The EA Mental Health Survey may have involved heavy self-selection for mental health issues, so I would be careful about giving it much weight as representative of the community.
I agree that it seems likely that there were selection effects. However, I’d be surprised if the true proportion is less than 40% (the survey had 71%). I base this on Lynette Bye’s estimate in this footnote and my own anecdotal impressions from FB, conferences, the public discussions around taking anti-depressants, and friend groups. Given the ramifications that this might have in terms of immense loss in instrumental value and needless human suffering, I still think it’s a massive growth area for EA if the community wants to approximate its flourishing state.
To mention but a few of the potential instrumental effects: Organizations not doing what they’re capable of (e.g., due to lack of hope and excitement around the vision and people not being able to work purposefully and productively) and individuals not doing what they’re capable of (e.g., because they are feeling overwhelmed and depressed about the day ahead instead of being excited and on a long-term mission). Also, this might have substantial negative signaling effects for people new to the community as I think EAs might be particularly high on a certain sub-set of unfortunate dynamics (e.g., guilt) while probably being similar to the general population wrt. some conditions (e.g., depression). But I feel this would benefit from being a full post.
The EA Mental Health Survey may have involved heavy self-selection for mental health issues, so I would be careful about giving it much weight as representative of the community.
I agree that it seems likely that there were selection effects. However, I’d be surprised if the true proportion is less than 40% (the survey had 71%). I base this on Lynette Bye’s estimate in this footnote and my own anecdotal impressions from FB, conferences, the public discussions around taking anti-depressants, and friend groups. Given the ramifications that this might have in terms of immense loss in instrumental value and needless human suffering, I still think it’s a massive growth area for EA if the community wants to approximate its flourishing state.
To mention but a few of the potential instrumental effects: Organizations not doing what they’re capable of (e.g., due to lack of hope and excitement around the vision and people not being able to work purposefully and productively) and individuals not doing what they’re capable of (e.g., because they are feeling overwhelmed and depressed about the day ahead instead of being excited and on a long-term mission). Also, this might have substantial negative signaling effects for people new to the community as I think EAs might be particularly high on a certain sub-set of unfortunate dynamics (e.g., guilt) while probably being similar to the general population wrt. some conditions (e.g., depression). But I feel this would benefit from being a full post.