What do you think?
Rate this book
Managing your Mental Health during your PhD: A Survival Guide
This book explores the PhD experience as never before and provides a “survival guide” for current and prospective PhD students. The book investigates why mental health issues are so common among the postgraduate population, going beyond the statistics, looking at lived experience of both the author and as well as current PhD students, who have found balancing mental wellness with the PhD endeavour challenging.
The author discusses tips and tricks she wished she had known at the start of her PhD process for managing mental health, such as managing imposter feelings, prioritising workload, and self-care strategies to help others throughout their own journey.
The book goes beyond typical mental health discussions (where the focus for improving mental health is placed on PhD students to become “more resilient”) and explores some of the often unspoken environmental factors that can impact mental health. These include the PhD student-supervisor relationship, the pressure to publish, and deep systemic problems in academia, such as racism, bullying and harassment.
Finally, the book is a call to action, providing tangible improvements from the author’s perspective that university institutions can make to ensure that academia is a place for all to thrive.
The author discusses tips and tricks she wished she had known at the start of her PhD process for managing mental health, such as managing imposter feelings, prioritising workload, and self-care strategies to help others throughout their own journey.
The book goes beyond typical mental health discussions (where the focus for improving mental health is placed on PhD students to become “more resilient”) and explores some of the often unspoken environmental factors that can impact mental health. These include the PhD student-supervisor relationship, the pressure to publish, and deep systemic problems in academia, such as racism, bullying and harassment.
Finally, the book is a call to action, providing tangible improvements from the author’s perspective that university institutions can make to ensure that academia is a place for all to thrive.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2022
26 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 30, 2024
A very nicely done guide on mental health in the academic world. Easy to read, with manageable chapter sizes. This book is also listenable via Spotify, which is very nice for if you don't have time to sit down and read. I'll recommend this to everyone working on their PhD studies.
December 30, 2022
A must read for everyone doing or planning to go to grad school! A nice way to end 2023 reading!
March 20, 2024
Read for book club. Was comforting to see that my Ph.D. experiences are so widely shared and it isn't my fault that academia is the way it is. Excited to discuss w/ my peers.
September 30, 2022
I am in the late stages of my Ph.D. This is a book everybody in academia should read.
Many of the things mentioned in Dr. Ayres' book relate to my own experience as a Ph.D. student, and I am certain that many graduate students would benefit if the people running the academic programs knew about the wide range of experiences and issues that can make a Ph.D. a harder-than-necessary experience.
If most professors did a Ph.D., they already know what it is like, right?
No! Apart from professors being a small sample of the surviving academics, most of them only did one Ph.D. They only had one advisor. They only wrote one thesis. They are only one person. Their experience, and everyone else's for that matter, is extremely limited with only one data point from the perspective of a Ph.D. student. Considering that, reading this book with a clear summary of what many students go through can improve how academia approaches graduate students.
Please get one for every faculty in your program and every Ph.D. student!
Many of the things mentioned in Dr. Ayres' book relate to my own experience as a Ph.D. student, and I am certain that many graduate students would benefit if the people running the academic programs knew about the wide range of experiences and issues that can make a Ph.D. a harder-than-necessary experience.
If most professors did a Ph.D., they already know what it is like, right?
No! Apart from professors being a small sample of the surviving academics, most of them only did one Ph.D. They only had one advisor. They only wrote one thesis. They are only one person. Their experience, and everyone else's for that matter, is extremely limited with only one data point from the perspective of a Ph.D. student. Considering that, reading this book with a clear summary of what many students go through can improve how academia approaches graduate students.
Please get one for every faculty in your program and every Ph.D. student!
September 18, 2022
A different kind of publication that I think we could all read :-) I didn't write "should" because I think we already tell ourselves too many "should"s - should do, should have, should be this and that. I wish I had this at the start of my PhD, because I really didn't know how crazy this endeavour would be! It also touches on life after PhD - whether you stay in the "high walled rose garden" i.e. academia or not, which was helpful for me as I am in my final weeks. My favourite part is how the book ended with "Not Just Surviving", because who wants to just survive when you can thrive? Hope you'll find this useful too and if you dare, send it to your supervisors.
