Beating the Law School Blues
by Ashley Matthews
Does law school have you feeling down?
If so, you’re not alone. According to a recent National Law Journal special report on stressed out students, roughly 40% of law students show signs of depression by their 3L year – surpassing the rate of depression among medical students. Although law school has always had a demanding reputation, the financial pressure to get a job and repay loans in a tough economy has student anxiety at an all-time high.
This upsurge in stress has led to an increase in “wellness” programs at law schools around the country. Whether through on-campus yoga sessions or meditative seminars, these programs offer holistic guidance on coping with stress as a law student.
In addition to information about the wellness trend on law school campuses, the National Law Journal features an article on managing law school workloads and a law school survival guide with advice from “recovering law students”.
There’s help outside the confines of your law school campus as well. The Jed Foundation partnered up with the Dave Nee Foundation – which was created after the 2005 suicide of a Fordham University School of Law student – to launch LawLifeline, a website featuring helpful articles on mental health, and how to combat disorders like depression and anxiety.
Click here to read the full National Law Journal special report!