For many, the doctoral and postdoctoral phase is an intense period that comes with a wide range of demands and can therefore lead to an increased risk of mental illness. Typical and widespread strains in this group of researchers include stress, high pressure to perform, social isolation, career uncertainty, and sometimes precarious employment and funding situations. We would like to draw attention to this and highlight the support and assistance available.
From 2 to 4 December, the Mental Health Awareness Days for doctoral researchers and postdocs will again take place at Leipzig university, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ).
Workshops, lectures and networking opportunities are intended to sensitise people to the topic, open up support options and strengthen their own options for action. Interested parties can learn how to ease stressful situations, avoid psychological strain and strengthen their own resilience in the predominantly online programmes.
This year, registration is required for all events. All interested parties are warmly invited to attend.
“However, the days can only be an impetus to sensitise people to thetopic and point out contact points for those seeking help. Structural problems in the doctoral and postdoctoral phase cannot be eliminated through mindfulness and meditation”, says Dr Kornelia Ehrlich, Managing Director of the Graduate Academy Leipzig, which is co-organising the Mental Health Awareness Days. The university's central institution for doctoral researchers and early postdocs is committed to quality assurance in doctoral research, for example by establishing supervision agreements. Mental health is an important topic on its agenda.