October 20, 2022
I was very eager to read Managing Your Mental Health During Your PhD by Zoë Ayres due to the build-up on social media ahead of its release as well the outpouring of positive responses just days after it becoming available. It really does make essential reading for those considering/about to start/already in the midst of a PhD. But the book is also a call to action, as Zoë puts it, for Institutions, PhD supervisors as well as anyone else in a position of influencing the PhD experience, as it’s painfully clear that things need to change.
I feel it’s important to start by saying that I completed my PhD in 2011 and it was largely a positive experience. My subject was chemistry, which is also relevant to mention as I think many of the trends associated with mental health are discipline dependent (but not all). In my current role, I manage lab facilities which have seen over 100 PhD students complete their studies, many of whom I’ve had direct involvement with. I’m not (and never have been) a PhD supervisor or Principal Investigator, but reading Zoë’s book has reminded me of several instances in the past where I’ve witnessed things which weren’t right. Instances such as students being reduced to tears by their supervisor, clear signs of burn-out and unrealistic project objectives being set. I’ve talked 3 students out of quitting (so far) and I’m reassured that the two pieces of advice I always give are aligned with some of Zoë’s guidance in this book. These are: never try to compare your PhD progress with that of someone else and keep in mind that a PhD project will never be perfect.
A lot of thought has clearly been given to the format and ‘voice’ of the book, the former particularly around the level of detail in each chapter and more specific web resources being made available at the end. These resources are ‘live’ too and Zoë has welcomed additions to help fill any gaps. The grey boxes throughout the text highlighting chapter summaries, PhD student case studies and how to advocate for the better etc are particularly effective. It was especially thoughtful to list ‘trigger warnings’ at the start of each chapter. I also liked Zoë’s style of providing formal definitions and then paraphrasing in her own way. For example, she gave the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of self-care, but then interpreted it as ‘a commitment to looking after ourselves both mentally and physically. This can reduce stress, help improve our resilience, and help us manage pre-existing metal illness(es). Self-care helps us improve our capacity to cope with whatever comes our way.’ The only minor point I had was that a list of abbreviations would have been useful (at least to me) as I wasn’t sure what ‘DEI’ efforts were or the meaning of ‘LMICs.’ It’s possible they were defined elsewhere in the novel.
Of course, for those of us less familiar with some of the statistics associated with PhD researchers and mental health, one of the most powerful aspects of the novel is how this is brought to light with facts. 43 % of researchers saying they have experienced bullying and harassment, 50 % experiencing mood disorders such as anxiety and/or depression and only 29 % saying that the mental health services at their University are tailored and appropriate to their needs. I found it shocking that suicide ideation is at a generally higher rate if you are a PhD student as compared to the general public. Zoë cites a specific example of a PhD student with a history of anxiety and depression committing suicide which was likely exacerbated by repeated instances of ‘classism’ from her peers. As stated previously, it’s never been clearer that things need to change.
Zoë has to be commended on her bravery for writing this book, as she has navigated a sea of sensitive topics in addition to bearing her own personal experiences with such transparency in order to help others who may be suffering. Whilst she has taken on a huge responsibility (ensuring correct terminology, calling out inappropriate behaviours, handling sensitive case studies, to name a few examples) she must have a sense of fulfilment in realising she may be a lifeline to someone in an extreme situation or crisis point. To even broach the subject of quitting your PhD (the elephant in the room, as Zoë refers to it) which is so often taboo, is almost refreshing to hear, as in certain cases it could be the best decision a student will ever make. However it’s also important to balance cases where a student is able to work through a challenging period for whatever reason and subsequently obtain their doctorate.
It would have been easy for Zoë to convey a negative tone throughout the novel and to be honest this was something I was nervous about ahead of reading. I needn’t have worried however as there were regular accounts of the positive aspects to completing a PhD in addition to good experiences with supervisors and Institutions alike. There were certainly no indications of axes to grind, personal biases or ‘poor me’ moments. I really liked Zoë’s point about not making it an ‘us versus them’ or ‘pitchfork’ situation when calling out Institutions to do more in managing mental health in PhD programmes. The chapter on dismantling the ivory tower was extremely powerful and clearly written with passion, but also in a professional manner. The key message was clear: what can we do together to improve things as opposed to pointing fingers.
