Four years into my Ph.D. program, my hands started to go numb each night as I slept. I didn't think much of it at the time. Then one night, while sound asleep, I somehow mistook my numb arm for a snake. I threw myself out of bed and woke in a panic. I later discovered that this nighttime event wasn't simply a strange dream.
At that time, I was working toward my Ph.D. and training to be a clinical psychologist. There was never enough time to occupy myself fully in my world. The exams constantly worried and even scared me.
Later that year, while discussing a patient's symptoms with a neurologist(神经学家), I realized that my anxiety could be the direct cause of the numbness in my hands. There was a certain irony(讽刺) in that realization. I'd spent years learning about psychological tools for dealing with stress and anxiety. But until then it never occurred to me that I, too, was experiencing an abnormal level of stress and anxiety.
Now, I specialize in helping take a healthier approach to dealing with the pressures of academics. I've seen firsthand how many of them possess inner voices demanding perfection and telling them that the sacrifices are necessary for success.
My message to those I work with is that being overworked and stressed-out is unhealthy. Achievements and health can be both gained. So, when your inner alarm bells send you a warning signal-or when snakes attack in the night-don't hesitate; take action.
