Mental Health, Academia, and the PhD journey

By Dr Rosemary Golding, Senior Lecturer in Music, FASS

Studying for a PhD, or working in academia, can be tough on your mental health, and it’s important to be aware of the resources that might help you manage your mental health, whether things are going well or during more challenging times.

You may already be aware that the GSN Wellbeing page includes a series of links to helpful resources, both internal and external, including booklets, podcasts and websites. It also includes links and contacts for times of crisis.

The OU Library has also been investing in resources that support academics and graduate research students. Some of these might require a bit more investment of time, but give you an opportunity for deeper reflection on the way your approach your work, and how to develop and maintain a healthy attitude towards research. Others are useful for dipping in for bits of advice. Remember that setting aside time to develop reflective and healthy habits will help to ensure a more balanced and positive journey through your studies.

We are in the process of pulling these together into a useful guide. In the meantime, here are some highlights:

John Rainford and Kay Guccione’s Thriving in Part-Time Doctoral Study: Integrating Work, Life and Research is particularly relevant to many OU Postgraduate Researchers and draws on a wealth of experiences and examples. Chapters 6 and 7, in particular, offer advice around finding the right balance and establishing support.

On the specific challenge of writing during the PGR stage, Katherine Firth’s Writing Well and Being Well for Your PhD and Beyond: How to Cultivate a Strong and Sustainable Writing Practice for Life. This book includes step-by-step strategies for drafting and editing writing, as well as tips for managing your time, energy and wellbeing along the way.

For a broader sense of issues around wellbeing in academia, Petra Boynton’s Being Well in Academia: Ways to Feel Stronger, Safer and More Connected is a great place to start. This handbook offers an accessible overview of key areas and lots of practical ideas about finding support networks and recognising aspects of vulnerability. It’s also a useful read for anyone supporting others, from student reps to line managers and supervisors.

The library also has a wealth of books focussed on skills for success in academia, whether at the PGR level or beyond. Some key texts to explore include:

Katherine Firth, Liam Connell, Peta Freestone, Your PhD Survival Guide: Planning, Writing, and Succeeding in Your Final Year (Routledge, 2020)

Pat Thomson, Refining Your Academic Writing: Strategies for Reading, Revising and Rewriting (Routledge, 2022)

Jerry Wellington, Making Supervision Work for You: A Student's Guide (Sage, 2010)

Whatever the topic of your research, it is worth spending time getting the basics right, and making use of the resources available, in order to ensure an enriching and sustainable PGR journey.