Mental Health Awareness Week 2023
Throughout this post, I have provided some links to sources of support and information. Click on any underlined text to be taken to the information source or for further guidance. Some of my writing is tailored for other researchers or academics, however the information is also relevant to those outside of university settings.
Anxiety: More Than Everyday Stress and Worry
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 next week from Monday the 15th of May to Sunday the 21st of May. This year’s theme is anxiety, and as both a mental health researcher and someone with a diagnosis of Generalised Anxiety Disorder, it’s a topic close to my heart.
Destigmatising mental health conditions and adverse experiences, thankfully, is now a widely accepted priority by most, and Mental Health Awareness Week and other information campaigns are an important part of dispelling myths around anxiety. Prevalence rates of mental health conditions vary from report to report, but according to Mind, Mental Health UK and the Mental Health Foundation, research shows that:
In any given week in England, 6 in 100 people will be diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (Mind)
In the UK, over 8 million people are experiencing an anxiety disorder at any one time (Mental Health UK)
Less than 50% of people with generalised anxiety disorder access treatment (Mental Health Foundation)
Anxiety is one of those terms we often throw around when we’re really talking about stress. Although stress can be an uncomfortable and damaging experience, it can also be positive and motivating. When worries or rumination become more pervasive or affect our ability to live a good life, however, they can become a disorder. Anxiety disorders are common, but often we don’t talk about them. They’re much more than temporary feelings of worry and stress, and have a significant impact on people’s lives.
Anxiety is actually an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of different experiences (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder) which often coexist with other mental health conditions such as depression or obsessive compulsive disorder. They can also be linked to, or a part of traumatic experiences and post traumatic stress disorder.
We also often think of anxiety as a purely mental phenomenon, but long time anxiety is as much a physical condition as it is a mental struggle. Anxiety affects all of our bodily symptoms, and if poorly managed, can lead to fatigue, gut problems such as IBS, and burnout, alongside other long term medical conditions. It’s not a personal flaw though, and can absolutely be managed with support so that people with anxiety can lead healthy and successful lives. Many aren’t able to get support, however, and are forced to struggle in silence. That’s why raising awareness, improving mental heath services and community resources, and encouraging people to seek support with managing anxiety is so important - especially during student life or whilst working in academia.
Vincent van Gogh’s “A Crab on its Back”.
Van Gogh is one of may favourite artists, and when I think of "anxiety" I think of this painting, and the crab struggling to find its footing again. Van Gogh used green and red as conflicting, uncomfortable colours to convey discomfort, writing in his letters that he felt they created "optical anxiety". Its a simple, yet powerfully uncomfortable life study which elicits anxiety in its viewer as we identify with the vulnerability the crab experiences flipped on its back without the protection of its shell and without the ability to move.
My Story
For those that don’t know me, my name is Samantha Goddard. Right now, I’m working on a PhD at York St John University in counselling and mental health, exploring mental health system change in York. I’m an artist and qualified art psychotherapist with many years experience of working with vulnerable adults and those who have experienced trauma in many different settings. I also have a long term physical health condition, and an anxiety disorder. I had some difficult experiences in childhood, and some experience of traumatic events and post-traumatic-stress-disorder myself. As a result, I’m a passionate advocate for mental health, and want to improve the support available for people struggling with their mental health.
I’ve learned the hard way, through burnout and the impact of anxiety on my health, that finding ways to manage my anxiety is crucial to ensure I can continue to do the work I’m so passionate about - alongside living a full and rewarding life. I’m very fortunate that most of the time, my anxiety is now very well managed and doesn’t affect my day to day life too much. In challenging times or when life throws multiple stressors my way (as has been the case for many of us the past couple of years, particularly through the COVID19 pandemic, bereavements and the cost of living crisis) I can struggle to manage flare ups in my anxiety disorder. My experiences have meant that as part of my work, I prioritise mental health awareness and system change, openness and vulnerability, reflective practise and using creativity for self care and wellbeing.
Recognising the Signs and Symptoms
Whether or not a diagnosis is helpful for you (for some it isn’t, but for some it helps to name and validate their experiences) it’s important to recognise when normal levels of stress or worry become anxiety, and seek support. This can be difficult, because anxiety can look very different to different people, depending on our cultural background, life experiences and individual characteristics. The Mind website has helpful information on signs of anxiety, linked here, if you’d like to read more - it describes the different physical symptoms of anxiety, and the effects of anxiety on the mind. From my own experiences and through speaking to many other people with anxiety, some signs we may be struggling can include:
Having panic attacks
Feeling wiped out by a worsening of physical health conditions
Struggling to focus on work and feeling unable to relax
Experiencing fatigue and struggling with energy levels
Spending excessive time ruminating on worries and the future, and perfectionism
Seeking extra reassurance from those around us
Experiencing derealisation - a sense of disconnection from the world around us, and becoming isolated
Experiencing insomnia and nightmares
It’s important to note that everyone’s warning signs will be different. If you’re not sure if you have anxiety, seeking professional help from your GP, mental health team, therapist or other support networks, may it be friends, a pastor or church, or family is essential.
