ADHD in Toxic Academia

Let's highlight #AcademicMentalHealth!

Check out this article as early-career researchers discuss how they've prioritized their well-being throughout their academic journey, particularly during challenging situations: www.science.org/content/arti...

#AcademicSky #PhDSky

Question of the week for #academicsky: Which is more anxiety-inducing?

Checking your work email
Or
Not checking your work email

100% !!!
Others see it as a deficit when it's not on what they think it should on

then then use linking phrases e.g.:

'relates to', 'contrasts with', 'has implications of', 'means that',

than be specific about how/why it contrasts/relates/implies etc. (2/2)

Some examples of being explicit and specific with linking between paragraphs:

So, you end a paragraph and want to move onto the next topic, at start of next parag, first aknowledge what you were just speaking about by naming concept/theory/evidence/argument from previous paragraph.... (1/2)

another example (expecially at start of sentences/paragraphs) is considering the word 'this' and whether it can be named, e.g. if talking of a concept or argument name the concept or argument.

Instead of 'this means x y z' or 'this has implications of x y z', say: 'the concept of AAA means x y z'

Often its hard to do without examples & context bt some i see:

Instead of 'they did x y z', say: 'authors did x y z' or 'NAME did x, y, z' (or participants, researchers, experimenters)

Instead of 'in the study' or 'in this study' say: 'in NAMES study' 'in our study' or 'in the current study'

im sorry, who said academica was toxic..... ????

Oh, wait, everyone.

Merry Christmas, #AcademicSky! Hope you’ve been nice and Santa brought you something good this year (unlike the journals editors who send you reviewer invitations on Christmas Day)

I have been a bit bored over Christmas, so I started working on a little blog post about good academic writing for my group. I was wondering, what are key things you have learned about academic writing that you wish you would have known earlier?  🧪 #AcademicSky

Being specific can make writing soo much clearer, and does not always need to include more words

Some can, & should (eg students & those w/ permanent positions)

Bt it can be v hard for those on insecure contracts who drown in extreme workloads & job applications

Suggestions for how to deal welcomed
Im desperate

#sendhelp @vickyblake.bsky.social @ucucommons.bsky.social @drjogrady.bsky.social

Happy holidays everyone

Hope you're having a nice restful time

Except if you have lots of marking due, teaching to prep, or have 3 job applications due early January that were posted in December at the end of a busy term

My favourite is the 21st Dec to 10th Jan

Text to speech software !

Hi there! I'm proud of you for putting yourself forward into big opportunities for you to grow! You're doing a great job of investing in yourself, even if it scares you! I hope you are proud of yourself too.

Hustling Adhd 🧠 on Instagram: "Adhd..." 4,347 likes, 19 comments - hustlingadhd on December 13, 2023: "Adhd..."

In Academia, like in many other proffessions, ppl don't realise the extent of adhd

www.instagram.com/p/C0yt6OFPNa...

an orange and white cat has a very serious face. he looks like he's working out a math problem in his head, or perhaps is wondering if he left the stove on. look at the cat. a great deal of fur.

people say an awful lot of dumb things on this site. instead of getting angry at them, consider looking at this cat.

look at his serious little face.

look at how orange he is. he could not be more orange.

look at him.

are you still angry? if you are, keep looking at him.

COP28

Why do you prioritise your job over your mental health?

Because if I prioritised my mental health.....

- I would reduce the changes of my position getting extended
- I would not have a competitive enough CV for new roles coming up
- And I may lose my current job

The stigmatization of addiction is inherently connected to the stigmatization of Neurodivergent people in our society.

We don’t receive the support we need, get shamed for not “helping ourselves” and then violently shamed again when we find a way to regulate, albeit unhealthily.

It’s weird (but predictable) how often social issues are covered in the media that ignore the underlying root cause… Your mental health is going to suck if you can’t afford to live, and funding more ambulances won’t fix the problem.
Prevention requires addressing the elephant in the room. Capitalism

If i have sick days, there is no adjustment for my responsibilities, which insentivises people not to take sick days, which insentivises burn out

Only at the point of long term sick leave does anything get reallocated (to other people who are also already at breaking point)

3) oh that conflicting advice isnt helpful, but knowing the context of our uni, both are true sorry I can't help

4) the dept is already fucked, if you go on sick leave, the dept would be even more fucked without you

If you did hear already: thousands are struggling to get ADHD meds atm = even more ableism than usual

Advice ive received:
1) tell your boss they will see you as proactive, bt won't be able to change your responsibilities

2) don't tell your boss they will think you're being too sensitive

1/n

🫂 I feel you. I’ve lived most of my life with undiagnosed inattentive type ADHD, and, in retrospect, I’m amazed that I got through a Bachelors *and* a Masters degree in STEM fields without a diagnosis nor meds.

It was… Not easy, to severely understate that struggle.

Intro post!

I finished my PhD in 2021 & was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022

Since then I'm lucky enough to have had short contracts with my current one due to end in 2024

I love my research and students. I run myself into the ground for them

The system always shouts back 'not good enough !!'

Helloo BlueSky

Welcome to where I am honest about experience navigating the toxic career which is academia in the UK

Hold tight !