May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth so I feel like it’s time for an #AcademicMentalHealth story. Three years ago today I was being discharged from the hospital after having an allergic reaction to my mental health medications. (1/6)

It was finals week, so like most grad students I was just getting into the meat of my final papers. I was taken off my meds cold turkey, & pumped full of antihistamines & steroids to combat the allergic reaction, aka not in a stellar headspace. (2/6)

I never told my professors because I didn’t want them to think I was creating an excuse for not having my final papers done on time. Now, I KNOW that they all would have been super understanding...(3/6)

...so it was really that *I* personally, didn’t want to think I was creating an excuse and couldn’t “hack it.” I finished the papers, and got my lowest grades of the program that semester. (4/6)

I know now, just how ridiculous it was to prefer turning in sub-par work, because I didn’t want to be looked down on for “needing some help.” (5/6)

Moral of the story, grind culture in academia isn’t sustainable, and I’m quite glad it didn’t take a more severe situation for me to grasp that. Take care of yourself friends. (6/6) #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #AcademicMentalHealth