Does anyone have any general advice on how deal with the PhD stress? I'm a second year PhD student in Biosciences and I just can't do it anymoreeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! I had results in the beginning of my first year and now I have nothing. I can't even see a logical/ideal plan of my project anymore. I'm stressed as well cause I work part-time and I'm have problems at home. Admittedly, the problems are probably caused my me, as I'm constantly snapping at everyone... :(
I need a hobby/anything to do to de-stress, any advice? Something that's cheap and easy to pick up anytime? And don't have to spend ridiculous amounts of time on...
Cheers!

Everybody suffers from PhD stress - you're not alone! It's really tough.

For me I think some of the things that helped me (in no particular order) were: taking time out to spend with friends and family; *trying* to not beat myself up if I felt like I hadn't done anything / made any progress for ages; meditation; talking to other PhD students and people who'd been through it; this forum!

I also found it came in waves - sometimes I felt so desperate and all I wanted to do was jack it all in and return to having a 'normal' life, but other times, things felt good and I felt like I was moving forward. Remember, whatever you're feeling right now, 'this too shall pass'

Good luck!

Thank you, glowworm! I'm all over the place today unfortunately....Thank you for the advice!:)

I'm completely the same, I'm always stressed. I have brief glimpses after getting something right, but then its back to normal again.

I've found going to the gym really helps and now train an hour a day right in the middle of the day, I push the work to the back of my mind just for an hour, its amazing what a bit of exercise can do - also means I can eat plenty more junk food for the rest of the day too :) It's reasonably cheap, I'm a member of my University gym which works out at about £10 a month, buy a few cheap t-shirts and some shorts and you're sorted.

I know it's easier said than done but take time out to forget about your PhD, make plans for the evening for example and that will give you something to look forward to.

I need to have a period of a few hours each week for just sitting reading (novels, not text books!) in order to feel 'grounded'. One bit of advice I got was that you should choose a hobby that you can immerse yourself in, so that your mind doesn't wander to the PhD stuff - for my partner it is playing a musical instrument, for me it's reading, for others it's doing sport - something that engages your brain in such a way that you completely switch off from other things.

That's a really good point, chickpea! As weird as it may sound, I discovered art, specifically nail art, as a result of doing my PhD. I get so absorbed in what I'm doing that I don't even think about anything else while I'm doing it. And I definitely feel better for it afterwards.

Gym and exercise is good too, but I struggled with motivation, especially on cold, wet days like today. i've done a lot more since I submitted! =D

I find running to be a great way to release stress! You should also schedule socialising time with other friends or colleagues as part of your schedule, this way you will have something to look forward to.

I don't know how to say this but, I would rather have the stress than not having the option to. It is so hard to apply for a PhD. :(