Hello! Academic mathematician here. Some thoughts -- - I definitely second the advice to seek the advice of a mental health professional, as well as people in

Hello! Academic mathematician here. Some thoughts -- - I definitely second the advice to seek the advice of a mental health professional, as well as people in the academic program in which you're thinking about enrolling. - There are indeed mental health issues in academia. However, in mathematics at least, most of the students I knew seemed to enjoy their experience. Certainly I did. If you don't want to work in academia, that might help with the mental health issues. A major source of stress is that there are fewer academic jobs available than people who want them. This is something you wouldn't have to worry about. - The finish line will probably be wherever you find yourself in three years. It is typical, and healthy, for PhD students to have tons of goals and to accomplish only a few of them. A good advisor can help you set realistic goals, and help you figure out a timeline for achieving them. - In my opinion, dropping out is okay if that's what you decide to do later. - If you enroll, I'd recommend keeping reasonable hours in the lab (don't work for anyone who expects you to keep insane hours in the lab). Also, the standard advice: eat healthy, get exercise, get outside your university periodically, keep up a hobby or two. Good luck!