Mental health problems have become increasingly prevalent among graduate students, yet they are easily overlooked. I recently read In this commentary, Shorr highlights how he unexpectedly learned that a significant number of graduate students are affected by mental health disorders and in particular, depression. He mentions how he started a graduate student group whose focus was to communicate science in a way that other non-scientists could understand. Through the student group, participants gained better communication skills, confidence and some even experienced renewed interest in their research project. Students also became more excited about graduate school by participating in an open and honest forum. This forum allowed them to share their own struggles in graduate school. Carnegie Melon is not the only institution with this prevalent issue; Shorr also referenced data from the University of California, Berkeley, which uncovered that 47% of UC graduate students screened positive for depression in a self-reported survey. Shorr reported that students listed, “academic disengagement”, or working on problems without clear indicators of progress, was the primary contributor to this finding.
Curious, I reviewed the Berkeley report and another study out of Belgium both of which found also found a high incidence of depression among graduate students. The study from Belgium surveyed approximately 3600 graduate students, and found that at least half experienced at least 2 mental health symptoms. Furthermore, at least one out of three students experienced 4 symptoms of a mental health problem.
Over the past few months, other organizations have also made these findings public (Times Higher Education and Business Insider). However, I have yet to hear of my own university campus addressing the graduate student mental health crisis. One explanation for poor graduate student mental health could be that students experience a lack of certainty about their future careers. This is partly due to the fact that less than 10% of students can secure a tenure track position in academia, yet there is a stigma amongst principal investigators that all students should be pursuing these positions. Supporting this explanation is the observation that, in these studies, students discussed the lack of alternative career support from their academic advisors.
I have talked to several students who have shared their experiences about being bullied by their advisor, suffering from their advisor’s lack of support, and their program’s failure to provide them with the resources they need to succeed. One student recognized the need for help and reached out to the Mental Health Resources available to students. However, only a limited amount of sessions was provided to the graduate student. In contrast, medical students can use this same resource for an unlimited amount of sessions.
All of these facts highlight the need for access to actual systems of support for graduate students which will allow them to succeed. There are many barriers on the road to achieve a PhD, yet the additional burden of mental health disorders puts them at a severe disadvantage. Here are four possible solutions to reducing these barriers.
- Early on in their studies, students should be introduced to the realities of the advisor-advisee relationships. Students should be aware of what is acceptable versus unacceptable in these relationships.
- Train advisors to recognize the behavioral signs and symptoms of mental health disorders.
- Develop and maintain a safe haven for students to voice concerns about the realities of their laboratory environment.
- Offer periodic seminars for students about self care including topics such as sleeping habits, nutrition, and time management.
While mental health problems can be overwhelming in graduate school, it is important that they are addressed. Graduate students should not be afraid to ask for help. To start, here is the contact information for Rutgers Mental Health.
Student Wellness Services
For additional mental health assistance information and who to contact in case of an emergency, please contact the Student Wellness Program.
Newark & Scotch Plains Campuses
Rutgers-University Behavioral HealthCare
Employee Assistance/Student Wellness Program
183 South Orange Avenue, Newark
973-972-5429
New Brunswick/Piscataway Campuses
Rutgers-University Behavioral HealthCare
Employee Assistance/Student Wellness Program
242 Old New Brunswick Road, Piscataway
732-235-5933
Blackwood/Stratford Campus
Rutgers-University Behavioral HealthCare
Employee Assistance/Student Wellness Program
One Echelon Plaza, Suite 101
227 Laurel Road, Voorhees
856-770-5750
EMERGENCIES after 5:00 p.m. & weekends - 1-800-327-3678 Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., evenings by appointment.
*If you want services and none of these times work for you please call the numbers above and make an appointment to see a counselor.