Launching #100voices. 100 researchers, 100 #mentalhealth journeys over 100 days. Let's get the conversation started around mental health, exploring what peers, friends and ourselves so often experience.

You are not alone.

You can get involved by liking, retweeting or sharing your own journey if you resonate with a journey and feel able. Please use the hashtag #100voices. Most of all please be supportive!

Thank you for joining us for the next 100 days and thank you to the amazing people involved.

#1. Prof Bhavik Patel ( @BhavikAnilPatel) opens up about experiencing anxiety and depression across his academic journey, as well as the difficulty of managing work/life balance and that leading to burnout. #100voices #AcademicChatter

#2. Dr Nat Rodrigues Lopes ( @NatRodLopes1) talks about her MH during both her PhD and postdoc, highlighting that taking care of our #mentalhealth is so often a "work in progress". It takes time and proper management, including recognising the signs.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#3. Mental health advocate Fay Lin ( @xiaofei_lin) talks about the #Mentalhealth impact of moving to a new place for study with no support network. She also touches on the importance of good mentorship and that the toll lack of support can take on MH.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#4. Katherine Hatcher ( @superchiasmatic) talks about how her pre-existing depression and anxiety got worse at grad school, and the importance of self-care and establishing a coping strategy/strategies that work for you.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#5. Juanita Limas ( @proud_rpcv) talks about the impact of being a first generation PhD student and the pressure to perform well, as well as the loss of a dear friend, which greatly affected her #mentalhealth and drove her to advocate for change in HE.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#6. Dr Dan Lester ( @Polymer_RTP) opens up about his #mentalhealth and highlights that it's possible to be suffering without realising it, as well as the toll anxiety and depression can take, including developing an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

#100voices #academicchatter

#7. Dr Jennifer Paxton ( @Dr_JZP) talks about her anxiety and imposter syndrome and how they really took hold after she returned from maternity leave, becoming detrimental to her work, and how it's taken time and effort to achieve a healthy balance.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#8. Dr Joe Ward ( @iosefward) discusses his anxiety and depression diagnosis during his PhD and highlights the importance of trying different counselling options, finding his second round of counselling more helpful than the first.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#9. Dr Tara Schiller ( @Materials_Girl) talks about the late diagnosis of her dyslexia, and how her anxiety is largely related to dyslexia triggers. She highlights the importance of taking medical time out, where she made time to adjust.

#100voices #academicchatter

#10. Dr Andrew Princep ( @AJPrincep) talks about the impact the competitive nature of academia has had on his #mentalhealth, and how grant and fellowship application rejections have fed his imposter syndrome.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#11. Jelena Brasanac ( @JBrasanac) opens up about how over-identifying herself with work and bullying co-workers led to anxiety and burnout. She has had to work hard at self-care to realise that her scientific research only one facet of her.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#12. Dr Prerana Sabnis ( @preranasabnis) opens up about the #mentalhealth toll the tragic loss of her mother took during her PhD studies, as well as the stress associated with several international moves, which ultimately led to emotional burnout.

#100voices #academicchatter

#13. Dr Wendy Ingram ( @pyromanticism) talks about her familial bipolar disorder and how it affects her #mentalhealth, being potentially lethal at times, but also finds the positive - that it makes her creative and compassionate in ways others aren't.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#14. Dr Jess Boland ( @DrJessBoland) talks about the deterioration of her hearing during her postdoctoral research, and how this sudden change in circumstances impacted her #mentalhealth, making her feel stressed, frustrated and isolated.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#15. Dr Jess Wade ( @jesswade) opens up about her impostor syndrome, talking about how she never feels as good as people around her, or that she deserves to be where she is. She highlights about the importance of reaching out and talking to others.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#16. Dr Gabriel Meloni ( @Gabrielnegrao_) opens up about his depression and body dysmorphia which has been fueled by academia which has led him to second guess himself including, fearing that successful grant applications might be a mistake.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#17. Dr Bárbara Pérez Köhler ( @Barb_PK) talks about her career aspirations and that the temporary nature of her postdoctoral research, including the question of whether or not she'll ever get stability affects her #mentalhealth.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#18. Victor See ( @AstroVictorSee) opens up about his anxiety disorder that developed during his first postdoc position, leading to low self-esteem. These feelings arose when he found mistakes in his own published work.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#19. Daniel Ranson ( @mrdanielranson), TW: talks openly about his clinical depression which was diagnosed following a suicide attempt during his undergrad. Coping strategies and global awareness about MH has enabled him to go on to do his PhD.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#20. Karen Tang ( @KarenTang_) who is training to be a future pyschologist opens up about her own #mentalhealth concerns, including recently having a panic attack in class. She also reminds us of the importance of self-compassion.

