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A friend called me this morning to check if I’m ok, having read all my recent tweets about being an artist, the music industry vs community, transparency etc etc. She was worried about me. Short answer is: yes and no 1/x
I’m fine. I have been reasonably open about my own anxiety & depression which I’ve been living with my whole adult life. Like most people this year I’ve had some low moments but overall I am coping & in the best place I’ve been with re: that stuff 2/x
This is in no small way due to the fact that I have reasonably secure employment and a supportive family and friend network, built on multiple layers of privilege, all of which I do my best (though often fail) to not take for granted 3/x
The truth is though - I’m not ok. I mean, I’m half way reading a 200 page book which systematically breaks down the fundamental social, economic and psychological factors that have contributed to a mental health crisis among artists. Its not light work 4/x
I’m spending a lot of my mental and emotional energy critiquing and disentangling the fundamental structures and value systems that have underpinned a lot of my day to day life for 15+ years. it is exhausting and often demoralising 5/x
I say this not for sympathy - but to talk about empathy - I’m trying to put empathy at my core and to think about the mental and emotional labour that those before me have put in, the duress they have been under simply thinking about change let alone trying to action it .. 6/x
.. it’s heartbreaking. And I also understand why people don’t want to think about it, don’t want to talk about it. These ideas are challenging, can be confronting. It’s exhausting. I have empathy for those who would rather not reassess their worldview 7/x
I don’t have a neat end point for this thread but let’s go with this: be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. Even just imagining radical change is hard work, emotionally and intellectually. Seek out a support network that can help you get through it with empathy & care. 8/8
