Intrapersonal wellbeing and the academic mental health crisis

By synthesising literature from various studies, this chapter demonstrates that there is currently a mental health crisis in academia. Indeed, the authors highlight that academia has one of the highest incidences of mental illness when compared with other occupations. Furthermore, they discuss the factors that contribute to this mental health crisis, including work demands, the increasing pressure to compete for research funding and publish in high-impact journals, a lack of work–life balance, isolation, career and financial insecurity, interpersonal conflicts, and a lack of support systems. Therefore, the authors highlight the need for strategies that staff and students can incorporate into their own academic journeys to help them foster intrapersonal wellbeing.