W A N T E D:
Anecdotes from Cal Graduate Students

The Graduate Assembly's Mental Health Task Force is working to assess the quality of campus mental health services and improve resources for graduate students.
 
To convince the University that medical care and mental health services are important for graduate students' academic performance and progress, we're asking graduate students to share their stories with us.
 
Please send us your anecdotes about depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns— and how your ability to teach, research, and cope with Berkeley's competitive academic environment has been impacted. You can also share stories about friends and colleagues you've been concerned about. See below for more examples.
 
Especially in times of UC budget cuts, we need to make sure that mental health resources are considered a priority.

We've set up this anonymous form, allowing you to share any relevant experiences with us without sharing personal information. Unless you specifically give us permission to use your name, and then include it in your anecdote below, we will not know who you are. However, it would help us to know your department and your year.

Dept (Optional):    
Year (Optional):    

 
Anecdote:    
Please include your email address if you'd like us to contact you.

 


 
According to the US Department of Health & Human Services:
 
Mental health is a state of successful mental functioning— resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.
 
Mental health is indispensable to personal well-being, interpersonal relationships, and one’s contribution to society.
 

Your anecdotes might include...
 
University health or support services that have helped you or your colleagues, and how they helped.
 
An episode of depression experienced by you or a friend, and how work quality suffered as a result.
 
Resources found or wanted when dealing with a negative relationship with a mentor.
 
Needing to pay for expensive off-campus health care.
 
A decision to leave Cal because of mental health concerns.
 
If you attempted suicide or know a colleague who attempted suicide.
 
Knowing a student who died from a suicide.