My PhD and Chronic Illness Journey: Three tips to stay afloat
Danielle Blee is a part-time PGR in her first year researching grotesque intertextualities in Alasdair Gray’s fiction at the University of Glasgow.
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A PhD is tough. There’s no doubt about that. Add a long-standing chronic health condition into the mix, and you have a lot on your plate.
I’ve had Crohn’s Disease for over twenty years, and each day brings new challenges, but I’ve found strategies that have helped sustain momentum as I begin my PhD journey. I hope that these tips can help you prepare for this exciting next stage in your academic career.
Put yourself first. Yes, you.
You are the wonderful, clever machine that keeps this entire project afloat. Without you, there would be no PhD! When you have a chronic illness or health condition, it can be an understandable impulse to work extra hard to prove yourself, or ‘make up’ for times when you have been too sick to engage with your PhD. It often feels like you’re tiptoeing around your illness, it’s not sustainable! A PhD, or life in general, is not a stress-free endeavor, but you must learn to value yourself and your health above all else. Especially when you have a condition that flares up due to stress.
When you find things beginning to get too much, take a step back. Do not ignore all the signs your body is giving you. Reach out to your doctor to keep them updated on your health, ask for help from your support network, and don’t be afraid to rest. My chronic illness comes with an array of symptoms like chronic fatigue and brain fog. Rest, for me, is necessary medicine. Whatever that looks like for you is completely valid. I like to draw a bath, listen to (non-PhD related!) audiobooks, and nap!
2. Ask for help.
Experiencing life with a chronic illness can come with a lot of guilt and baggage, but you don’t have to experience it alone. Your PhD will also come with a great support network that you can reach out to when things feel overwhelming. I have been very lucky to have a great supervisory team who understand my illness and how it affects my day-to-day PhD work. Communication is key. You are a team, and you are in this together. It’s important to remember that they want you to succeed and will be understanding when you are faced with these hurdles during your PhD.
The Disability Service at the University of Glasgow has great resources that can and want to help you. Having a chronic illness can also be an incredibly mentally painful experience. Reaching out and talking to someone who understands is a great way to get things off your chest and can provide helpful coping mechanisms for the future. You can find out more here.
3. Set realistic goals and stick to them!
The first year of my PhD has been filled with very high highs and (some!) low lows. To say I have enjoyed every second of it would be a lie. At first, the prospect of undergoing this project seemed like a gigantic, daunting mountain to climb. Looking around me on induction day as fellow students took out planners and calendars, which already seemed brimming with project ideas and events and deadlines, was extremely overwhelming. I already felt behind on my first day! What helped me was understanding and accepting that I could not start my PhD like that; it wasn’t realistic or achievable when I already had an illness I had to consider. So, on my first day, I took a deep breath, I took notes in my notebook, and I smiled and struck up conversations with my fellow first-year PhD students. And it turned out they were just as nervous as me!
Learning to accept my illness and limitations has been difficult, but getting into the habit of setting realistic goals has helped me compartmentalise my goals and understand how to achieve them. I have made my PhD work for me. I did end up buying my own planner and calendar, though it’s a little emptier than some of my peers, and that’s okay. I take each day as it comes, but most importantly, each day is so exciting. The projects that I can/do commit to are the ones that I am most passionate about. Because that is what a PhD should be about.
Everyone’s PhD journey is unique, but everyone should prioritise their mental and physical well-being as they undertake this immense challenge. Take it one step at a time.
