7 reasons why we get stressed during our PhD
About our “We at the MDC” series
The MDC aspires to provide all employees with an attractive work environment – through an outstanding infrastructure and through collaboration with leading researchers, but also by being a place where tolerance, respect, and good interpersonal relations are paramount. It doesn’t always succeed in equal measure at attaining these aims. Our series introduces you to people who are engaged in this field. It also sheds light on internal processes that seek to ensure a positive organizational culture. And it provides tips for an attentive togetherness.
Read more about the series “We at the MDC”.
PhD students have a 2.43 times higher risk of developing a psychiatric disorder than the rest of the highly educated population. Females and gender-nonconforming PhD students are significantly more likely to experience anxiety than male counterparts, and men are less likely to seek professional or interpersonal help. This has been studied and recognised in the U.S. and Europe with Science and Nature already talking about it.
7 reasons why we get stressed during our PhD:
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Read more on this topic
Take a look at our article Feeling overwhelmed by academia? You are not alone. It summarises advice from several researchers on how to maintain good mental health in the hyper-competitive environment of science.
Or take a look at the Downloadable poster guide: Mental Health During Your PhD
Further information
- The Impostor Phenomenon
- LinkedIn article "How you can use your imposter syndrome to realize your full potential"
- Nature article "Graduate survey: A love-hurt relationship"
- Rand publication "Understanding mental health in the research environment"
- NCA anti bullying document
About the authors
The mental health awareness series was a collective effort to raise awareness and brake the mental health taboo, brought to you by the MDC PhD representatives Laura Breimann (AG Preibisch), Lorena Sofia Lopez Zepeda (AG Ohler), Marta Bastos de Oliveira (AG Gerhardt), with participation of Anita Waltho (AG Sommer), Remo Monti (AG Ohler) and Eric Danner (AG K. Rajewsky).
- The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
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The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) is one of the world’s leading biomedical research institutions. Max Delbrück, a Berlin native, was a Nobel laureate and one of the founders of molecular biology. At the MDC’s locations in Berlin-Buch and Mitte, researchers from some 60 countries analyze the human system – investigating the biological foundations of life from its most elementary building blocks to systems-wide mechanisms. By understanding what regulates or disrupts the dynamic equilibrium in a cell, an organ, or the entire body, we can prevent diseases, diagnose them earlier, and stop their progression with tailored therapies. Patients should benefit as soon as possible from basic research discoveries. The MDC therefore supports spin-off creation and participates in collaborative networks. It works in close partnership with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in the jointly run Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité, and the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK). Founded in 1992, the MDC today employs 1,600 people and is funded 90 percent by the German federal government and 10 percent by the State of Berlin.
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