The Post-PhD Blues
Steps I took as a humanities PhD
While not an official diagnosis, post-PhD (or post-dissertation) depression is a very real phenomenon and many posts on the Internet have been written about it. A quick search on Google would attest this fact. I think that it’s important that soon-to-be graduates and PhDs prepare themselves for the possibility of getting the blues after reaching the finish line, which never really is a finish line (for most of us humanities academics anyway).
The post-PhD blues wasn’t talked about a lot, if at all, during my time as a PhD student, which also is a huge problem. What I’ve gathered from my readings, and my personal experience as a quite recent PhD, is that it pretty much boils down to an intense identity crisis after a temporary “high” of successfully having defended your dissertation and earned your degree. I would like to assure you that if you currently feeling down and/or disoriented after graduating or defending your dissertation, your feelings are absolutely valid.
First things first. Please seek psychiatric or medical help if your day-to-day life is impacted (even if not severely) by depression and/or anxiety. Also, don’t wait until after your degree to get help, since we all know that the stress of academia is prone to contribute to the deterioration of students’ mental health and well-being even before graduation. Now, I’d like to share some of my own initial dealings with this issue, because I, as many others, wasn’t immune to the blues.
#1 Acknowledgement
In a non-judgmental manner, acknowledge what you’re feeling and going through. Don’t beat yourself up for it, because it’s not your fault (see below). I would suggest that allowing yourself to actually feel your emotions, rather than suppressing them, is a healthy approach. Here, non-judgement is key, because it takes you out of the non-productive and negative loop of self-blame and guilt. Mindfully approach your emotions like passing waves; with beginnings, middles, and ends. Some emotions will be stronger than others, but they all will pass, and usually they do so more quickly the less you fixate on them or try to resist them.
#2 Acceptance
At some point, I had to accept the reality of academia, especially when it comes to the Humanities. Under-resourced, non-appreciated, devalued, and dysfunctional, to name a few. This could be a separate post. The point is, however, to come to terms with the reality of the industry (yes, academia may be thought of as a kind of industry), which unfortunately you, as an individual, have little to no control over. New graduates, especially PhDs, need to realize that the road to a permanent position within academia (if that is what you dream about) is usually a long one with many or few temporary positions along the way. I really had to start to ask myself some healthy good old critical questions: “Is this [traditional university setting] the only way that I can do what I love and what I’m good at?” On the other hand, if your eyes never were set on academia in the first place, you may instead have to come to terms with how wider society and the corporate world view your degree.
#3 Detachment
You need to stop over-identifying with your years of academic pursuit and attaching your self-worth to it. No other profession is advised to do this, and the same should apply for academics. For the sake of your own mental health and well-being, I would advise separating your sense of self-worth (heck, even your sense of self/identity) from your career or profession. This is easier said than done, I know. Note that this does not mean that you take away from the value of your hard work, it only means that you keep a healthy separation between you as a person, with an inherent human value and worthiness, and the profession, which can be subject to change and circumstances over time. If you rely on your career or profession for your sense of self and worth, you’re setting yourself up for a bumpy and miserable ride.
#4 Openness
At some point, I felt that I needed to be open to new and other opportunities (outside of traditional academia). This kind of ties into the previous points about acknowledgement and detachment. Your hard-earned degree and skills as an academic are, in fact, transferable to industries outside of academia. For my fellow academics from the Arts and Humanities: Yes, that also includes you! This point is intentionally left somewhat vague, since each case is unique and ultimately dependent on a person’s area of expertise, skill set, and interests. However, I’ve gained valuable tips, inspiration, and motivation by following hashtags like #transitioningteacher and #transitioningacademic on LinkedIn. Personally, I got a new perspective on the matter by reading about and connecting with academics who have opted for opportunities outside of academia. Some of whom have been in academia for more than a decade before transitioning!
I’ve also realized that it doesn’t necessarily have to be an either/or situation. Why can’t it be possible for you to practice your profession and implement your skill set in different work environments and/or industries at different points in time, or even at the same time? It’s all about exploring your opportunities and exposing rigid ideas about what an academic can do, and where.
These are the four most crucial steps that I’ve taken ever since getting my PhD and experiencing my fair share of post-PhD blues. Remember that, as with all self-developmental and mental health work, this too is an on-going process. My best advise would be to exercise a curious and open mindset, enjoy the process (as much as you can), embrace new discoveries, and be compassionate with yourself. You got this.
References
Conrad, Dianne (2022), “Chapter 6 Stayin’ Alive: Your Emotional Health and Wellness,” in Opening the Online Door to Academe. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004521216_006
Kaplan-Berkley, S., Strickland, C., & Dimartino, L. (2019), “Post-dissertation: Surviving and thriving amidst doctoral transition,” Reflective Practice, 20(6): 705–719.
Rodwell, E. (2016), “ Surviving the post-dissertation slump,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 62(17): D6.
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