Astrid Müller
Mental health disorders: prevalent but widely ignored in academia?
considering one six persons worldwide experienced mental disorder within past 12 months bearing mind onethird adults suffer clinically manifest mental disorder lifetime steel et al 2014 every one us likely regularly contact people mental health problems hold true academic population possible mental disorders anxiety depressive substance use related disorders even common among scientists general population still widely ignored answer questions yes implications taken consideration mental disorder behavioural psychological syndrome pattern occurs individual characterized following facts causes clinically significant distress andor impairments one important areas functioning merely expectable response common stressors losses reflects underlying psychobiological dysfunction solely result social deviance conflicts society diagnostic validity using one sets diagnostic validators clinical utility stein et al 2010 apa 2013 2019 world mental health wmh representative community surveys provide information regarding prevalence common mental disorders surveys carried world health organization many countries throughout world using fullystructured research diagnostic interview generate diagnoses mental disorders based international classification diseases icd 2019 diagnostic statistical manual mental disorders dsm apa 2013 according surveys general population frequent mental disorders anxiety mood disorders depression lifetime prevalence rates averaging approximately 16 12months prevalence 11 anxiety disorders 12 12months prevalence 6 mood disorders kessler et al 2009 metaanalysis suggests populationbased lifetime 12month prevalence estimates least one mental disorder 29 18 respectively steel et al 2014 authors argue mental health problems academia widespread constitute invisible crisis price et al 2017 bira et al 2019 point view may reflect anecdotal evidence life experiences knowledge limited systematic empirical research concerning mental health issues postdoctoral researchers research teaching fellows professors however studies involving college university graduate students brought heightened awareness attention topic rosenthal okie 2005 findings largescale wmh surveys 1572 college students across 21 countries indicated onefifth sample suffered least one mental disorder year prior assessment assessed mood disorders anxiety disorders posttraumatic stress disorder disruptive behaviour disorders attentiondeficithyperactivity disorder substance use disorders auerbach et al 2016 noteworthy prevalence rates exceed reported two control groups nonstudents age range specifically participants recently left college without graduating n 702 prevalence 250 nonstudents n 3476 prevalence 214 auerbach et al 2016 across groups anxiety disorders prevalent mental illnesses followed mood substance use disorders findings wmh international college student project indicate somewhat higher prevalence estimates among first year students n 13984 19 colleges across eight countries onethird screened positive least one 12month mental disorder commonly depression found 185 participants auerbach et al 2018 depression characterized variety symptoms reduce ability meet study work commitments involving feelings sadness guilt hopelessness worthlessness lack interest activities enjoyed fatigue diminished ability think concentrate andor indecisiveness apa 2013 according wmh college student project one three students depression received mental health treatment bruffaerts et al 2019 worrisome given apart symptoms mentioned thoughts death fear dying selfharm suicidal ideation suicide attempts common episodes depression apa 2013 terms university students junior researchers accumulating evidence relatively high prevalence mental disorders population including medical students rosenthal okie 2005 levecque et al 2017 pacheco et al 2017 zeng et al 2019 flemish study investigated 3659 graduate students enrolled phd programme using validated selfrating questionnaires roughly onethird participants identified risk developing mental disorder especially depression levecque et al 2017 estimate 24 times higher phd students compared highly educated individuals general population 28 times higher compared highly educated employees 18 times higher compared higher education students levecque et al 2017 recent questionnairebased online survey 2279 graduate students 90 phd students 10 masters students 26 countries 234 institutions suggests increased propensity towards anxiety 41 depressive disorders 39 graduate trainee community would higher general population evans et al 2018 study showed participants scored questionnaire thresholds anxiety andor depressive disorder often disagreed statements good worklife balance evaluated relationship support principal investigators supervisors harshly participants low anxietydepression scores evans et al 2018 worth noting findings interpreted caution convenience nonrepresentative sample potential selection bias lack control group use selfratings instead structured clinical interviews conducted mental health experts duffy et al 2019 findings reported point need better understanding mental health problems among academics usually high workload often associated externally prescribed deadlines competition research resources uncertain job prospects adverse impact mental health problems may aggravated poor management practice well insufficient recognition reward gillespie et al 2001 besides possibly disadvantageous academic conditions variables might contribute mental health problems among certain subpopulations example cannot exclude possibility people seek academic career particularly vulnerable developing mental health problems vice versa scientists may possess certain personality features eg openness selfdirectedness may increase resilience protect mental health conditions sato 2016 unfortunately relative dearth research mental health among senior researchers knowing graduate students appear increased risk poor mental health one could assume senior researchers affected similar manner however could also scientists later career stages less affected junior researchers due benefits positions higher level independence job security etc maybe resilient one likely one reach level senior researcher however reasoning remains speculative due lack empirical data relationships mental health favourable unfavourable academic conditions still understudied major problem people mental disorders suffer silence may conceal hide mental health problems others anticipated stigma discrimination potential damage careers concerns confidentiality consequence persisting negative attitudes towards persons mental disorders including inappropriate beliefs causes mental illnesses wynaden et al 2014 negative attitudes often related insufficient literacy topic thanks greater public awareness stigma surrounding mental disorders depression gradually decreasing recent decades despite progress mental health problems still frequently seen weakness lack willpower rather illness odd mental disorders regarded manner somatic disorders would appear easier openly talk cancer depression person afflicted selfstigma hampers early diagnosis appropriate treatment result terrible consequences essential become open reflect honestly regardless whether selfidentify affected mental health problems combat stigma around psychiatric disorders academic settings paying attention possible mental health problems might several reasons uncharacteristically poor work performance student colleague cyclic lack responses emails unexplained nonattendance sudden indecisiveness unreliability etc mental health problems may constitute potential reason overestimated taken account perpetuating negative attitudes towards poor mental health making derogatory comments spreading rumours suspected mental issues colleague maintaining dont ask dont tell culture appropriate instead raise awareness increase mental health literacy listen speak seek offerpoint help reduce attitudinal barriers campus better recognize deal mental health problems academics