It does depend to a certain degree on the subject of your PhD. I'm doing a Chemistry PhD which works out at 18-20 hours a week on a spectrometer, 3-5 hours a week in the lab, 8-10 hours processing data, 10+ hours a week reading/report writing/presentations, 3-5 hours a week in meetings/seminars. If you don't have lab/practical requirements I could see 35 hours being approximately enough maybe.

To start with I really struggled to do anything at all. With support from a branch of the CMHT I did some work on increasing my activity levels, we planned out the week with an activity and a reward each day rating my mood before and afterwards. We started off small and built up the activities having a mix of ones inside and outside of the house. I also did some self-compassion based CBT with another member of the team. One of the important things I had to get my head around was doing things like meeting friends or going into the city centre of coffee was part of my treatment as much as taking antibiotics for an infection would be and not to feel guilty that I am there and not in work. The sort of activities I started with were things like do the washing up followed by reading a book with a cup of tea, towards the end I was able to go into the city centre window shopping and treat myself to cake and a coffee in a cafe.

I get the not wanting too, it was only following me losing health and safety clearance to work in the lab that led to me making the decision.

Things are better now although not perfect, still working on getting my medication just right so that I stop playing mood ping pong (I'm mostly likely bipolar). Feel free to message me if you want to talk to someone.

I am in my second year of my PhD and last year took a three month leave of absence due to a mood disorder, I'm doing a science PhD too. Have you contacted the disability services? They should be able to write to your department discuss reasonable adjustments that could be made.

Hello, I have a mood disorder and am attempting to do a PhD too. One piece of advice I would give it to seek help for your depression and then decided whether or not you want to continue your PhD when you aren't struggling with mental health woes, they really do cloud your judgement.

I am doing a Chemistry PhD and like you the analytical technique is familiar to me but the area of chemistry is rather alien to me, or at least it was. Over the last couple of months I've found I know a lot more of the theory than I thought was possible! I'm about 16 months in now so try not to give up hope on too soon and I don't have much interest in the field of chemistry I came to the project wanting to improve my understanding of the analytical technique.

If you ever want to talk to someone in a similar boat please feel free to message me. Best wishes.

You could put a row/coleumn that spans the appropriate coleumns with linking lines between groups 1 & 2 with astrieks and another row/coleumn with linking lines between 1&3.

I am sorry to hear about your situation, I am in a similar position except my supervisors are being ok with me. At my university we have an independent panel member who we can go to if we have any issues regarding our supervisors, do you have someone similar you could talk to? Have you contacted the disability services at your university? They can do an assessment and write to your supervisor outlining reasonable adjustments that should be implemented to make your PhD easier on you. Might it be worth considering a short formal leave of absence to help you get on top of your illness completely? I took 3 months off at the end of last year and it really helped me to get a better grip on my health without the added pressure of being at uni. Part of the decision process in deciding to take time of through the appropriate channels was that I would get this time back, my submission deadline has gone from Sept to Dec.

With regards to the expectation of getting results, I get that too. My PhD is around method development in using a piece of equipment. Due to costs I can only use it 2 days a week. As you can imagine there is always more things I want to do than there is time so often it takes a few weeks to do the experiments they suggest. I plan my week, and bring it along to any meetings I have with my supervisors in part to remind me what I am doing and when but it also shows them that I am thinking about how I am spending my days. Do you think something like this would help with your supervisor?

Sorry for the long reply. If you ever want someone to talk to please feel free to message me. best wishes.

Hello, I took a year out between my undergraduate and my PhD. I spent the year doing a mix of things, I spent the first 3 months waitressing, then worked in a lab for 3 months, the 3 months playing housewife, then some more waitressing/bar work. The time in the lab was a really good experience but unfortunately I had to move away from the area. I also really enjoyed the slower pace of life whilst playing housewife and waitressing, it did help refresh me after my UG.
Is there an option of starting at other times in the year? At my uni you can start a PhD either in April or October so it may not necessarily be a whole year you have to take out.
Wish you the best of luck

Its good to know I'm not alone, thank you for your replies.

Keenbean, I'm seeing the student services, the early intervention team and my gp, the combination of which gives me as well rounded support package. I have been honest with my supervisors and I had a 4 month leave of absence last year due to a depressive episode. They have been really good with me, one of them is the departments disability officer so he's pretty clued up on what support is available and what reasonable adjustments can be made.

I'm doing a chemistry PhD which has caused issues, prior to and for a short period after my LOA I was removed from any practical work mostly due to poor concentration. Just recently I took myself out of the lab for a couple of weeks due to elevated mood and the risk of causing damage to the very expensive equipment I use. I'm really missing continuity at the moment, its really frustrating to have ideas of things to do but knowing its not necessarily safe for me to do them.

Thanks for the offer of a chat MDF, I shall take you up on that.

Hello,
I'm in my second year of a PhD and am in the process of getting diagnosed with bipolar. I have had issues with my mood since mid teens but the last 18 months I have spent very little time when i have not been hypomanic or depressed, understandably it is making my PhD more challenging. I'm looking for others that are doing postgraduate courses with mental illness, I have friends that are doing PhD's and I know people (online mostly) with mental health issues but not really any that understand the combination of the two. Feeling rather lost and alone with it all to be honest. Bewildered by constantly trying to make the right decisions for my health and my research when the two things are often contradictory.