'My message to those I work with is that the stereotype of the overworked, stressed-out academic is unhealthy and outdated.' MentalHealthAwarenessMonth
Four years into my Ph.D. program, my hands started to go numb each night as I slept. I didn't think much of it at the time; it was just uncomfortable and weird. Then one night, while sound asleep, I somehow mistook my numb arm for a snake. I threw myself out of bed and woke in a panic—panting, trembling, heart racing—on my bedroom floor, poised to defend myself against this imaginary snake. A few nights later, my hand was a spider. Once again, I launched myself out of bed in utter panic.
Juggling the Ph.D. and the clinical program caused the perfectionist in me to run riot. There was never enough time to immerse myself fully in either world. I oscillated between striving to be the best and, when I couldn't, struggling to find motivation to work at all. The clinical exam loomed large in my mind and played into my worst fear: being exposed in front of a panel of experts as the fraud I believed I was. I lived with a constant sense of impending doom.
Later that year, while discussing a patient's symptoms with a neurologist, I realized that my anxiety could be the direct cause of the numbness in my hands. The perpetual stress was triggering tension in my shoulders, and that, in turn, was putting pressure on my nerves and cutting off the circulation to my extremities.
There were some exceptions—peers who had better work-life balance and didn't appear to be riddled with anxiety—but my friends and I persuaded ourselves that their more balanced approach was a failing, a lack of wanting. They clearly weren't on the same career path.When I figured out why my hands were going numb, I turned to running to relieve my stress.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
NPR Cookie Consent and Choices
Les mer »
Robbie Williams says painting in his garage 'quiets the voices in his head'Robbie Williams, 48, says ditching singing for painting has done wonders for his mental health as he revealed how taking up art has 'made him a different person'
Les mer »
Mental health town hall: Experts answer your questions on mental health issuesMay is MentalHealthAwarenessMonth. ABC7 is hosting a panel of medical experts to answer your mental health questions and to raise awareness surrounding issues many are coping with. Join us for our town hall today at 4:30 p.m.
Les mer »
5 Essential Neurotransmitters for Everyday LifeFrom mental to physical health, these five neurotransmitters keep our bodies moving.
Les mer »
Lori Daybell's mental health is 'extremely complex and fragile,' attorneys sayLori Vallow Daybell's mental health is 'extremely complex and fragile' and if a judge decides to delay her trial, she understands it will give her attorneys more time to prepare her defense.
Les mer »
Camila Cabello calls for more mental health conversations in Latino communityCamila Cabello is making the most of Mental Health Awareness Month by opening up about her own struggles, and encouraging her fans to do the same.
Les mer »