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Mental health problems are more prevalent today than ever before. According to the charity Mind, 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem this year. While mental health is far more visible in today’s society, individuals who are open about their struggles can still face stigma.

Science is a highly competitive and pressure-filled field. Funding is difficult to secure, job opportunities are limited, and working environments are often isolating and lonely. It can be an overwhelming for many. Taking time off to receive treatment for mental health may seem impossible.

A 2017 Nature study found that 12% of PhD students around the world had struggled with anxiety or depression caused by their studies. A poor relationship with a supervisor, a lack of sense of community or concerns about the future can all contribute to a PhD student or a postdoctoral researcher feeling unable to seek help for the mental health problems they may be suffering from.

The same mental health struggles apply higher up the academic career ladder, as job security and work-life balance become more and more elusive, and the threat of cuts to pay and pensions is often looming.  

Stigma surrounding mental health and various other stressors on people in science create walls that keep science from flourishing, and barriers to giving scientists the support they deserve. This year marks the 30 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. When the world is becoming increasingly obsessed with building them, let’s break down the walls in science!