So many great points are raised by Zoë with readers likely screaming things such as, ‘That happened to me!’ or ‘I wish someone had told me that before!’ but most importantly, ‘I’m aware this is happening in my Institution but what can I do about it?’ Things like publications not being an equal playing field due to things like luck, access to equipment and the field of study and the research excellence framework (REF) being biased towards ‘ground-breaking research’ as opposed to replicating finds, incremental changes or ‘lower quality research’ in general are also laid out vividly. I liked the comparison of the sunken cost fallacy to the idea of quitting a PhD due to the time, debt and career investment involved. Other references like ‘prescribing a band aid to fix a broken bone’ – describing generic PhD wellbeing programmes - and referring to papers as ‘universal currency within academia’ were also effective. Zoë’s advice around setting boundaries associated with self-care is excellent in addition to her point around self-care needing to be adaptable through life. I love the idea of including an extracurricular thesis chapter in PhD programmes too.
As also mentioned previously, the book should be as much for PhD supervisors as students and I’m sure many will be eagerly scanning the ‘bad supervisor types’ such as laser or ghost in order to rule them out. Of course much of the material can be applied to line managers as well as supervisors so it is still relevant for those who see the PhD experience as a murky part of their past. The sliding scale exercise to ‘assess’ a PhD supervisor is definitely useful, whether to help students work out what they are dealing with or to provide constructive feedback as appropriate. I couldn’t help feeling some admiration for PhD supervisors when Zoë laid out the various hats they need to wear; from teacher, to critic to mediator. It can be easy to forget at times that the PhD can be challenging for them too!
There were a few areas highlighted which I wasn’t sure about, for example Zoë mentions that many Institutions class PhD students as staff which I don’t think is the case, at least not in my experience. I’m not sure there are that many individuals going into a PhD expecting to become a Professor one day; most are simply trying to advance their career and the majority still won’t have any firm ideas around their post-doctorate plans. The ‘publish or perish’ ideology definitely uses the wrong wording, but structuring a PhD around publications can definitely help as it takes a huge amount of pressure off writing the thesis and the viva at the end. It can also do wonders in terms of focussing and motivating a student around their progress. I do of course, reiterate Zoë’s point about publishing not being a level playing field.
The concept of ‘first generation academics’ and associated disadvantages is quite a new one for me – I only first heard of this quite recently. I can’t say I’ve ever seen this myself in the science sector, but perhaps it’s more discipline dependent. The idea of someone saying you don’t fit in as an academic if you don’t have a tweed jacket and leather satchel is quite comical when I think about pretty much all the people I have interacted with in the academic world. There was something about the advice around gathering evidence against a supervisor which I found a little extreme – unless of course there is a specific reason for doing so. Finally, I don’t think supervisors can actually stop students who are ready to graduate from actually doing so, although I fully appreciate that they can make things difficult, in subtle ways or otherwise.
All this being said, nothing can take away from the fact that Zoë has created a fantastic resource, both for PhD students and the supporting academic world. I highlight a handful of her key messages here which will not only bring comfort to students, but hopefully remind those with any influence over the PhD experience of the responsibilities they have and must respect. ‘True leadership intersects heavily with compassion’, ‘If it was easy it will have already been done’, ‘Realise your worth is not based on your PhD’, ‘One person’s lack of organisation is not your urgency’, ‘A PhD is a long distance run and not a sprint’, ‘It’s important to put on your own oxygen mask first – look after your own mental health’ and ‘Just because something is hard to fix, it doesn’t mean our institutions shouldn’t try’. I really like the repeated message to those who are experiencing injustice during their PhD that it really isn’t their fault and they deserve better.
Having someone like Zoë in every Institution that runs PhD programmes would undoubtedly be a massive step forward and it begs the question (which in many ways is akin to most of the Governments in today’s world): Are the right people actually in charge? We all need to be doing more; the next time I think about joking with a PhD student about taking too many holidays (even with innocent intentions) I will keep it to myself. Otherwise I could be no better than Nobel Laureate Sir Tim Hunt should my comment be absorbed by the wrong person at the wrong time. But as Zoë states herself, much of her advice is easy to be said and much harder to put into action. Having more advocates in our Institutions, with a deeper understanding of the issues described here, feels like the best way to respond to the book’s call to action. Yes, a PhD is challenging, but it cannot be allowed to damage your physical and mental health.
