Managing your Mental Health during your PhD: A Survival Guide

This book explores the PhD experience as never before, providing a "survival guide" for current and prospective PhD students. It investigates why mental health issues are so common among the postgraduate population and offers tips and tricks for managing mental health, including managing imposter feelings, prioritizing workload, and self-care strategies. It also explores often unspoken environmental factors that can impact mental health, such as the PhD student-supervisor relationship, pressure to publish, and deep systemic problems in academia, such as racism, bullying, and harassment. Finally, it calls to action for university institutions to make improvements to ensure that academia is a place for all to thrive.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 199 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive book delves into the realm of the Ph.D. experience like never before, offering invaluable guidance for both current and aspiring Ph.D. students. It goes beyond mere statistics and delves into the lived experiences of both the author and current Ph.D. students, who have grappled with the challenging task of balancing mental well-being with the demands of the program.

The author shares valuable tips and strategies she wished she had known at the outset of her Ph.D. journey, aimed at managing mental health effectively. These include strategies for combating imposter feelings, prioritizing workload, and implementing self-care practices to support others on their own academic paths.

The book expands the scope of mental health discussions beyond the traditional focus on resilience training for Ph.D. students, shedding light on the often unspoken environmental factors that can significantly impact mental well-being. These factors include the dynamics between Ph.D. students and their supervisors, the pressure to publish, and the deep-rooted systemic issues prevalent in academia, such as racism, bullying, and harassment.

Furthermore, the book serves as a call to action, presenting tangible improvements that university institutions can implement to create a more inclusive and supportive academic environment for all. The author advocates for policies that prioritize mental health support, promote work-life balance, and foster a culture of inclusivity and respect.

By exploring the Ph.D. experience from a holistic perspective, this book provides a valuable resource for students embarking on this rigorous academic journey. It offers practical advice, insights, and strategies to navigate the challenges and thrive in academia, while also raising awareness about the importance of mental health in higher education.

Weight: 348g
Dimension: 154 x 234 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031141935
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022