongoing mental health issues. I've never hid that I live with anxiety and had therapy to help.
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          Anyway, so because people at work liked that I talked openly about it, I thought I'd do it on twitter-dot-com too #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
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            Also thanks to @helensulis for putting up with me and helping me out every single day in little ways and being the best person to marry <3
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              Ooo, also, re. the 'talk about it' mantra around mental health: it's not that easy. Relatively easy for me because my white male privilege.
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                But others, particularly from marginalised groups, might not be able to disclose or talk about it. Don't put more pressure on the person.
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                  It's not their job to tell you if they're suffering. Talking about it helps me (again, cishet white male privilege). Others mileage may vary
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              Resilience is the 'Keep Calm & Carry On' of late-capitalist neoliberal workplaces. Fuck that shit.