The doctoral period, by its nature, is a demanding stage in academic life that we associate with professional and intellectual development, but also brings with it enormous pressure.
There have been many times that we read alarming headlines aboute suicides in elite universities and research centers of excellence due to the unbearable pressure suffered by those who have decided to give their lives to the search for knowledge.
An analysis carried out in Sweden – which has been echoed by Nature magazine – has shown that doctoral students They face much higher levels of anxiety and pressure than the general population, a trend that has also been observed in Spain.
The Swedish study, conducted between 2006 and 2017, involved more than 20,000 PhDs and provided insightful data on how the demands of this vital period in the life of any scientist affect mental health.
It seems glaringly clear that when doctoral students advance in their thesis projects, there is a considerable increase in the need to access mental health services. By the last years of the doctoral period, between 40 and 50 percent of them needed psychiatric medications, such as antidepressants and sedatives; something that did not happen the year before starting the doctorate.
It is striking that the progressive increase in the use of medications coincides with the period of greatest academic pressure. For those of us who have endured the ordeal I mention, we know what I’m talking about: it’s time to publish, obtain funding, and finally secure a position in the competitive world of academia!
It is evident that high expectations, dependence on supervisors and, in many cases, the loneliness experienced during research The implications of completing a doctorate are determining factors that contribute to mental exhaustion.
On the other hand, according to some global statistics, 58% of doctorates are over 30 years oldindicating that many also face the pressures of adult life. I’m talking to you about family responsibilities and that long etcetera that it means to live. All of this adds another layer of stress to the already demanding academic load.
If we land in Spain, the situation reflects a similar panorama or perhaps slightly worse. It has become clear that Spanish doctoral students also suffer high levels of anxiety and depression. In the 2022-2023 academic year, there were 92,382 people enrolled in doctoral programs in the country5.5% less than in the previous year. However, despite the decline in enrollment, mental health issues remain of great concern.
An interesting fact is that, in our country, only 0.7% of the population between 25 and 64 years old has a doctorate degreea figure lower than the European Union average, which exceeds 1.1%.
This difference may be related, in part, to the high level of demand and the difficulties that we face here to complete this period in an environment that, far from being conducive to personal development, is marked by fierce competition and an underfunding system that I would classify as frustrating.
Surveys, few in number, suggest that levels of Anxiety and depression among doctoral students are higher than in the general population. However, it is unknown whether these mental health problems are more frequent in those who decide the doctorate route than in those with equally demanding occupations, but in private companies.
What is fairly clear is that academic environments, in most cases, encourage a culture of overload and sacrifice thatIn the long run, it is detrimental to the well-being of those who experience it.
Shall we take action on the matter?
At the international level, support programs have been promoted that include early intervention, the creation of support networks among affected people, and a change in academic culture to ensure that doctoral students can achieve academic success without sacrificing their mental health in the process.
Institutions like Dragonfly Mental Health are already working to promote excellent mental health in academia, but it is necessary that these initiatives be expanded and implemented systematically in universities and research centers around the world.
Perhaps it is time for academia to stop ignoring the growing mental health crisis among those trying to wrest secrets from nature. Recognize the importance of a healthy work environmentin which intellectual development goes hand in hand with emotional care, is simply crucial.
In the end, a PhD should not just be an endurance test, but an experience that allows us to grow as people and professionalswithout destroying mental health along the way.