#100voices #academicchatter

#21. Dr Shikta Das ( @shikta_das) talks about how her busy schedule and intensity of work impacts her #mentalhealth and how her responsibilities can take a toll on her as she wears her heart on her sleeve.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#22. Judith De Mel ( @Judithdemel) highlights that even by having built up good resilience, external factors that we have no control over can impact #mentalhealth. She talks about experiencing burnout half way through her PhD.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#23. David Thewlis ( @DavidThewlis12) talks about the #mentalhealth impact of working in front-line healthcare, given he has lived with the after effects of childhood trauma his whole life. He highlights therapy has given him the tools to move forward.

#100voices #academicchatter

#24. Cate Field ( @CateField) talks openly about many years of 'black dog' moments with depression - the concept of it always looming in the background. She has worked hard to develop coping strategies, knowing now what she needs to do to stay well.

#100voices #academicchatter

#25. Dr Georgina Sauzier ( @georginasauzier) talks about how post-PhD she struggled with loss of routine and the uncertainty about her future, leading to depression, anxiety and ultimately burnout.

#100voices #academicchatter

#26. Olga Vvedenskaya ( @earlgrey_addict) talks about how growing up in a family of alcoholics, she ended up with chronic PTSD, depression and a hair-pulling disorder as an adult. Olga highlights the importance of professional help to deal with our MH.

#100voices #academicchatter

#27. Brittany Uhlorn ( @BrittanyUhlorn) opens up about how she developed an eating disorder as an unhealthy way to cope with underlying health conditions during her PhD. Now recovered, she uses her story to raise awareness.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#28. Ang Po Kai ( @angzyme) shares his ongoing experience with depression and anxiety as a PhD student. He also discusses the unfortunate experience that he had of being let go, despite trying to work things out for years.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#29. Claire Doswell ( @claire_chem) opens up about the burnout she experienced during her PhD, as well as the difficulty managing the impact of her dyslexia and dyspraxia on her research. She's had to discover a work flow that works for her.

#100voices #academicchatter

#30. Lewis King ( @lewisking17) talks about the intense periods of depression and anxiety he experienced upon starting his PhD, as well as impostor syndrome, isolation and moving to a new location, which all contributed to how he felt.

#100voices #academicchatter

#31. Faye Watson ( @fayewatson94) opens up about the anxiety she fought during her PhD and the fact that she listened to her gut and quit. She realised her passion did not lie with doing research, and she has never been happier.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#32. Charlotte Farrow ( @FazCharlotte) opens up about her anxiety and how it has played into her impostor syndrome. This has caused her to be hesitant about reaching out for opportunities. She has worked on becoming more comfortable with her worth.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#33. Katie Love ( @love_kitkat) opens up about being diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and it's affect on her #mentalhealth - particularly the importance of having a supportive environment where she can share her diagnosis.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#34. Zoë Penko ( @zoehyesong) talks about her #mentalhealth and the importance of managing expectations, including managing the fear of letting others down. She has focused on self-care to be the best version of her.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#35. Annisa Sidi ( @nisasidi) talks openly about her depression and anxiety during her PhD which was compounded by a range of academic, family and economic factors. She sought professional help after having self-destructive thoughts.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#36. Alessandra Zimmermann ( @alesszimm) has had impostor syndrome and anxiety as long as she can remember, which escalated to panic attacks during her PhD. Help from friends and mentors got her through and now she hopes to help others too.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#37. Dr Alex Elliott ( @AJElliottEng) opens up about being diagnosed with OCD during his undergraduate and his ongoing management of it. He talks about his struggle with stress, which made times where nothing worked during his PhD tough.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#38. Dr Abigail Philips( @abigailleigh) talks about her #mentalhealth struggles that have been with her for as long as she can remember, and that her journey to wellness started when she started opening up about her experiences with mental illness.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#39. Rad Haghi ( @radhaghi) opens up about feelings of inadequacy, vulnerability, as well as feeling behind and anxious during his PhD. This fed into pre-existing depression and anxiety. He's learned over time to break the vicious cycle.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#40. Christopher Jackson ( @seis_matters) talks about having poor #mentalhealth during his PhD, and being unable to pin how he was feeling on his studies, or on anything else for that matter. He talks about how friends and medication got him through.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#41. Dr Lea Martin ( @DocLeaMaria) talks about her anxiety and impostor syndrome at grad school, which turned into depression. She managed to recover by taking medication and seeking professional help, speaking to a therapist.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#42. Robert Ulrich ( @robertnulrich) talks about growing queer and knowing you are 'different'. He opens up about how he didn't face his anxiety and depression until adulthood, when he realised they were negatively impacting his life.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#43. Julze Alejandre ( @JulzeAlejandre) opens up about how his childhood and that things were messy growing up. It took him a long time to realise, getting eventually diagnosed with anxiety, depression, obsessive perfectionism and PTSD.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#44. Adrienne Adele Cox (@adrienneadelee) talks about living with both Tourettes and anxiety and how when one gets worse, so does the other. When her #mentalhealth
is bad, her tics can get very painful, taking their till physically and mentally.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#45. Dr Beth Sawyer ( @eb_sawyer) opens up about her borderline personality disorder, as well as experiencing an eating disorder and self-harm. In addition to taking meds and therapy, she maintains her MH by running, volunteering and playing music.