I feel it’s important to start by saying that I completed my PhD in 2011 and it was largely a positive experience. My subject was chemistry, which is also relevant to mention as I think many of the trends associated with mental health are discipline dependent (but not all). In my current role, I manage lab facilities which have seen over 100 PhD students complete their studies, many of whom I’ve had direct involvement with. I’m not (and never have been) a PhD supervisor or Principal Investigator, but reading Zoë’s book has reminded me of several instances in the past where I’ve witnessed things which weren’t right. Instances such as students being reduced to tears by their supervisor, clear signs of burn-out and unrealistic project objectives being set. I’ve talked 3 students out of quitting (so far) and I’m reassured that the two pieces of advice I always give are aligned with some of Zoë’s guidance in this book. These are: never try to compare your PhD progress with that of someone else and keep in mind that a PhD project will never be perfect.
A lot of thought has clearly been given to the format and ‘voice’ of the book, the former particularly around the level of detail in each chapter and more specific web resources being made available at the end. These resources are ‘live’ too and Zoë has welcomed additions to help fill any gaps. The grey boxes throughout the text highlighting chapter summaries, PhD student case studies and how to advocate for the better etc are particularly effective. It was especially thoughtful to list ‘trigger warnings’ at the start of each chapter. I also liked Zoë’s style of providing formal definitions and then paraphrasing in her own way. For example, she gave the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of self-care, but then interpreted it as ‘a commitment to looking after ourselves both mentally and physically. This can reduce stress, help improve our resilience, and help us manage pre-existing metal illness(es). Self-care helps us improve our capacity to cope with whatever comes our way.’ The only minor point I had was that a list of abbreviations would have been useful (at least to me) as I wasn’t sure what ‘DEI’ efforts were or the meaning of ‘LMICs.’ It’s possible they were defined elsewhere in the novel.
Of course, for those of us less familiar with some of the statistics associated with PhD researchers and mental health, one of the most powerful aspects of the novel is how this is brought to light with facts. 43 % of researchers saying they have experienced bullying and harassment, 50 % experiencing mood disorders such as anxiety and/or depression and only 29 % saying that the mental health services at their University are tailored and appropriate to their needs. I found it shocking that suicide ideation is at a generally higher rate if you are a PhD student as compared to the general public. Zoë cites a specific example of a PhD student with a history of anxiety and depression committing suicide which was likely exacerbated by repeated instances of ‘classism’ from her peers. As stated previously, it’s never been clearer that things need to change.
Zoë has to be commended on her bravery for writing this book, as she has navigated a sea of sensitive topics in addition to bearing her own personal experiences with such transparency in order to help others who may be suffering. Whilst she has taken on a huge responsibility (ensuring correct terminology, calling out inappropriate behaviours, handling sensitive case studies, to name a few examples) she must have a sense of fulfilment in realising she may be a lifeline to someone in an extreme situation or crisis point. To even broach the subject of quitting your PhD (the elephant in the room, as Zoë refers to it) which is so often taboo, is almost refreshing to hear, as in certain cases it could be the best decision a student will ever make. However it’s also important to balance cases where a student is able to work through a challenging period for whatever reason and subsequently obtain their doctorate.
It would have been easy for Zoë to convey a negative tone throughout the novel and to be honest this was something I was nervous about ahead of reading. I needn’t have worried however as there were regular accounts of the positive aspects to completing a PhD in addition to good experiences with supervisors and Institutions alike. There were certainly no indications of axes to grind, personal biases or ‘poor me’ moments. I really liked Zoë’s point about not making it an ‘us versus them’ or ‘pitchfork’ situation when calling out Institutions to do more in managing mental health in PhD programmes. The chapter on dismantling the ivory tower was extremely powerful and clearly written with passion, but also in a professional manner. The key message was clear: what can we do together to improve things as opposed to pointing fingers.
So many great points are raised by Zoë with readers likely screaming things such as, ‘That happened to me!’ or ‘I wish someone had told me that before!’ but most importantly, ‘I’m aware this is happening in my Institution but what can I do about it?’ Things like publications not being an equal playing field due to things like luck, access to equipment and the field of study and the research excellence framework (REF) being biased towards ‘ground-breaking research’ as opposed to replicating finds, incremental changes or ‘lower quality research’ in general are also laid out vividly. I liked the comparison of the sunken cost fallacy to the idea of quitting a PhD due to the time, debt and career investment involved. Other references like ‘prescribing a band aid to fix a broken bone’ – describing generic PhD wellbeing programmes - and referring to papers as ‘universal currency within academia’ were also effective. Zoë’s advice around setting boundaries associated with self-care is excellent in addition to her point around self-care needing to be adaptable through life. I love the idea of including an extracurricular thesis chapter in PhD programmes too.
