Breeding ground for burnouts

Despite all sorts of measures, mental health problems seem to be increasing. Among students and employees. What is going on? Is there an epidemic? And what can we do to defeat this ‘many-headed monster’?

If you are reading this, take great care, because universities are a breeding ground for burnouts, as many studies and reports have confirmed in recent years. In this story we list some figures. How high is the workload at Erasmus University? And what is the influence of the loan system on the well-being of students?

The corona crisis has caused a lot of work pressure, both among students and staff. The university is doing all it can to reduce it with all kinds of programmes.

But the interests are regularly at odds: what is stress-reducing for students is increasing it for employees and vice versa.

The Erasmus TV talk show even devoted an entire broadcast to the increased workload among employees.

Media scientist Qiong Gong obtained her PhD on her research into the use of social media in China. As for many PhD students, the last year was very difficult for her.

Clammy hands, trembling, palpitations, a desire to run off and hide. Everyone’s experienced this at one time or other – right before having to defend your thesis, for example, or an important exam. They’re symptoms of stress. But what’s actually going on inside when you’re stressed out, and is it bad for your health?

Together with a philosopher, a psychiatrist and Nina, a student who suffers from depression, we look for causes for psychological problems in the current generation of students.

Year after year, EUR staff members say that the pressure of work is too high. Regardless of which measures are taken, complaints not only persist – they actually become worse. What to do?

A large proportion of PhD students have an increased risk of a burn-out or depression. Since April there is a new psychologist at EUR who is supposed to help PhD students with their psychological problems.

Sophie Schmeets, a former EUR student and Laurentius board member, ended up with a burn-out and became depressed to the point of having thoughts of committing suicide. Now she’s devoting her efforts to breaking the taboo surrounding this issue among students.

At the opening of the Academic Year in September 2019, Erasmus University launched a plan to improve the well-being of its students.

The documentary Stress to Impress was screened at Erasmus Pavilion. This film focuses on subjects like study-related stress and choice overload, dealing with disappointments, and the influence of social media. The conclusion: young people are forced to – and choose to – keep too many balls in the air. Where does this pressure to perform come from, and how are students handling it?

According to new research at the University of Twente, a whopping 80 percent of their students haven minor or serious mental health issues. The researcher warns for selection bias, but is concerned nonetheless.