20/05/2025
Caring for academic mental health: Why we need to ACT now
by Claudia I. Iacob, Ph.D. - coordinator of ReACT Project from University of Bucharest
Each year, during the mental health awareness week or month, we’re reminded of the need to talk more openly and act more decisively around mental health. This year’s theme for European Mental Health Week – “Care for mental health, invest in social rights” – resonates with my work. As a clinical psychologist and researcher, I see daily how the academic environment affects mental well-being.
In this brief article, I would like to talk to you about one specific group sometimes overlooked in mental health discussions: researchers and academic professionals. In higher education, we like to celebrate productivity, excellence, and innovation—but at what cost?
Behind every published article, every funded project, and every lecture delivered, there is a human being. One who may be struggling with anxiety, chronic stress, imposter syndrome, burnout, or isolation. These challenges aren’t new. The pressure to publish, secure grants, teach, mentor, and meet administrative expectations often creates a perfect environment for mental health difficulties.
That’s where the comes in. ReACT, short for “Researchers' act: training for psychological flexibility and work-related stress management,” is a European-funded initiative aiming to do something simple but powerful: help researchers take care of their well-being. Not through one-off talks or vague encouragements, but through a scientifically grounded, web-based self-help program focused on psychological flexibility, a core concept in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
As the coordinator of ReACT, I am proud to work side by side with an international team from Romania, Portugal, Turkey, Ukraine, and Sweden. Together, we are building and testing tools for academics to deal with stress, regulate emotions, and improve well-being.
Why is this important for Europe?
Because investing in academic mental health is not just a personal issue—it’s a societal one. Universities are engines of innovation and change. They educate future leaders, generate knowledge, and often influence public policy. If the people doing this vital work are exhausted or stressed, the ripple effects extend far beyond campus walls.
Mental health is a social right. And that means systemic support matters. It means institutions need to recognize the toll that precarious contracts, overwork, and lack of psychological safety can take. It means embedding well-being into organizational cultures, not just individual coping.
That’s also why the doesn’t stop at self-help. Alongside the program, we are developing policy recommendations for higher education institutions. We want to advance recommendations that protect time for rest and recovery, training that builds resilience, and environments where seeking help is not seen as weakness but as wisdom.
So, what can we all do right now?
✅If you’re a researcher: Know that you’re not alone. Talk to colleagues. Seek support. And when it’s ready, I invite you to explore the ReACT e-program.
✅If you’re a university leader: Listen to your staff. Consider the mental health impacts of your policies. Prioritize well-being not just during crises, but every day.
✅If you’re outside academia: Understand that the minds behind scientific discovery and education also need care and compassion.
💜Mental health is everyone’s business—and during this European Mental Health Week, I hope we can all agree: caring for researchers is caring for the future of Europe.🇪🇺
Let’s , together.
🇷🇴Check out here the Romanian version of this piece: https://psihoterapiepsihologie.com/2025/05/18/sa-avem-grija-de-sanatatea-mintala-in-mediul-academic-de-ce-trebuie-sa-actionam-acum/