As also mentioned previously, the book should be as much for PhD supervisors as students and I’m sure many will be eagerly scanning the ‘bad supervisor types’ such as laser or ghost in order to rule them out. Of course much of the material can be applied to line managers as well as supervisors so it is still relevant for those who see the PhD experience as a murky part of their past. The sliding scale exercise to ‘assess’ a PhD supervisor is definitely useful, whether to help students work out what they are dealing with or to provide constructive feedback as appropriate. I couldn’t help feeling some admiration for PhD supervisors when Zoë laid out the various hats they need to wear; from teacher, to critic to mediator. It can be easy to forget at times that the PhD can be challenging for them too!
There were a few areas highlighted which I wasn’t sure about, for example Zoë mentions that many Institutions class PhD students as staff which I don’t think is the case, at least not in my experience. I’m not sure there are that many individuals going into a PhD expecting to become a Professor one day; most are simply trying to advance their career and the majority still won’t have any firm ideas around their post-doctorate plans. The ‘publish or perish’ ideology definitely uses the wrong wording, but structuring a PhD around publications can definitely help as it takes a huge amount of pressure off writing the thesis and the viva at the end. It can also do wonders in terms of focussing and motivating a student around their progress. I do of course, reiterate Zoë’s point about publishing not being a level playing field.
The concept of ‘first generation academics’ and associated disadvantages is quite a new one for me – I only first heard of this quite recently. I can’t say I’ve ever seen this myself in the science sector, but perhaps it’s more discipline dependent. The idea of someone saying you don’t fit in as an academic if you don’t have a tweed jacket and leather satchel is quite comical when I think about pretty much all the people I have interacted with in the academic world. There was something about the advice around gathering evidence against a supervisor which I found a little extreme – unless of course there is a specific reason for doing so. Finally, I don’t think supervisors can actually stop students who are ready to graduate from actually doing so, although I fully appreciate that they can make things difficult, in subtle ways or otherwise.
All this being said, nothing can take away from the fact that Zoë has created a fantastic resource, both for PhD students and the supporting academic world. I highlight a handful of her key messages here which will not only bring comfort to students, but hopefully remind those with any influence over the PhD experience of the responsibilities they have and must respect. ‘True leadership intersects heavily with compassion’, ‘If it was easy it will have already been done’, ‘Realise your worth is not based on your PhD’, ‘One person’s lack of organisation is not your urgency’, ‘A PhD is a long distance run and not a sprint’, ‘It’s important to put on your own oxygen mask first – look after your own mental health’ and ‘Just because something is hard to fix, it doesn’t mean our institutions shouldn’t try’. I really like the repeated message to those who are experiencing injustice during their PhD that it really isn’t their fault and they deserve better.
Having someone like Zoë in every Institution that runs PhD programmes would undoubtedly be a massive step forward and it begs the question (which in many ways is akin to most of the Governments in today’s world): Are the right people actually in charge? We all need to be doing more; the next time I think about joking with a PhD student about taking too many holidays (even with innocent intentions) I will keep it to myself. Otherwise I could be no better than Nobel Laureate Sir Tim Hunt should my comment be absorbed by the wrong person at the wrong time. But as Zoë states herself, much of her advice is easy to be said and much harder to put into action. Having more advocates in our Institutions, with a deeper understanding of the issues described here, feels like the best way to respond to the book’s call to action. Yes, a PhD is challenging, but it cannot be allowed to damage your physical and mental health.
December 19, 2023
I stumbled upon this book on Twitter when it was first published in 2022. But only this year, I got a copy to see if there was something more I could do to manage my mental health while doing a PhD.
This book affirmed and validated a lot of my experience (1 year into my PhD). It covers a range of issues and offers various suggestions for you to claim back your agency, where possible. Not a lot of what I read shocked or surprised me, but it did make me feel sad that not everything is as shiny or as perfect as we initially think it is. Like most things in life though, it’s about shifting your perspective and choosing to focus on what matters to you.