#100voices #academicchatter

#46. David Mark ( @DavidRcoMark) talks about being plagued with impostor syndrome, depression and anxiety during the first year of his PhD, with his feelings reaching their worst when he attended a scientific conference to present his work.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#47. Kevin Bolton ( @KevinPBolton) talks about having had depression and anxiety since his teenage years. Over the last three years he has worked with his therapist to understand his relationship with his own #mentalhealth

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#48. Ritwika VPS ( @Ritwikavps) talks about experiencing depression for a long time and how she developed severe anxiety during her PhD, and that there were days she couldn't get out of bed. She sought help - medication and therapy have done wonders.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#49. Ayushi Nayak ( @ayushi_nayak) opens up about her depression and anxiety diagnosis which came with a lot of self-doubt and isolation. An ongoing battle, Ayushi works on her #mentalhealth issues with meds, therapy and her support network.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#50. Prof Nazira Karodia ( @nazira_karodia) talks about growing up under Apartheid in South Africa, and the wrecking force of poverty and disadvantage she saw. She talks about the anger she still carries and how this has affected her #mentalhealth

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#51. Leanne Burton ( @leanne_burton90) opens up about her impostor syndrome and OCD perfectionism that have played heavily into her anxiety. Severe anxiety during her PhD and starting her first job which resulted in her having to take time off sick.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#52. Lauren Young ( @Young_LaurenM) talks about suffering a head injury during her PhD which led to post-concussive syndrome and depression. Have a support network of friends and supervisors guided her to recovery.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#53. Simon Harrisson ( @polyharrisson) talks about how life pressures affected his #mentalhealth including relationship problems, looming relocation and his daughter falling seriously ill. He discusses how counselling have him a safe space to talk.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#54. Emily King ( @EKing_Sci) talks about how she developed the misguided belief she only has value if she achieves highly, which drove her into the ground during her PhD. Years of therapy, meds and changing her approach to life has helped.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#55. Michelle Jonika ( @michellejonika) discusses how her anxiety increased during her PhD due to high demands, impostor syndrome and self-assigned pressure. She talks about how she can now recognise the signs of when the anxiety is getting too much.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#56. Amber Hornsby ( @amber_hornsby) talks about how the "second-year slump" during her PhD was hard, and that she felt behind compared to her peers. She sought therapy and meds to help with her anxiety and depression.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#57. Emily Gelzer ( @egelz519) talks about her anxiety, depression and impostor syndrome that have impacted her #mentalhealth. She discusses how #mentalhealth conversations in her lab are welcome, normalizing it, and that this support is invaluable.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#58. Revathi Reddy ( @reddyrevathi96) talks about her anxiety and panic attacks she experienced when first moving country. The pressure of being an international student impacted her #mentalhealth. With therapy she realised she is not alone.

