Addressing the mental health crisis in Greek academia: Findings from national mixed research

Our recent national study in Greece, part of the transnational research in the framework of the MindGuard project, was focused on the mental health support in Greek academic institutions. It showed that national mental health reforms do not translate effectively into practical support systems for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The study which combined desk research with focus groups and questionnaire distribution demonstrates that Greek academia needs an organized framework to support student and staff mental health.

The results show that academic institutions lack sufficient capacity to deliver effective mental health support to their students and staff. The National Action Plan for Mental Health (2021-2030) and Law 5129/2024 work to modernize and unify services but they focus on community-based and psychiatric care without developing specific preventive measures for HEIs.

The current support systems within universities face multiple obstacles which prevent them from functioning effectively:

• Most participants did not know about any Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) or mental health education programs operating at their institutions. There are student counselling centres throughout universities, but they operate under specific laws to deliver basic services including counselling and psychological support. The services lack proper promotion and sometimes need external funding, creating a gap between academic requirements and service availability.
• Academic staff members experience ongoing emotional strain and exhaustion because of their demanding work environment and strict organizational structure. The strict standards for success and job retention push staff members toward hiding their mental health issues.
• Social stigma makes students hesitant to seek help for their mental health issues.

It seems that the main obstacle to effective mental health support stems from insufficient training and insufficient awareness about available resources.

The academic community needs to develop both technical/ sector-specific skills and interpersonal ones to deliver better support services. The essential competencies for effective intervention include:

1. Knowledge about standard practices, common themes and intervention methods.
2. Skills to identify signs which indicate potential mental health issues.
3. Ability to manage crises and practice active listening, self-awareness and resilience.

The participants agreed that mental health support requires fundamental changes which should focus on prevention and resource distribution, with special attention to two areas:

1. Systemic and strategic schemes – structured plans which focus on prevention and intervention should replace current ad-hoc support systems.
2. Resource and access increase– dedicated funding will enable institutions to provide more support systems which include trained mental health professionals and counseling services. MHFA training should combine classroom instruction for the fundamentals and digital resources for expanded accessibility. Peer support networks and mentoring programs will help create an inclusive environment which reduces stigma while staff members need better work-life balance and reduced workload to achieve well-being.

Overall, Greek academia needs to develop a unified approach which combines training programs with awareness initiatives and structural changes to create an environment that supports every member of the academic community.