u/Lla723a

I'm 5 months into 9 months of ethnographic fieldwork in a city abroad--at the 7 month mark, I switch to a rural community as my field site (note, my language skills are elementary). I have a history of depression, and in the past two months, my mental health took a sharp decline. I'm doing tele-therapy but am really not feeling well. I told my advisor and he told me to push through. I said I was nervous to move from the city to a remote village for 3 months because I'll be cut off from people and my support system (no internet, poor service) and he said that could be a good thing because having too much access to our family and friends can prevent us from getting to know the people around us and integrating as an anthropologist.

I can't tell if I'm being gaslit, but if i'm too depressed to leave my room, I'm certainly not making small talk with strangers in a village where I don't speak the language. I really want to finish this fieldwork, but I am barely able to leave my apartment. It's left me feeling very unsupported and trapped here--as if leaving if I needed to isn't a possibility, because if it was, my advisor surely would have mentioned it when I asked for help.

Does anyone have any experience navigating mental health issues during fieldwork--or an advisor unsupportive of these issues?

Are there (past or present) any peoples or cultural practices we're aware of that involve communicating with the dead in some way? Whether via shamanism, object worship, or some other practice? In a notably active, dialogic way?

I'm an American Anthropology PhD student abroad, 4 months into ethnographic fieldwork (out of a year total). I've sunk into a depression (seeing a therapist) but more critically, have lost sight of my passion for my research--don't really feel interested in it at all. I feel lost about what career I want after the program, not to mention what options even exist in the current political climate in the US. I just don't...care. I don't feel curious. I feel lost.

Is this a me problem, or is this a WE problem (ethnographers, that is)?

Anthropology PhD student doing 9 months of fieldwork abroad; I took a 1-week (scuba diving) trip 2 months ago, and I have 8 weeks left before I move to a more remote location for the rest of my time and won't be able to travel. My day-to-day is very basic--I go to museums, talk to people (informal conversations), the occasional formal interview, and regular language classes.

TLDR; I'm considering taking a 1 week scuba diving trip to my dream destination, where, I'll admit, I've been before 10 years ago. I feel guilty for leaving my field site but part of me feels like...when will I be in this part of the world again, and there are no tangible consequences.