WATSON'S SYNDROME Richard J. Gelles diagnoses and offers treatment for a common affliction of ABD graduate students and other academics without tenure. http://insidehighered.com/workplace/2006/06/19/gelles
I have a friend who has it bad. He did his masters at a large state university, finished up all his coursework for a PhD at same uni, jumped through all the hoops of orals, proposal approval, etc. Did all the research for his dissertation, filled a file cabinet full of notes, did a lot of his own writing for it. Everything ready to go, just had to compile things, polish it up and submit for review. But something happened. His school, a semi-prestigious liberal arts, informed him that his contract was not likely to be renewed; his department had a surplus of professors and dwindling students. However, all not lost, they would be needing an accounting prof in a couple years due to an upcoming retirement. They liked him, they liked him a lot; would he pursue an MBA and CPA certification at school expense? With a wife and kids to support, he gladly said "yes" (but of course, he'd still finish up the PhD in his old field, he was so exquisitely close anyway). He went off to a top-20 MBA program on school's nickle, graduated in 18 mo, got the CPA exam passed, and started his new career with his old school. He would still--of course--get that old PhD finished, most of his colleagues had them, he'd finish his also, whether it was relevant or not to his new field. But with a family, there was never time. He had time to do lots of other things, but not that old dissertation. The file cabinet got dusty. He considered himself "doctor" anyway, he'd really done all the work, hadn't he? He probably didn't let a month or so go by without mentioning the PhD he was "finishing" (even while the fixtures on the file cabinet rusted). He got tenure at his new position; the kids graduated. Now there was ample time. Or maybe not. There were places in the world he'd not yet seen, surely seeing the world was more fulfilling to him and would give him more rich experiences to share with his students that finishing that old PhD--which he was going to finish anyway, in time. Of course, the deadline for finishing came and went. Now, he doesn't let a month go by without mentioning the PhD he never finished. He was a young man when he started, he's now an middle aged to old man facing retirement in a few years. And every once in a while, he talks about entering some PhD program somewhere and finishing unfinished business.
Is this thing called Watson's Syndrome a real psychiatric condition or disease? Or was it just made up?
I checked, and I could not find it in my DSM-IV (Revised). So as far as the behavioral health community is concerned, it must be made up, since you can't assign an Axis designation to it and bill for it!
A friend of mine has this bad. He started a year ahead of me, but decided to completely renovate a new condo he has purchased. Everything from floors to electrical. He still hasn't even done his quals, but I'm doing mine next month.
