A very common myth is that you will, inevitably, become stressed or mentally ill during your studies. The myth states that postgraduate research is inevitably stressful and will inevitably take a toll on your mental health. It is just part of being a PGR student and you have to accept it. This is also becoming more common within wider academia.
The danger of this myth is that if you accept it, it actually becomes more likely that you will become stressed and/or ill. Our beliefs influence what we pay attention to, how we feel and how we behave. If you believe that doing a postgraduate research degree makes you ill, you will probably pay more attention to the negative aspects of being a PGR student, adopt behaviours that increase the likelihood of becoming ill and find that you are more prone to feeling anxious or down. It can also persuade you that behaviours that might improve your wellbeing are unnecessary or frivolous and therefore, the myth can create a barrier to good wellbeing.
Give yourself permission to enjoy your research, to maintain your wellbeing and to take care of yourself. Reject the myth that becoming stressed and ill is somehow a good thing. Embrace the idea of being a flourishing, well and productive student and researcher and this will make it easier for you to take care of yourself and make better informed decisions about what you need to be well and produce good research.
Source
Summarised from 'The Wellbeing Thesis' - An online resource for postgraduate research students to support your wellbeing, learning and research - https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/