How do postgraduate scientists with bipolar disorder cope? Answer: they don’t.

Why? Because they are deterred from seeking help. A bipolar sufferer explains why:

I know I’m not alone in my struggle with mental health in academia. I might have been able to cope more effectively had I sought out professional help sooner. But better mental health support, a normalization of work-life balance, and improved mentorship to help deal with the stressful realities of research would also have helped me persevere. Because if the culture around you sees stress and anxiety as the norm, it’s hard to see your own mental struggles as a cause for concern.

Bipolar sufferer, writing in Science magazine