Prestige and pain? Getting a PhD can also cause mental health problems


By AGENCY

Researchers are warning of the mental health problems associated with a PhD after finding that the longer a person spends on their doctoral project, the more likely they are to take psychiatric medication. — Photos: dpa

The prestige and potential pay that comes with having a PhD can also come with a price, it appears, according to new research showing that doctoral candidates are increasingly resorting to medication to treat mental health problems linked to the degree.

A new analysis of some 20,000 doctoral candidates in Sweden documents "high levels of mental health problems among PhD students," in research serving as a warning to young graduates considering an academic future.

Researchers from Stockholm Business School, Lund University, the University of Gothenburg and the Swedish Institute for Social Research (Sofi) said their conclusions were based on prescriptions for psychiatric medication for Sweden's population of PhD students.

"Following the start of PhD studies, the use of psychiatric medication among PhD students increases substantially," they reported, noting an "upward trend" that results in "a 40% increase by the fifth year compared to pre-PhD levels," following by a "notable decrease in the utilisation of psychiatric medication" once the dissertation is finished.

Psychological health issues have long affected students the world over, according to Ingram.Psychological health issues have long affected students the world over, according to Ingram.

Psychological health issues have long affected students the world over, according to Wendy Ingram, founder of Dragonfly Mental Health, who told the journal Nature that PhD-related stress is "systemic" and has "been plaguing academia for many decades."

And while some doctorates can in time lead to a high-salaried job in academia or in business, many students are increasingly reporting financial struggles and having to do menial part-time work to make ends meet during their studies, which can take five to seven years.

Such struggles are often then followed by several years or more of piecemeal career progression that sees the PhD-qualified work part-time in universities, with tenured positions seemingly a distant prospect.

The findings were published as a "preprint" by the Social Science Research Network and have not yet been reviewed by peers. – dpa

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

stress , mental health

   

Next In Living

How Seoul city's gentrification threatens free meal centre
Heart and Soul: Remembering Lavania Baloo, our bravehearted soul sister
Malaysian chef Linn Yong champions sustainable Sabah ingredients
Heart and Soul: Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, a journey beyond limits
RM1,530 for a coffee? Scottish farm sells Britain's most expensive cup of Joe
Glenfiddich Invites Malaysian Mavericks To Ask Themselves, ‘Where Next?’
Traditional Sabahan recipes get the spotlight at Oitom by chef Raphael Peter Lee
Meet Wanda, the machine that collects and separates trash for recycling
Hide KL takes you on a delicious modern Malaysian odyssey with its latest menu
How these US children with special needs got to 'walk on water'

Others Also Read