#100voices #academicchatter

#59. José Agustin Moreno-Larios ( @manoentintada) talks about how he has struggled with feeling worthless and feeling that he doesn't fit in. When he felt so overwhelmed with work/life he went to counselling and sought psychiatric help.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#60. Elizabeth James ( @eaj24) talks about how she found it hard to decide on a direction to take when she was younger and how this caused anxiety, confusion and self-blame affecting her mental health. Taking time to reflect has helped.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#61. Manpreet Kaur ( @kaurchemist) talks about struggling with self-esteem and hopelessness, triggered by impostor syndrome during her undergrad. She learned nothing works if you aren't happy, so focuses now on her happiness first.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#62. Prathyush Sambaturu ( @prathyushspeaks) talks about the rejections he had to face before and during his PhD, with any successes making him feel like an imposter. He went through periods of isolation and now shares his experience to help others.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#63. Nadia Fernandez ( @TheNadiaFern) talks about the guilt she had to battle for not working more, given always having many things on her to do list. She's learned with time to prioritize her rest and health, taking time off from work.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#64. Christine Lockey ( @DrLockey) talks about how she has suffered with anxiety her whole life and how she finally sought help from her when it almost caused her to quit her PhD. She discusses the importance of learning how to handle stress.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#65. Matthew Leech ( @MattTheChemist) talks about depression and anxiety he experienced during his PhD, and that impostor syndrome was a big issue when he started his postdoctoral position. Matthew is a now a Mental Health First Aider to help others.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#66. Tina Del Carpio ( @TinaDelCarpio) opens up about how they started having panic attacks as a pre-teen and that at college was the first time they tried therapy and mindfulness. Therapy and meds have helped them establish a mental health routine.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#67. Angelico Obille ( @ScientistAnjo) opens up about the complexity of managing complex PTSD, anxiety and depression, and how it can make it hard to connect with other scientists sometimes. He talks about how building his community is rewarding.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#68. Smiti Nathan ( @travellingarch) opens up about experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety during her postdoc. Her mental health improved when she moved to another role. She talks about how prioritizing a supportive workplace has helped.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#69. Kiri Thornalley ( @kizzythechemist) talks about how they have had depression and a panic disorder since childhood, with OCD making an appearance on starting university. They are now more in control through meds, therapy and peer support groups.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#70. Rebecca Walley ( @WalleyGeology) thought starting a PhD with depression would make it easier to notice when her mental health was suffering, but she still found it hard to accept she needed a break. She came back better after taking time out.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#71. Dr Aya Abdalla ( @AyaAbd5HT) discusses how her PhD was a difficult time for her #mentalhealth as she was not used to failing, and had no training to face that obstacle. She blamed herself. Imposter syndrome contributed greatly to her depression.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#72. Karim Mitha ( @_KarimMitha) talks about how being neurodivergent and BAME brings additional intersectional levels of discrimination from intercultural stereotypes/assumptions and intracultural stigma which have affected his #mentalhealth.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#73. Chenai Muchena ( @ch3rrie007) had to face her fear of failure, lack of confidence and imposter syndrome during her research which all impacted her #mentalhealth. She talks about how the ongoing crisis is forcing us to face our daily anxieties.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#74. Tim Beard ( @TimBear07090329) opens up about his depression, anxiety and substance abuse since childhood. He was diagnosed with complex PTSD and had a nervous breakdown due to bereavement during his first PhD attempt. He's now two years sober.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#75. Susanna L Harris ( @SusannaLHarris) talks about how she has dealt with mental illness for as long as she can remember. Grad school brought out the worst when she failed a key exam and was living alone. It was the darkest period of her life.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#76. Flavia-Bianca Cristian ( @CurlyNeuron) talks about how the living abroad and moving from one country to another multiple times has been mentally taxing. She has also been learning to manage her mental health in a constructive way.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#77. Lauren Gillespie ( @thebluebirdgirl) talks about her bipolar and her struggle with anxiety and depression. She takes one day at a time. She relies on therapy and medication to manage her symptoms as well as friends and family for support.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#78. Kellie Cook ( @envirokell) talks about how she developed severe anxiety after her PhD advisor died suddenly, which became even worse when she had to change her research topic. She felt very alone and still struggles with anxiety now.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#79. Hung Lo ( @HungLo_tw) talks about not feeling accomplished during his PhD. He worries about whether he is good enough to stay in academia. He talks about how his crisis is made worse by coming from an unrecognised country.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#80. Aranzazu Carmona Orbezo ( @ACarmonaOPhD) talks about how late in her PhD she was diagnosed with burnout syndrome caused by years of overworking and not allowing herself to relax. She was suffering with a lot of anxiety and even physical symptoms.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#81. Ashleigh Barrett-Young ( @sciashleigh) talks about how she was diagnosed with PND and anxiety during her PhD. She realised her anxiety had been around for a long time and had to learn new coping strategies to manage her workload and family life.

#100voices #AcademicChatter

#82. Avery Cunningham ( @nuqueerengineer) talks about how he was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression when he was 17. Working towards managing his symptoms during both school and undergrad has been a challenge and is ongoing.

#100voices #AcademicChatter