Last Tuesday was World Mental Health Day. Social media was alive with stories and tweets to raise awareness, and people from all walks of life were sharing their experiences. I personally happen to follow many great bloggers and PhD students, in my little academic bubble, that are open about the still fairly taboo subject of mental health in academia. In this bubble of researchers and academics one feels understood and extremely supported. But outside of this, many students often don’t. This is the thing - we are all living in our own bubble, which makes it so hard to relate to each other during the down times.
Being labelled as a PhD student, it’s easy to assume that things are just ‘not that hard’; people are bemused that a student researcher may be stressed or struggling. Many people are completely unaware of this, and having been to University as a ‘Fresher’ assume that it follows the same format and carries the same expectations as an undergraduate course. It’s easy to look down from high powered positions, or proper jobs, and assume that research comes with no pressure or consequences attached. On the flip side there’s ‘a PhD is supposed to be hard, you just have to work through it’. And yes, the actual work is hard, but I don’t believe the journey should have to be. Of course, all jobs come with their own stresses and demands, but ‘PhD life’ is just very different.
For context, new research has shown that mental health problems are more common among PhD students than in all other highly educated populations, and over half of students experience psychological distress. Additionally, around a third of students experience common psychiatric disorders. As the work of every PhD student contributes to global scientific advancement, and that high dropout rates (often resulting from mental health issues) cost institutions and the research industry a large amount, it is pivotal that these figures are improved.
Firstly, let’s talk practicalities. Not all students receive funding for their research. For many PhD students, there is a huuuuge financial burden. Many must work multiple jobs, painstakingly apply for funding, depend on other family members, or take on extra paid commitments.
As well as this, a PhD is not just a 9 to 5 job. For various reasons, many students must work difficult patterns and it is not unheard of for students to go through periods of working day and night, at the office, the lab, or at home. This ever-changing pattern means some students really struggle with holding down a routine, which has a ripple effect on many other aspects of their life (personal relationships, sleep, eating).
There is literally no end to the work that can be done during a PhD that can lead to work overload. There is always something more to do, and it feels like no task can ever be considered finished - one step forward, two steps back. Every answer leads to two more questions. Also, some students find the very nature of chipping away at one large problem for years without seeing a finished project maddening.
Students must learn the majority of techniques or methods by themselves which can be a huge task, and many students can feel very lost or overwhelmed when attempting to learn something new from scratch. Not only must students take responsibility to learn new things and solve EXTREMELY difficult problems daily (don’t forget, no one has ever done your exact research before), but many must manage a tight budget too, as well as juggling teaching duties and supervising undergraduate students.
And, whilst you’re managing this budget, there is the possibility of getting ‘scooped’ by larger and ‘richer’ groups who essentially, end up doing and publishing your work but faster and better. This comes as a shock to most people who have never experienced academia, but academia is fiercely competitive (watch your back at a conference!) and considering the nature of research can be a very slow process for smaller groups, students can feel constantly against the clock which can inhibit the fun of making cool discoveries. With this work overload and pressure comes loneliness and isolation - a PhD can be a very lonely journey as the majority of work is independent.
Worry, guilt and self-doubt seem to slowly burn throughout the progression of a PhD, making it an extremely emotionally challenging time. There is always that worry that you’ve done something wrong, always the guilt that you’re not doing enough, and always the self-doubt telling you you’re an imposter (everyone thinks you’re smart, but actually you’re totally clueless). On top of this, peaks of intense frustration cycle constantly when you’re experiencing failure after failure when data collecting or in the lab. Progression is rarely measured by grades, appraisals, or ‘hitting targets’ which can leave a student feeling like they’re relentlessly working whilst floating in limbo. These things accumulate and can have a negative effect on work output as well as physical health, which guess what, makes you feel MORE GUILTY.
It’s not all doom and gloom though, and there are some amazing positives about doing a PhD, but that doesn’t mean that it is easy to ‘look on the bright side’ when you’re in the depths of despair. Research can be SO rewarding - you’re going to make an impact to the world by contributing something new and exciting, no matter how big or small. Personally, I feel so lucky to have been given this opportunity by my University, and to have been provided with a great support system - but not all students are as lucky, or as able to seek help. The aim of this article was to raise awareness and illustrate the scope of what people go through in all academic fields whilst studying a PhD, or whilst struggling in silence. In turn, hopefully this will help friends or family to understand, or take action to help and support a student in need, and overall have a positive impact on the mental health of PhD students.
