I recently had the privilege of being funded to travel overseas (UK to Australia) to visit a leading academic in my field. I am sharing my experience with you because I am an internally presenting autistic woman (the kind often subjected to the “but you don’t seem autistic” comments). Perhaps because of how I appear, it might be assumed that travelling across continents to a completely new environment, solo, would be no less challenging for me than for a neurotypical person. Autism is not a mental illness, but I experience generalised anxiety in response to trying to fit into a hectic, unpredictable world, which is incompatible with my brain.
Read More »Tag: ANXIETY
Navigating Anxiety in an Experimental Lab: Personal Growth and Peer Support by Janaky Sunil
When people think of someone pursuing a PhD, they often focus on the prestige and intellectual fulfilment associated with earning the degree. For the students themselves, however, the journey is frequently remembered as a continuous obstacle course, with many never reaching the end. Statistics underscore this reality, with studies suggesting that 33% to 70% of PhD students ultimately leave before completing their program. A recent paper in Frontiers of Psychology enlists the various factors that contribute to these outcomes, leading to notable differences across institutions and countries. The academic culture in the nation of study and more specifically the institution plays a significant role in determining the work environment. Additionally, the quality of mentorship, the complexity of the research project, and the stability of funding are all pivotal. Combined, these factors result in the fact that even for those who do complete their PhD, the process often takes much longer than anticipated.
Read More »Challenges as a First-Generation Student: Studying Abroad by L. América Chi
Imagine winning a Ferrari in a lottery—sounds thrilling, right? The rules are that you cannot sell it or transfer it. Once you are over the joy of winning it, a small predicament arises, as you find yourself unable to afford the exorbitant expenses associated with maintaining such a luxurious vehicle. Adding to the challenge, you lack the knowledge and experience required to operate it, and no one in your small town possesses this expertise either, thus requiring you to relocate to effectively leverage it. Then there’s your friends, family, and local community who do not really understand why you might want the Ferrari in the first place.
Then, let’s envision a scenario where you relocate to a distant city where residents are accustomed to utilizing such vehicles. In this new environment, people are so familiar with these cars that they struggle to comprehend why you find it challenging to adapt. Meanwhile, individuals from your hometown fail to understand your decision to leave, perplexed by your pursuit of learning. The individuals who donated the Ferrari and were present for the photo on the day you won have all but vanished. So yes, you won a Ferrari, but in reality, it hasn’t brought you happiness necessarily. You can hardly make use of it, unable to share it with your family, and you find no joy in owning it. Furthermore, the burden of maintaining it has plunged you into significant debt, affecting your mental health.
Read More »Alone With My Anxiety: The Isolation of Doing a PhD Whilst Suffering With Anxiety by Isabelle Berrow
I believe that I have spent my whole life anxious. As long as I can remember, I have worried about things that other children did not. I was scared of getting hurt, getting muddy, trying new things out, of a fear of failure. I always felt different from the others.
Whenever I voiced these concerns I was told ‘Don’t be silly’ or ‘You’re no fun to be around’. As a little girl, these comments were extremely damaging to how I viewed the anxiety within me. I was ashamed, appalled and determined to not let anyone know how I was truly feeling.
So I spent my whole childhood, my teenage years and even into my 20s pretending I was somebody else.
Read More »Learning to Manage Anxiety and Impostor Syndrome by Kehinde Adepetun
I have been thinking about my struggles as an undergraduate student recently and this article marks a significant moment, as it is the first time I am opening up to share my deeply personal journey of mental health challenges to wellness. I am an undergraduate of microbiology and just like many of you, I have faced my own battles with impostor syndrome and anxiety in my academic career. In this article, I will take you through my journey and explain how I have made impostor syndrome and anxiety work for me by turning them into my allies. When I say turning them into my allies I mean that rather than allowing them to hinder my progress, I have channelled their energy into becoming a self-aware and resilient student.
Read More »Embracing the Unknown: Navigating Challenges as an International Student with Anxiety Disorder by Anonymous
Stepping into a new country to pursue an onshore PhD as an international student with an anxiety disorder is an adventure filled with lows and highs. As I moved from India, to Brisbane, Australia, the stark differences in culture, academic structure, and climate were only a few of the many challenges I encountered in the first two months of my arrival. Alongside my eagerness to explore numerous academic opportunities, the fear of missing out and the pressure to quickly adapt triggered waves of anxiety within me.
Read More »My Thesis Experience: From Crisis to Transformation by Nicci Attfield
I am a South African writer with a background in psychology and critical diversity studies. In 2014 I began to assist James Reed with his practice-based research project Agents of Change (which was created with Shelley Sacks from the SSRU at Oxford Brooke’s University). Agents of Change helps to connect people to their thoughts and feelings about climate change. Participants spoke about the fashion industry as well as the losses of plants and animals and even the losses of ancestors due to colonialism. How to live a sustainable life appeared to be elusive to many participants. All expressed a deep grief at the devastating impacts of environmental destruction. Many also expressed shame at living lives which impacted on other people.
Read More »Learning Courage: On the Unexpected Benefits of Examining My Anxiety by Alex Mendelsohn
Most of the stories I read about mental illness portray it as this hellish, horrendous thing that you must wait out. While in the darkest throes of mine, I have found it difficult to read these stories. If my experience was entirely a waste, how could I find the motivation to keep going?
I have found that the prevalent feeling during my illness has indeed been of time wasted. However, I think there are significant benefits if remission is found through medical treatment. I realised that the strategies I learned in order to stay alive, whilst should not be needed as medical intervention should be accessible and a first port of call, may be truly useful to others.
Read More »Coping With Anxiety and Grief: Accepting Help and Moving Forward by Gurnoor Mutreja
I am a law teacher and postgraduate in law who has lived her life according to a plan. I can say with pride that I have been academically very competent throughout my life. I passed all exams with flying colours and therefore I assumed that I would easily land a job. However, the Covid pandemic and changes in my personal life made it hard for me to secure a job.
In this blog, I will discuss my journey through depression and anxiety and how these affected my professional life. I will also discuss how accepting the problem and seeking helped me find a way forward.
Read More »Challenges of Navigating a PhD while Recovering from Mental Health Conditions by Daeun Jung
I was first diagnosed with depression and generalised anxiety disorder ten years ago. My first reaction to getting the diagnosis was relief. I was relieved that my problems were medically recognised. I was not just “weak” or “lazy” or “attention-seeking”; I felt validated. Then I felt angry. Why did I have to seek validation through a medical diagnosis? Since then, I have been on three different antidepressants, been hospitalised a few times, and gained some scars along the way. At the same time, I have finished my bachelor’s and master’s degrees and worked in four different jobs, which led to last year when I started my PhD programme and joined the world of academia. In this blog post, I will share my experiences of navigating the first year of PhD while managing mental health conditions.
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Voices of Academia 