"How is your thesis going?”–Ph.D. students’ perspectives on mental health and stress in academia
- 1 in 3 students above depression/anxiety thresholds
- Self-doubt job insecurity = biggest predictors of poor mental health
- Bad supervision significantly worsens well-being
- Part-time work while doing PhD = burnout risk
The PhD mental health crisis isn't about weak students.
It's about systemic problems: exploitative labor conditions, poor supervision, job insecurity, and institutional neglect.
If you're struggling with your PhD, it's not your fault. These are predictable responses to broken systems.