Isolation in academic life: a conversation with Professor Priscilla Dunk-West

But look, I just wanted to finish noting it's been a sort of tragic time for the planet.

We've seen some remarkable human beings commit suicide in the last week or so when I've been preparing this session on isolation.

And look, we may have some wonderful listeners out there who are feeling isolated, who are feeling alone.

So what advice would you give them today to take that first step for company, for community, for connection?

I mean, yeah, there's lots of things to say about this, I guess.

And I guess in a sort of nutshell, it's noticing if you are, if your mood is low, noticing if you are feeling isolated, noticing if that's worsening, noticing if you're talking to people about it, noticing if you're having... you know, thoughts that are disturbing and reaching out to crisis lines.

And if you're in an educational institution or any institution, you know, what supports do you have? Employee assistance programs, seeking out counselling, seeking out mental health services, those sorts of things.

And then I think it is all...

I do think it's useful to think about, to reflect on the isolation and how you are feeling about yourself job, how you're feeling about the role.

Is it because of isolation? And if so, what steps can you take to ensure that you don't feel so isolated? So what makes you feel connected? You know, does it make you feel connected being in person somewhere? If so, what's around? Have a look around and see what supports there are, what networks you can join, connecting up with other people in the academic community, but then also recognising that there's whole other communities that sit outside of academia as well.

connecting up with those as relevant to you and your situation I think you know one of the things that I've said often to colleagues over the years is it's just a job it's just a bloody job and I think that that's helped me at times in my life when it's felt overwhelmingly dark to be in an institution that's you know not supporting me or not safe or

doesn't

feel great and so I think That whole saying of it's just a job just kind of manages it into a place where it enables you to see that it's not the end of the world if you don't get that thing published or it's not the end of the world if you don't get that grant because I think academia can place those pressures on people to be doing all the things.

And so, yeah, thinking about it, it is just a job.

And stopping, I'll try and get the word out, like a catastrophe, catastrophizing.

I think academic life has a tendency to do that.

So everything becomes equivalent.

Everything becomes important.

And actually, something may be urgent, but it's not important.

And what does my great mate Kylie say? Your emergency is not my emergency.