Managing Anxiety and Self Care
Over time, I’ve learned what helps me in times when I’m struggling a bit more. From my own experience and from speaking to others with anxiety, here are some tools that may be helpful, along with some other suggested tips and treatments. Though some of these apply specifically to student life and working in academia, the skills also translate into any lifestyle.
Seek professional help, if you want or need to. Your first stop might be your GP, or workplace or university wellbeing team or occupational health. You may seek the support of an advocate, friend or colleague to support you with this. Medical or professional support for anxiety might include medication, talking therapies, support groups or help from a specialist mental health charity. As a trained art psychotherapist, I also attend art therapy to support my own mental health and find it incredibly helpful.
Use online resources, forums and apps. My favourites are Headspace for meditation, breathing techniques, mind/body exercises and background sounds to help me focus and relax, the Tiimo app for workload planning, Apple Fitness for physical exercise to support my body, and YouTube channels such as Yoga with Adriene. It’s important to find what works best for you.
During times you’re struggling with symptoms more, prioritise rest and relaxation. Make time to engage or reconnect with hobbies, maintain social connections, and seek emotional support from peers and mentors.
Eat a healthy diet. There is so much resesarch which emphasises the importance of a balanced diet to support managing mental health conditions. The gut is described as our “second brain”, and as much as anxiety can impact our digestion and overall health, a combination of eating well and relaxation techniques can work to reduce distressing mental health symptoms too. When I become overwhelmed, I batch cook healthy meals or use delivery services like Field Doctor when I can afford it, to take a bit of pressure off day to day and ensure I have healthy things to eat. York St John also has a food larder for students in financial difficulty, and food banks and charities with cooking lessons and groups can be an alternative way to improve your diet.
Get good quality sleep. I and many others used to roll our eyes at this one. When you’re struggling from panic attacks and in the midst of acute anxiety, being told to “get a good nights sleep” can feel like a frustratingly over simplified response. Research and personal experience have taught me just how important good sleep is, however. Getting into a regular routine, getting enough hours of good sleep (this can differ person to person depending on life stage and other factors) can work wonders for coping with anxiety. I also love Matthew Walker’s book Why We Sleep on the overall importance of sleep for health.
Limit exposure to anxiety triggers. This guidance comes with a caveat - sometimes when we struggle with our mental health, we stop doing things we enjoy and retreat from the world. It’s important not to do this, but working with a professional can help you identify specific triggers from anxiety and learn how to manage them better. Taking breaks from things like social media and reading negative news articles, or finding ways to set boundaries in negative or toxic relationships can help with reducing our anxiety and giving us the headspace and time to prioritise healing.
Navigating Anxiety as a Post Graduate Researcher
Being more open about my mental health, in a boundaried way that I’m comfortable with, has helped me to network and find a community where we can support each other. Often we’re struggling with similar issues but mental health stigma can mean we feel we need to mask or hide ourselves. Studying at university is a particularly challenging time for most people, and statistics tell us that post graduate study is a particularly challenging environment - but with the right support, it can be an amazing experience.
Some of the things that can contribute to mental health struggles and anxiety in academia, and things you can do to help manage their impact, include:
High expectations, competition, and imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is something I have always struggled with, but since starting a PhD it has been incredible to hear just how common this is. Everyone from those on their first day right through to professors, doctors, and people I’ve met who have even been granted OBE medals for their services have spoken to me about how they all still struggle with imposter syndrome. It’s important to be kind to yourself and enjoy your work, and realise that we’re all insecure - opening up about it can help us move past our intimidation and analysis paralysis.
High workload, long hours, and the isolation that comes with working alone on a project or remotely/from home. Speak to study skills support tutors, lean on your academic librarians, be open with your supervisors or seek support from your school if you’re not being supported well. Spend time reflecting on whether spending time working alongside others, peer support catch ups, and spending time on campus might help you focus. It’s also important to make a calm and organised workspace, and take breaks from screen time. Build a support network of peers and don’t be afraid to reach out and make new friends. Like I have been, you may be surprised to learn just how many others feel the same way. Talking about it can lead to sharing strategies and feeling less alone.