Being labelled as a PhD student, it’s easy to assume that things are just ‘not that hard’; people are bemused that a student researcher may be stressed or struggling. Many people are completely unaware of this, and having been to University as a ‘Fresher’ assume that it follows the same format and carries the same expectations as an undergraduate course. It’s easy to look down from high powered positions, or proper jobs, and assume that research comes with no pressure or consequences attached. On the flip side there’s ‘a PhD is supposed to be hard, you just have to work through it’. And yes, the actual work is hard, but I don’t believe the journey should have to be. Of course, all jobs come with their own stresses and demands, but ‘PhD life’ is just very different.
For context, new research has shown that mental health problems are more common among PhD students than in all other highly educated populations, and over half of students experience psychological distress. Additionally, around a third of students experience common psychiatric disorders. As the work of every PhD student contributes to global scientific advancement, and that high dropout rates (often resulting from mental health issues) cost institutions and the research industry a large amount, it is pivotal that these figures are improved.
But why are mental health problems becoming more common among PhD students?
Life
Firstly, let’s talk practicalities. Not all students receive funding for their research. For many PhD students, there is a huuuuge financial burden. Many must work multiple jobs, painstakingly apply for funding, depend on other family members, or take on extra paid commitments.
As well as this, a PhD is not just a 9 to 5 job. For various reasons, many students must work difficult patterns and it is not unheard of for students to go through periods of working day and night, at the office, the lab, or at home. This ever-changing pattern means some students really struggle with holding down a routine, which has a ripple effect on many other aspects of their life (personal relationships, sleep, eating).
Work
There is literally no end to the work that can be done during a PhD that can lead to work overload. There is always something more to do, and it feels like no task can ever be considered finished - one step forward, two steps back. Every answer leads to two more questions. Also, some students find the very nature of chipping away at one large problem for years without seeing a finished project maddening.
Students must learn the majority of techniques or methods by themselves which can be a huge task, and many students can feel very lost or overwhelmed when attempting to learn something new from scratch. Not only must students take responsibility to learn new things and solve EXTREMELY difficult problems daily (don’t forget, no one has ever done your exact research before), but many must manage a tight budget too, as well as juggling teaching duties and supervising undergraduate students.
And, whilst you’re managing this budget, there is the possibility of getting ‘scooped’ by larger and ‘richer’ groups who essentially, end up doing and publishing your work but faster and better. This comes as a shock to most people who have never experienced academia, but academia is fiercely competitive (watch your back at a conference!) and considering the nature of research can be a very slow process for smaller groups, students can feel constantly against the clock which can inhibit the fun of making cool discoveries. With this work overload and pressure comes loneliness and isolation - a PhD can be a very lonely journey as the majority of work is independent.
Mental Health
Worry, guilt and self-doubt seem to slowly burn throughout the progression of a PhD, making it an extremely emotionally challenging time. There is always that worry that you’ve done something wrong, always the guilt that you’re not doing enough, and always the self-doubt telling you you’re an imposter (everyone thinks you’re smart, but actually you’re totally clueless). On top of this, peaks of intense frustration cycle constantly when you’re experiencing failure after failure when data collecting or in the lab. Progression is rarely measured by grades, appraisals, or ‘hitting targets’ which can leave a student feeling like they’re relentlessly working whilst floating in limbo. These things accumulate and can have a negative effect on work output as well as physical health, which guess what, makes you feel MORE GUILTY.
It’s not all doom and gloom though, and there are some amazing positives about doing a PhD, but that doesn’t mean that it is easy to ‘look on the bright side’ when you’re in the depths of despair. Research can be SO rewarding - you’re going to make an impact to the world by contributing something new and exciting, no matter how big or small. Personally, I feel so lucky to have been given this opportunity by my University, and to have been provided with a great support system - but not all students are as lucky, or as able to seek help. The aim of this article was to raise awareness and illustrate the scope of what people go through in all academic fields whilst studying a PhD, or whilst struggling in silence. In turn, hopefully this will help friends or family to understand, or take action to help and support a student in need, and overall have a positive impact on the mental health of PhD students.
Sources and further reading:
Hi! Thanks for the post. Do you have any advice for how to prepare to be a PhD student for prospective students? Since being a PhD student is so demanding, I was wondering if you had any tips to make the transition easier. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for your comment! This would make a great blog post actually, I'll get writing and get it up for you in a few weeks if that helps? :)
DeleteThank you so much!
ReplyDelete