{"id":729,"date":"2018-10-23T11:41:42","date_gmt":"2018-10-23T09:41:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.uct.ac.za\/cancerphd\/?p=729"},"modified":"2018-10-23T11:41:42","modified_gmt":"2018-10-23T09:41:42","slug":"overcoming-post-phd-blues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uct.ac.za\/cancerphd\/2018\/10\/overcoming-post-phd-blues\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Post PhD Blues"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Handle the Post PhD Blues<\/span><\/h1>\n

By\u00a0Mike Rucker<\/a>\u00a0on November 28, 2016<\/i><\/p>\n

Shared by Harris Onywera<\/em><\/p>\n

Even though I had anticipated that there would be an absolute end to the so-called postgraduate blues after reading the blog on\u00a0Overcoming ‘PhD Blues’<\/a>,\u00a0 I never thought much about life after PhD – the blues that come with it…<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

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For some of us the high that comes from a significant achievement can be followed by a period of feeling melancholy, or in some cases even malaise. It is not uncommon for new Ph.D. candidates to feel lost and empty. They struggle to find the motivation they once had after achieving such a herculean accomplishment. This has been well-documented in people completing marathons, for example. Months (or sometimes even years) of vigorous training leading up to a single athletic event\u2026 and then it is over leaving the runner feeling empty.<\/p>\n

This phenomenon appears to be quite common among recent Ph.D. students as well. Some call it the post-dissertation slump; others refer to it more medically as post-dissertation stress disorder or post-dissertation depression. However, it is not our intent here to make the experience sound pathological; many students deal with some (unexpected) negative feelings after they have been hooded. One might describe it as being another part of the academic journey. Nonetheless, there is no harm in finding good ways to mitigate this down period, especially if it is effecting your well-being.<\/p>\n

You have spent years on your coursework: managing your time, reading a barrage of articles (some of them interesting, while others\u2026 not so much), devoting all your energy to this worthy pursuit. Your sense of self can often become intertwined with the pursuit of a Ph.D. Accordingly, when that trajectory is no longer there, a sense of being lost is only natural. When you finally achieve your big goal, the feeling of \u2018so what now?<\/em>\u2019 sneaks into your psyche.<\/p>\n

Many students report experiencing a void after graduation. They can also feel insecure after graduation, especially if professional pursuits are not in the imminent future. The truth is academic life can sometimes be slightly removed from \u2018reality\u2019. Some struggle to make the transition out of academic life becoming somewhat paralyzed about what to do next. During your Ph.D. studies, the endgame is clear. Although some doubts would creep in occasionally, you usually feel dedicated and disciplined to see it through to the end. When the work is done, however, you are face with an entirely different road map. There is a lot of uncertainty and, sometimes, anxiety connected with a future unknown. The \u2018unknown\u2019 can pertain to different areas of life, such as future employment, finances, relocation, transforming the Ph.D. into something tangible, etc.<\/p>\n

What should you do if you suddenly experience post dissertation depression and feel disheartened about things that used to excite you? Here are some things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n