Jessie Paege, a YouTube sensation, is well recognized on Twitter for her numerous tweets meant to spread awareness about mental health, identity, and sexuality. Last week, she tweeted out a message concerning social anxiety, stating that it wasn’t “omggg I love netflix and I hate everyone.” Instead, she addressed this misconception by recognizing how it is “feeling trapped in your own thoughts,” “longing to go to social situations that are easy for other people,” and “so much more.”
Jessie’s tweet was the catalyst to a much-needed conversation on the platform surrounding social anxiety and its misconceptions. Several other users joined the thread to share their experiences with their mental health, conveying how those suffering from anxiety experience it in different ways and the illness is a spectrum.
Jessie later expressed how excited she was that her tweet gained the support it deserved, as it became its own Twitter moment. She regularly encourages conversation among individuals that many shy away from discussing, and her Twitter is truly worth the follow if you wish to have a positive feed.
The replies from this simple tweet portray how important it is to discuss mental health—if only to erase the misconceptions that litter our society and educate those who are unfamiliar with it. It provided a platform for others to speak out about their experiences, and the knowledge that you are not alone is worth a lot more than people often think. Jessie Paege has created a positive space on the Internet for her audience to be themselves — both on her YouTube and other social media accounts — and the overwhelming response only proves that the world needs more people who are willing to speak up like she is.