A new study found that graduate students are six times more likely to exhibit depression symptoms than the general population. The findings should surprise no one but it’s important to have quantitative¹ data about a mental health hazard running rampant² in universities across the entire world. Such data “should prompt academia and policymakers to consider intervention³ strategies,” the authors wrote in the journal Nature.

一项新研究发现，研究生出现抑郁症状的概率是普通人群的六倍。虽然这不算出乎意料的发现，但抑郁症在世界各地的大学肆虐，收集相关数据资料十分重要。研究作者在《自然》杂志上写道，这些数据“应该促使学术界和政策制定者思考干预策略”。

Researchers led by Teresa Evans, a neuroscientist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, surveyed 2,279 students in 26 different countries, 70% of whom were female, 28% male, and 2% transgender. The fields of study involved were 56% humanities and 38% physical sciences. Approximately 40% of the respondents scored moderate to severe for anxiety. Nearly 40 percent of respondents also showed signs of moderate to severe depression.

德州大学圣安东尼奥分校健康科学中心神经学家特蕾莎•伊万斯带领的研究团队对26个国家的2279名学生做了调查，其中70%受访者为女性，28%为男性，2%为变性者。调查涉及的学科有56%是文科，38%是理科。在受访者中，40%左右的人出现了中度至重度焦虑症状，近40%的人还出现了中度至重度抑郁。

Consistent with previous research on non-student populations, transgender and gender-nonconforming graduate students, along with women, were more likely to experience anxiety and depression than their cisgender male counterparts. The prevalence of anxiety and depression in transgender or gender-nonconforming graduate students was 55% and 57%, respectively. Among cis students, 43% of women had anxiety and 41% were depressed⁴. That’s compared to 34% of cis men reporting symptoms of anxiety and 35% showing signs of depression.

与之前对非学生群体的调查结果相一致的是，变性者、性别认识不清者和女性比顺性别男性更容易焦虑和抑郁。变性者和性别认识不清者感到焦虑抑郁的概率分别是55%和57%。在顺性别学生中，43%的女性感到焦虑，41%的女性感到抑郁。相比之下，34%的顺性别男性出现焦虑症状，35%的顺性别男性出现抑郁症状。

These incredibly high rates of anxiety and depression, when compared to the general population, are alarming and should serve as a wakeup call for the academia, Evans says.

伊万斯称，这样的概率比普通人群要高得多，学术界应该敲响警钟。

It’s not hard to understand why life as a Ph.D. student can literally⁵ drive some people crazy. Long hours, social isolation⁶, and feelings of inadequacy⁷ can break even the most motivated persons among us. Top it all off with a generous topping of impostor syndrome⁸, and when this situation persists, the anxiety and depression can become chronic⁹.

读研的日子能把人逼疯，这点不难理解。漫漫长日、脱离社会和力不从心感，甚至可以让我们身边最积极的人崩溃。最终你开始不断自我怀疑，长此以往，焦虑和抑郁可能会难以治愈。

One obvious solution is improving the work-life balance among graduate students. Of the graduate students who experienced moderate to severe anxiety, 56% did not agree that their work-life balance was ‘good’, versus¹⁰ 24% who did. Among graduate students with depression, more than half (55%) did not agree with the statement (21% agreed).

最直接的解决办法是改善研究生的工作生活平衡。在感到中度至重度焦虑的研究生中，有56%的人认为自己不能“很好”地维持工作与生活的平衡，有24%的人认为两者很平衡。而在感到抑郁的研究生中，超过55%的人认为不能维持工作和生活的平衡（21%的人认为能维持平衡）。

Proper mentorship is another aspect that can impact a graduate student’s mental health. Among the respondents with anxiety or depression, only half agreed that their immediate¹² mentors¹¹ provided “real” mentorship.

与导师的良好关系也是影响研究生心理健康的一个因素。在出现焦虑和抑郁的受访者中，只有一半人认为直系导师为他们提供了“真正”的指导。

Evans and colleagues wrote in their study that one important study limitation is that students suffering from anxiety and depression may be biased¹³, in the sense that they are particularly motivated to take part in the survey. This may have skewed the results but even if only one in four grad students is depressed, that’s still a clear sign that something is wrong. She adds that universities need to recognize the problem and provide students with the necessary training and support in order to help them manage their time and cope with stress.

伊万斯和同事在研究论文中指出，该研究最大的局限是，焦虑和抑郁的学生可能会更愿意参加此次调查，导致结果出现偏差。但即使只有四分之一的研究生抑郁了，仍然说明学术界明显存在问题。她认为大学应该重视这个问题，为学生提供必要的培训和支持，帮助他们管理时间，应对压力。

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