Mental health thread! @academic-chatter.bsky.social Every few years--thankfully only every few years--I have a bout of severe anxiety and freezing up. It becomes a consuming fear of nearly everything that runs through me for a few weeks. Someone told me once... - ThreadSky

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jaweingarten.bsky.social • 32 days ago

Mental health thread! @academic-chatter.bsky.social

Every few years--thankfully only every few years--I have a bout of severe anxiety and freezing up. It becomes a consuming fear of nearly everything that runs through me for a few weeks.

Someone told me once...

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jaweingarten.bsky.social•32 days ago

...that experiencing this kind of pain & working through it healthily would make me a better teacher. Because as hard as the panic, anxiety, and fear are to experience, they remind me that anyone, anywhere could be experiencing the same thing with less willingness to share the experience.

Every...

jaweingarten.bsky.social•32 days ago

...time I go through one of these episodes, I remember the importance of giving pretty much everyone the benefit of the doubt. The anxiety and fear remind me to be kinder and more patient, especially with my students.

This past week, I did an exercise with my students, where I talked about this ...

jaweingarten.bsky.social•32 days ago

We did a simple exercise: we picked a fairly familiar scenario from our lives, whereby someone did something that upset us. Nothing fuelled by hate. Just an upsetting action.

I asked them to brainstorm with this prompt ...

jaweingarten.bsky.social•32 days ago

"What's the worst that could come from making the best assumptions about their intentions and action?" And then, "What's the best that could come from assuming the worst of their their intentions and action?"

"A-ha" looks peppered their faces....

jaweingarten.bsky.social•32 days ago

My students saw it is not foolish to (whenever possible) think the best of others and give them the benefit of the doubt.

It's in the best interests of everyone to do so.

They scribbled notes & left class. I hope they keep assuming the best of each other --- as we all should try to do.

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