The imposter syndrome is a common issue that affects a large number of young people and seems to be particularly prevalent in academic institutions. From my own observations and experiences, this most likely arises from the constant reminders of the pressure that comes from remaining within academia and therefore forcing students to attempt to live up to impossible standards and levels of unattainable knowledge. Hannah Long has written a fantastic article about it a few months ago on this blog which you can find here. Here I’m going to discuss something slightly different, which is more how the language and actions of senior academic members can cause the imposter syndrome to manifest, along with other anxiety-related issues.

Imagine this scenario: a student has just been assigned a research project and is currently discussing his choice with the head of the course. The student is interested in the work and excited to start performing real research for the first time. The student is dressed casually and is wearing a ‘Breaking Bad’ parody t-shirt. At the end of the meeting, the head of the course double-checked who the supervisor of the student was and noted; ‘you’re not going to wear that t-shirt in front of your supervisor are you?’ Those simple words sent waves of anxiety bubbling through the student. What kind of person finds offence in a t shirt? Am I going to have the worst research experience? Is my supervisor going to hate me? What are the next few months going to be like? Well, as the student was me I can answer those questions (apart from, ‘what kind of person is offended by a t-shirt’ because I never wore it). I had a fantastic experience, my supervisor didn’t hate me and the next few months drove me to want to do a PhD.

I’ve shared this experience because I want to outline how simple language and insinuation from an experienced member of staff, perhaps intended as a joke, had a profound impact on me and the anxiety that followed haunted me for the next two weeks before I met my new supervisor for the first time. I was inspired to write this as a new PhD student told me they were worried about something their supervisor had said in which they noted, ‘I’ve seen you getting in a bit later recently,’ therefore insinuating they weren’t working hard enough. Is it any wonder that there is a mental health crisis at academic institutions? Now obviously, older and more experienced staff members need to do more and recognise the impact that their words can have on younger students or early career researchers. But if you find yourself in this sort of situation you can help yourself as well.

1. TALK TO SOMEONE. This is the most important piece of advice I can give. You are not alone and you most certainly are not the only person that this has happened to. If there are older PhD students in your group then share your experiences with them. They should be able to give you some comfort and perhaps tell you what the supervisor actually means when they say certain things.
2. Talk to your supervisor. Ask them to clarify what they meant. Understanding what a supervisor expects from you and vice versa is important in a healthy working relationship. In the incident I described above, the supervisor apologised and said they actually were referring to the fact the new student was working later.
3. Talk to your advisor or the counselling service. You should have a member of staff assigned to you in a pastoral role if you are worried about non-academic parts of your project. They should be independent of your supervisory team and offer you advice. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to them, book a session with the counselling service at Manchester. There still is a stigma around seeking help for anxiety or mental health issues, but definitely don’t be afraid to use the service. I myself have been for sessions there and the staff are excellent. You can call them if you don’t want a face-to-face session. They also have self-help online tools you can use at home.
4. Use the well-being services at the University. There are excellent well-being services that the University offers, such as yoga and mindfulness meditation. These will help with the stresses that can ramp up during a PhD or Masters project.

Doing a PhD can be difficult and lonely at times, so don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. Don’t try to dismiss feelings of anxiety and stress as ‘silly’ (again speaking from first hand experience!). If you’re interested in well-being contact our fantastic well-being editor Jason for more information.

Useful links

Wellbeing workshops at UoM

Counselling service