I’d recommend this book to people who are thinking about doing a PhD. And if you’re starting or mid-way through a PhD. It will make for good preparation for navigating your way in academia, or at the very least it might encourage you to think about something differently, even if you believe you are already aware of many of the issues addressed in the book.
This book affirmed and validated a lot of my experience (1 year into my PhD). It covers a range of issues and offers various suggestions for you to claim back your agency, where possible. Not a lot of what I read shocked or surprised me, but it did make me feel sad that not everything is as shiny or as perfect as we initially think it is. Like most things in life though, it’s about shifting your perspective and choosing to focus on what matters to you.
I’d recommend this book to people who are thinking about doing a PhD. And if you’re starting or mid-way through a PhD. It will make for good preparation for navigating your way in academia, or at the very least it might encourage you to think about something differently, even if you believe you are already aware of many of the issues addressed in the book.
September 19, 2022
This book covers so much of my own (2015) and my peers' PhD experiences, despite me having had plenty of luck and privilege on my side, including a supportive supervising team. But so much remains recognizable: from internal barriers like impostor syndrome, to the more insidious systemic issues in academia like discrimination and hyper-competitiveness. It's incredibly validating to see all of this written up concisely, backed by data from a huge list of references, providing a good reference frame for anyone on the inside - to know at minimum that you're not alone. And each chapter also includes calls to action for those in positions of power (PhD supervisors and beyond) to improve the aspects discussed: change can happen, and the sole existence of this survival guide proves it.
Additionally, I love that Zoë included an entire chapter on how to appreciate the PhD skillset for life beyond academia. It's hard to know what's outside of that world whilst inside, let alone what your role could ever be - when so much of what PhD's do every day is immediately transferrable to government or industry jobs. I would know, I left academia in 2015 for those jobs. It took me a burnout in my first postdoc year to realize that was at all an option and eventually the better fit, though.
This survival guide contains everything I wish I'd learned during my PhD, rather than by burning out after, and many of these lessons I still use in my career today. So I highly recommend anyone who is considering/doing a PhD or supporting someone else who is (either formally as a supervisor/colleague or informally as family/friends): read this book, put yourself years ahead of a potentially painful learning curve. And share with your peers!
Additionally, I love that Zoë included an entire chapter on how to appreciate the PhD skillset for life beyond academia. It's hard to know what's outside of that world whilst inside, let alone what your role could ever be - when so much of what PhD's do every day is immediately transferrable to government or industry jobs. I would know, I left academia in 2015 for those jobs. It took me a burnout in my first postdoc year to realize that was at all an option and eventually the better fit, though.
This survival guide contains everything I wish I'd learned during my PhD, rather than by burning out after, and many of these lessons I still use in my career today. So I highly recommend anyone who is considering/doing a PhD or supporting someone else who is (either formally as a supervisor/colleague or informally as family/friends): read this book, put yourself years ahead of a potentially painful learning curve. And share with your peers!
January 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, it almost covers everything that is needed to be said about a phd. I highly recommend it.
Read
July 10, 2024Perhaps a good resource for those without a mental health background
December 6, 2023
This is one of the most important books to read if you plan on doing a PhD, or if you currently are in a PhD.
This is exactly the book I needed before I started my PhD, and now I have dropped out, and this book might not have preented this, but it could have certainly helped.
Acadmeia can be exyxtremely stressfull and knowing where the main stressors are, which of them YOU can do something about, and which of them are SYSTEMIC issues, that you might not be able to do very much about. This doesn't mean that you are helpless. You just need other resources, and this book is one of these resources.
As a first edition, sometimes there are still a few grammar and language mistakes, that sometimes hindered the reading flow a little bit, but it does nothing to reduce the absoultely important message of this book:
If you want, go for the PhD. If you do, know that the PhD will challenge your mental health, but there are resoruces available to get through this. However, nothing is more important than your mental health, and it is not a shame to acknwoldge that and fight back or drop out.
Again: If you are thinking about starting a PhD, or if you currently are in a PhD , I can only recommend this book!
This is exactly the book I needed before I started my PhD, and now I have dropped out, and this book might not have preented this, but it could have certainly helped.
Acadmeia can be exyxtremely stressfull and knowing where the main stressors are, which of them YOU can do something about, and which of them are SYSTEMIC issues, that you might not be able to do very much about. This doesn't mean that you are helpless. You just need other resources, and this book is one of these resources.
