The peculiarities of doing a PhD

Back in June 2021 I posted a blog on Rising to the mental health challenges of doing a PhD and how the peculiar circumstances of being a PhD student can affect how you respond to stressful situations. In December 2021 a new report (Hazell et al, 2021 [1]) was published that highlighted once again the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among PhD students in the UK, in line with recent studies in the US, Europe and internationally (e.g. Levecque et al, 2017; Satinsky et al, 2021).

So what's going on? Does it really mean that doing a PhD is bad for your mental health? No, it simply identifies an association between the two, rather than cause and effect.  As I noted in my previous blog (above), it is likely that there is a combination of factors at play, including the possibility that those who not only choose to do a PhD but are able to secure a place and funding to do so are already pushing themselves to the limit. And they probably did so at undergraduate and (if they did one) at Masters beforehand,  to get a first and/or distinction respectively to secure funding. A strong streak of perfectionism is likely to pervade many such applicants (and frequently does in my experience) along with a range of other coping strategies that become increasingly dysfunctional as an academic career progresses. This approach may be less likely among those who do a PhD later in life as they bring experience and skills from the work place enabling a sense of perspective to develop and place the PhD alongside other important personal values, rather than it dominating.

CBH for PhDs

CBH can help enormously with building long-term resilience skills and a healthy outlook on PhD research and beyond. To reinforce this point, I've included below just a couple of testimonials from past PhD clients of mine:

“Bill helped me stay focussed on and in control of my Engineering Doctorate during the pandemic while things looked very uncertain. I continue to benefit from his counsel and the techniques he taught me to this day.”
“It has been a very empowering experience to work with Bill. He is a very empathetic and skilled professional that creates a non-judgmental environment in which you feel comfortable to express yourself. He has helped me to release stress, negative thoughts, to deal with triggers and reduce anxiety, as well as to manage my emotions. I was struggling for years with all of those issues since my past experience with my PhD studies. Today I feel much calmer, in peace, accepting and loving myself more than ever. He gave me tools for life and helped me more than I can express in words. I see him more than a therapist, but a mentor for a healthy and happy life. The impact of his work is visible not just in my own sense of well-being, but also with the well-being of my loved ones since our relationships have improved considerably. Thank you very much for all your help Bill! I am eternally grateful.”

As an academic for over 30 years I've supervised and examined many PhDs across a wide range of topics. A lesson from those years of experience is the need for supervisors to nurture PhD researchers - to support them and to help them discover the joy of curiosity in their research. Too many pressures in universities are focused on outputs and outcomes whereas a PhD requires a focus in the present moment on the process of research. Building confidence as a researcher and in one's own ability is key - trusting yourself and what's important to you and to take control of your own research. To enjoy your research.

One-to-one or Group therapy for PhDs

If you're interested in one-to-one or small-group therapy (of 3-4 clients only) for building resilience skills and long-term well-being as a PhD student then don't hesitate to get in touch. Don't struggle on your own - reach out.

Group therapy involves a shared experience in a short-term programme of typically 4-6 sessions and can be of real value given the common nature of many of the issues that arise with being a PhD/ddooctoral researcher. Special rates are available for PhD group therapy (see Fees). Group sessions take place at fixed periods during the year (ask for more information) and can take place separately from or alongside one-to-one therapy if desired.

Bill Sheate, 8 April 2022

References

Hazell, C.M., Niven, J.E., Chapman, L. et al. Nationwide assessment of the mental health of UK Doctoral Researchers. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 8, 305 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00983-8

Katia Levecque, Frederik Anseel, Alain De Beuckelaer, Johan Van der Heyden, Lydia Gisle, Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students, Research Policy, Volume 46, Issue 4, 2017, Pages 868-879, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.02.008.

Satinsky, E.N., Kimura, T., Kiang, M.V. et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among Ph.D. students. Sci Rep 11, 14370 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93687-7