PhD students six times more likely to experience depression: Study

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Einstein Center for Neuroscience
15 May 15:09

Results from a study conducted by the Einstein Center showed that female PhD and graduate students were more likely to suffer from such symptoms than males.

A man sits hunched over on a staircase in Tokyo, November 17, 2008. (Reuters)

Graduate and PhD students are six times more likely to experience signs of depression and anxiety, a study conducted by the Einstein Center reveals.

Results from a study conducted by Evans & al. indicate that the prevalence of moderate-to-severe depression in PhD students is considerably high, with 39 percent of surveyed trainees reporting symptoms of depression.

Results further showed that female PhD and graduate students were more likely to suffer from such symptoms than males.

Among the main symptoms that were reported by PhD students include Impostor Syndrome.

Impostor syndrome involves a complex system of attitudes and belief systems built on self-doubt and feelings of incompetence.

People who experience this condition often report a failure of internalizing successes. They also report feelings of fraudulence, something that is prevalent among high-achieving women.

There is often a sense of unworthiness that comes with the praise they receive, regardless of the achievements and accolades they receive.

The second most reported symptom is that of depression, a highly prevalent mental disorder that 11-20 percent of the world's population are or will experience at some point in their life.

Symptoms are often accompanied by lack of or excessive sleep, lack of or excessive appetite, and problems with concentration even after the bare effort is invested.

The third symptom is anxiety. Anxiety is defined as being a human response to any kind of threat. It is often associated with feelings of worry, uneasiness, tension, and fear.

Anxiety is often triggered by particular stressful events such as writing an exam or defending a thesis.

When anxiety is prolonged over a long period of time, it can lead to a series of serious physical disorders, including sweaty palms, irritable bowel syndrome, and irregular heart beats.

In short, the stress that comes with academic requirements can have a tremendous impact on a graduate student or PhD candidate's physical and mental well-being, which is why governments need to further invest in public resources for easing tension and treating depression in trainees, so they may access these facilities and services when required.