Thread by @kelly_j_baker

Me: I have done all I can.

My anxiety: Really?

Me: Um, yes?

My anxiety: Have you though?

Me: Oh God, I haven't! I have to do more. So much more. RIGHT NOW.

My anxiety: You're welcome.

A small, gentle reminder: That I tweet & joke about what it feels like to have #anxiety.

I want to be honest & transparent about what it is like to live with mental illness.

This is not me asking for advice or comments. It's just one of the ways I cope.

Also, please consider that when someone tweets mental illness that they aren't asking for you to offer solutions or advice or commentary.

Often, we just want to be able to speak our own words about our experiences & maybe be heard.

I know it is often difficult to hear someone speak about their experiences of mental illness & to just listen. You might want to say something because you want to help.

But, love bugs, saying something isn't always help. Just listening can be the biggest help of all.

The people who have helped me the most as I've struggled with mental illness have not been those who gave me advice before I even stopped speaking.

It was the folks that listened, really listened, to what I said before they spoke or acted.

Even on Twitter, we can listen and wait before we respond to make sure that we are actually hearing what someone is saying.

We can take a moment. We don't have to rush.

And now, I have realized that what started as a joke about my anxious brain has now become a thread that became a little more serious.

Sigh.