Three Ways to Cope With Mental Illness in Grad School
Maintaining good mental health in graduate school can be tough. Stress and anxiety can take hold as we struggle with deadlines and meetings with our advisors. Past trauma can flare up too during high-intensity moments (and every step in between).
discovered that one-third of their PhD students were at risk of having or developing a common psychiatric disorder, such as depression or anxiety. Another study, performed by researchers at , declared a 杏吧专区渃risis杏吧专区 for mental health in graduate schools around the nation, reporting that graduate students are more than six times as likely to experience depression and anxiety as compared to the general population.
Whether you杏吧专区檙e a student or a professor, someone struggling with mental health or not, remember this isn杏吧专区檛 something that affects everyone the same, and many of your colleagues may be dealing with challenges of their own.
While the best piece of advice is to , here are three tips to help you maintain good mental health in grad school.
1. Find a Mentor Who Works With You
In the Nature Biotechnology study, half of the students surveyed already struggling with mental health reported not getting adequate support for their emotional wellbeing from professors and/or advisors. In grad school, a mentor is an incredible ally, but not everyone will find someone who is a perfect fit. And it杏吧专区檚 important to remember that one person cannot be all things. In grad school especially, we need many mentors.
If you杏吧专区檙e struggling to find a mentor on campus, don杏吧专区檛 give up. Expand your search. M, in and out of your field, offer ways for students to find mentors and the support they need to succeed. It may be more electronic than face-to-face, but at least you杏吧专区檒l have someone with experience mentoring who can offer you a more personalized level of emotional and professional support.
2. Balance Your Work and Personal Life
We know 杏吧专区 easier said than done. But a graduate student杏吧专区檚 work-life balance (especially when it杏吧专区檚 more like work/work/work-life balance as you juggle classes, research, work, and your personal life) is crucial. , or you may need some time to center yourself and rethink your priorities.
A bit of self-care can go a long way and, while it may sound like you杏吧专区檙e putting off the work you have to do, a good break can make your work that much more productive 杏吧专区 and help you return to your research and/or writing with a fresh mind that杏吧专区檚 ready to take on any task.
3. Don杏吧专区檛 Ignore the Stress Monster
Stress and graduate school are so commonly discussed together But while stress and anxiety may be an inevitable part of grad school, ignoring the warning signs is all too common 杏吧专区 as we continuously struggle to write one more page, sign up for one more professional development workshop, or do that one extra favor for our colleague we know could take us over the edge.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, if you杏吧专区檙e experiencing any of these warning signs, realize that you need to stop and take note:
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Withdrawal 杏吧专区 Loss of interest in social activities or others
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Drop in functioning 杏吧专区 An unusual drop in functioning at school, work, or social activities
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Problems thinking 杏吧专区 Problems with concentration, memory, or logical thought and speech
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Increased sensitivity 杏吧专区 Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells, or touch
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Apathy 杏吧专区 Loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity
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Feeling disconnected 杏吧专区 A vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one杏吧专区檚 surroundings
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Illogical thinking 杏吧专区 Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal powers to understand meanings or influence events
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Nervousness 杏吧专区 Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling
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Unusual behavior 杏吧专区 Odd, uncharacteristic, or peculiar behavior
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Sleep or appetite changes 杏吧专区 Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care
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Mood changes 杏吧专区 Rapid or dramatic shifts in feelings
If you find you杏吧专区檙e struggling, there are and on campus dedicated to helping students. If you know someone struggling, show empathy and understanding to their situation and offer help them find these resources. We杏吧专区檙e all in this together, and the best thing we can do is to be there for one another every step of the way.
Interested in learning more about promoting positive mental health? on April 11. We杏吧专区檒l be providing a free meal and a good discussion led by the Department of Counselor Education about managing our mental health in grad school and beyond.