As a first edition, sometimes there are still a few grammar and language mistakes, that sometimes hindered the reading flow a little bit, but it does nothing to reduce the absoultely important message of this book:
If you want, go for the PhD. If you do, know that the PhD will challenge your mental health, but there are resoruces available to get through this. However, nothing is more important than your mental health, and it is not a shame to acknwoldge that and fight back or drop out.
Again: If you are thinking about starting a PhD, or if you currently are in a PhD , I can only recommend this book!
October 18, 2022
I wish I'd had this book during my PhD
This is an excellently written guide, which goes through all the essential aspects of mental health during a PhD. It may also be useful to those at further stages in a research career - personally I was OK during my PhD because (in hindsight) I had a good support network, but I struggled during a postdoc job in another country without that network. The book rightly points out the systemic problems with academia and gives recommendations for supervisors and others with power over PhD students. I hope they all read and act on these recommendations!
This is an excellently written guide, which goes through all the essential aspects of mental health during a PhD. It may also be useful to those at further stages in a research career - personally I was OK during my PhD because (in hindsight) I had a good support network, but I struggled during a postdoc job in another country without that network. The book rightly points out the systemic problems with academia and gives recommendations for supervisors and others with power over PhD students. I hope they all read and act on these recommendations!
January 3, 2023
This book focuses on all things that can go wrong during your PhD, all kind of abuse, discrimination and mental problems you can have. To be honest, I think it might be useful for someone with problems, yet I found it too discouraging and depressive. Many of these problems are not intrinsic of academia. I am glad I did not read it before embarking on my PhD as it would have put me off. There are also many positive sides of doing a PhD, and more practical ways of dealing with problems. I enjoyed more and found more practical the one title: How to tame your PhD.
October 21, 2023
I skimmed through this book in a couple of hours. I would definitely recommend this to every PhD student, particularly when they are just starting. I would treat this more like a reference since not all of the advice and situations may be applicable to you. Personally, having read a lot about PhD student advice and mental health, I didn’t find anything new or insightful. I still think this fits a much needed hole.
December 23, 2025
A much needed synthesis of topics related to mental health during your PhD, this book outlines some of the major stressors and barriers we may face and normalizes the situations we may find ourselves in
October 14, 2022
Excellent book, with plenty of good advice. No matter that I read it after graduating. This book discusses aspects of academic life that are relevant to everybody in it, from undergrad to professors.
January 4, 2023
Very informative. A must read for every Ph.D. or graduate student.
June 14, 2023
Have had a rough few years,
Shared more than a couple of tears,
Glad to have this book now near my PhD's end,
It's five feathers for this helpful friend.
Shared more than a couple of tears,
Glad to have this book now near my PhD's end,
It's five feathers for this helpful friend.
January 2, 2024
This book really helps normalize the experience of being a PhD student - I should have read it earlier!
March 22, 2025
Je vais bien jusqu’à présent
March 29, 2023
Review pending...
March 5, 2023
ES:
Utilicé este libro para un taller sobre salud mental que di y me reafirmó en ciertos aspectos que yo misma he experimentado durante mi doctorado a la vez que exploraba más a fondo el carácter sistémico de estos problemas...además de ofrecer técnicas para sobrellevarlo mejor (indicando ante todo que la autora no es psicóloga, y que si se necesita, está bien buscar ayuda de profesionales). Todo eso me encantó y me ayudó mucho para mi ponencia.
EN:
I used this non-fiction book for my workshop on mental health in academia...and I learnt a lot. I reafirmed myself on some thoughts I had on academia while I discover other issues that it is important to keep an eye on.
Utilicé este libro para un taller sobre salud mental que di y me reafirmó en ciertos aspectos que yo misma he experimentado durante mi doctorado a la vez que exploraba más a fondo el carácter sistémico de estos problemas...además de ofrecer técnicas para sobrellevarlo mejor (indicando ante todo que la autora no es psicóloga, y que si se necesita, está bien buscar ayuda de profesionales). Todo eso me encantó y me ayudó mucho para mi ponencia.
EN:
I used this non-fiction book for my workshop on mental health in academia...and I learnt a lot. I reafirmed myself on some thoughts I had on academia while I discover other issues that it is important to keep an eye on.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews