Thread by @ZJAyres

I've been asked why I care so much/do mental health advocacy for #AcademicMentalHealth when I've recently left academia. So here's a 🧵 #AcademicTwitter #AcademicChatter #AcademicMentalHealth #VulnerableAcademic 1/

I experienced the lowest point of my life during graduate school. I've since recovered to full health. It has, however, left a lasting mental scar on me. I'd never experienced depression before that point. I do my work to try to spare people being where I was at. 2/

Speaking out whilst actively IN academia can be tough. I have no intention of being a professor (though I'd have been a darn good one), so the risk to my career is reduced. I therefore can risk being vulnerable due to the privilege I have to do so. 3/

If the pandemic has shown us anything, it's that specific mental health support for grad students is lacking, and academics need more than "wellness seminars" to be healthy. We need to raise more awareness of this and Twitter is a powerful medium to do just that. 4/

If I can tangentially help even one person succeed and "make it" in academia we begin to break the cycle. Having people in senior positions who are okay with opening up and showing vulnerability is something we desperately need. 5/

Visibility is one of the most important things for mental health. Showing that it's part of us all. I've accidentally hit a nerve with my mental health work, and I'm absolutely going to continue to do it until things change. 6/

I'm never going to forget my choice to never be where I was again. No-one deserves to be at a junction point they might not come back from in the persuit of higher education. My biggest hope is that my work will become no longer relevant. Until then, I'll occupy this space. 7/7