Traditionally, the responsibility found within Professional Freedom & Responsibility refers to academic matters, however one item that may be overlooked and is vital at this moment is the responsibility that we all have to ourselves and each other concerning graduate student mental health and well-being.
Graduate students, upon entering their studies may find that being productive in teaching, research, and coursework, all the while attempting to balance time with family, friends, and significant others, and making ends meet, can be all-encompassing and very stressful. Studies have shown that graduate students are increasingly reporting more instances of emotional and mental health concerns and depression (Levecque, et al., 2017; Evans, et al., 2018), and during this period of the pandemic, this is often correlated with greater instances of financial hardship, a delay in graduation, and departures from graduate programs (Soria, et al, 2020).
So, what signs should you look for, either in yourself or your peers? Academically, anyone who is having issues with concentrating, increasingly delaying the start of assignments or the quality of their work is suffering, might need a helping hand. Behaviorally, those who are more withdrawn, increasingly discouraged, or lack confidence about their progress, more irritable or anxious, have changes in sleeping or eating patterns, might benefit from talking with others about what’s going on in their lives.
As graduate students, things can and will get stressful and the challenges before us are in no short supply. However, let’s remember our responsibility to ourselves and importantly to each other. No one should feel like they are alone or that they can’t get the help they need. Be good to yourself. Additionally, let’s remember to check in on those around us and ensure that everyone is doing as well as possible during this time. Importantly, don’t be afraid to seek out experts in your departments and on your campus that can help you better navigate the twists, turns, and difficulties of graduate student life. Together we can make this experience a positive one — an important responsibility that we all share.
References:
Levecque, K., Anseel, F., De Beuckelaer, A., Van Der Heyden, J., & Gisle, L. (2017). Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students. Research Policy, 46(4), 868–879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.02.008
Soria, K. M, Horgos, B., & McAndrew, M. (2020). Obstacles That May Result in Delayed Degrees for Graduate and Professional Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic. UC Berkeley: Center for Studies in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8d46b49s
Evans, T.M, Bira, L., Gastelum, J.B.,Weiss, L.T & Vanderford, N.L. (2018). Evidence for a mental health crisis in graduate education. Nature Biotechnology, 36(3), 282–284. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.4089