Research can be all encompassing, and take over your identity. Don’t forget that your hobbies and life outside of academia are essential to a happy life and achieving work life balance. You are not your job - be passionate, but don’t lose your sense of self.
You’re in charge of your own time management. One of the most important aspects of self-care during a PhD is managing your time effectively. This will look different to everybody, but putting in 12 hour days 6 days a week is not sustainable. Remember, it’s a marathon - not a sprint. Utilise the flexibility afforded by doing a PhD to find a routine that works for you and try not to compare yourself to others.
Promoting a Healthy Academic Culture
Universities can work towards creating a more inclusive academic culture that fosters the well-being of students and staff dealing with anxiety and other mental health conditions, and we can also take individual steps to help drive this agenda. For many, speaking openly about anxiety isn’t possible, and the truth is that many with the condition often don’t seek help at all. For a long time, even though I work in the mental health field, I hid my diagnosis from people around me for fear of being judged as less capable. There are many things that we can all do to help promote awareness and to support those around us with a mental health condition, regardless of if it’s something we have experience of, to create a welcoming and accepting environment for our colleagues, students and friends. The more we’re able to be honest, open and vulnerable where we’re able, the more we can promote an academic culture that is supportive, rather than competitive and pressured.
Reduce mental health stigma in the university environment. Educate yourself about mental health conditions with online resources, and workplace training such as Mental Health First Aid courses. Read articles and books, and watch documentaries. Spread awareness and share information, perhaps by appointing a mental health champion or doing awareness raising in your department or workplace, or tell your friendship group about things you may have learned. Share these resources with your students and/or peers.
Practice listening skills, empathy and understanding. Let friends and family know that although you may not have the answers, if any of them are struggling you can help them identify a source of information. Being an advocate for mental health might sound scary, but you don’t need to ‘fix’ the problem. Just let people know they’re not alone, and signpost them to professional sources of support or information. Time, active listening and avoiding judgement or interpretation can give people the space to work out what they need themselves.
“Ask twice”. I remember a time working at a mental health charity where I asked a colleague how he was doing, and he said fine, but something seemed wrong. I asked a second time “No, really, how are you doing?” and he opened up about struggling with his mental health. Sometimes we don’t want to burden others, and in the busyness of day to day life we put on a mask (which in itself can be exhausting). Sometimes, all it might take is a little nudge to let others know they can talk if they want to. Of course, don’t pressure people to open up if they’re not ready, just let them know you’re there. One conversation could be the turning point to someone seeking support.
Talk about academic culture and pressures in your writing, tutorials, lectures and workshops. Organise workshops or guest speakers from industry, such as mental health professionals, to share information about resources in York and further afield. I recently attended a PGR workshop where the presenter talked about pushing outside of her own comfort zone and imposter syndrome. By opening up with others, we can dispel the myth that some people “just don’t struggle”, when in truth academia and research are a very challenging place to work. Hearing people in advanced, successful professional roles talk about their own journeys can build confidence in those aspiring to reach the same goals.
Take part in university peer and networking groups, such as the York St John Post Graduate workshops and social events. Building a supportive network is key to both supporting your own mental health, and also improving support and awareness raising as a group.
In Conclusion
If you feel like you’re struggling with anxiety or your own mental health, speak to your friends and family, or talk to your supervisors and colleagues. Take advantage of the support offered at York St John. You can also make an appointment with a GP or practice Social Prescriber to identify management strategies. There are also many amazing organisations and charities in York. City of York Council also have York Local Area Coordinators who can help you find the right support in your local area. You can also self refer to the NHS IAPT service, soon to be known as NHS Talking Therapies. You can get in touch with them directly, rather than through your GP, and they provide a variety of interventions from skilled mental health practitioners.
You’re not alone. Anxiety disorders are common, treatable, and absolutely not something to be ashamed of. If you build up resources and support, you can find ways to live and succeed alongside a mental health diagnosis.
It is important to note, however, that pushing yourself to “keep going” can sometimes mean we blame ourselves if we struggle. There are times when we may need to take time out to heal and manage our mental health. This is not a personal failing, and we can’t control everything around us. There are systemic factors that affect accessibility to education, medical support, the cost of living crisis, and society’s acceptance of mental health struggles. It’s a complex web of factors that we all need to work on, and there will be times where you need to put yourself and your health first before everything else. Remember that here’s tremendous strength in that, too.
Find out about York St John Universities Wellbeing Team here.
Get in touch with the Disability Support Team at York St John here.
