Week 2 Welfare: Getting Real About Mental Health.

Happy Week 2 of the term, philosophers!

Something that I have noticed from my time at Oxford is the way that other students tend to act about mental health and self-care.  I think a lot of people here realize the importance of these topics; however, it seems like many people (myself included) spend so much time urging others to take care of themselves and seek help when they’re struggling that we let ourselves down in that regard.  It’s great to encourage others to make healthy decisions, but it’s even better to practice what you preach!  One problem with doing so is that it can be incredibly difficult to share these problems and talk about them.  I definitely struggle with this: it can be hard to open up when I’m having problems or feeling insecure.  As a result, I tend to bottle up the feelings for a long time until the negative thoughts finally end up manifesting themselves as full-blown anxiety or even panic attacks.  It’s okay to be honest about these kind of things: it doesn’t make me less of a philosopher, or less serious about my work.  It just means that sometimes, meeting the bare minimum is a really difficult task.  However, it's important to remember that there is an amazing support system here at Oxford, and if you’re struggling in any way, you can always reach out to one of the student representatives (such as AJ or I) or use the welfare resources at your college.  Being a philosophy grad student is hard enough, and it’s totally normal to need help from time to time; please don’t be afraid to ask for help.

As always, I have included some resources, but if you are struggling with this in any way, feel free to shoot me a message, even if you just want to grab a coffee and have a casual chat!

I Wish We Could Talk More Openly about Mental Health in Academia
Mental Health in Academia
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