Earlier this week I started getting inexplicable headaches, the sort that would respond to some painkiller for a few hours, but then surge back. My stomach felt off. I felt tired all the time but couldn't sleep.

I have a fairly common condition, misophonia, where certain sounds — especially mouth sounds, but also chomping ice — make me want to bash my head against the wall. I spent a lot of time yelling at @cwarzel to stop chewing his chips right in my ear (he was way across the room)

I gradually realized that my body was just...giving up on containing the stress that had been accumulating for the last 8 months / 4 years. I asked on here if anyone else was feeling similar body symptoms, and, well, yes https://twitter.com/annehelen/status/1321130835244974090?s=20

And the way I process this shit is by writing about it. We're way past our surge capacity. Our bodies are telling us to stop. The Election Cycle won't let us. Be really fucking gentle on yourself these next few days: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/are-you-suffering-2020-election-burnout-you-re-not-alone-n1245586?icid=msd_topgrid

My main piece of advice right now is something I heard Darcy Lockman say a few months ago: Lower the bar. Now look at the bar, and lower it *again.* https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/are-you-suffering-2020-election-burnout-you-re-not-alone-n1245586?icid=msd_topgrid

But I also strongly recommend this @j_zimms on having some mini or maxi tantrums: https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/10/everything-is-bad-let-me-scream.html