Hey y'all, with the generous help of Nightrunner I've put together this thread as a resource for those of you experiencing struggles in the law school environment. This is a safe place where you can post anonymously about issues you're facing as a result of law school. These things include: depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, where to get help on or off-campus.

What is not welcome here: simply complaining about exams, trolling, egging people on to hurt themselves or others.

Resources if you are having thoughts of suicide:
http://www.hopeline.com/ or 1-800-442-HOPE
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ - You can live chat with someone or call 1-800-273-TALK
Call a trusted friend or family member and tell them how you are feeling
Reach out to your law school's wellness center and tell them that the need to see a therapist is urgent
http://www.daveneefoundation.com/ Law student mental health advocacy program

Resources if you feel anxious or depressed:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml - National Institute of Mental Health on anxiety
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml - National Institute of Mental Health on depression
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/anxiety_types_symptoms_treatment.htm - How to tell if you have anxiety and should seek help, including what you can do to help yourself right now
http://www.helpguide.org/topics/depression.htm - The same thing, but for depression
http://www.anxietypanic.com/ - This site has general info and a message board to talk with others who are feeling anxious
http://www.lawyerswithdepression.com/ - Lawyers and other professionals in law-related fields who have experienced depression

I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread - y'all can also feel free to PM me. If I'm not available at that moment and you need to talk, I will find someone who is available and can talk to you.

Everyone who has been in law school has experienced some sort of struggle. You are not alone. Lawyers are highly susceptible to depression and anxiety, and law school can run you into the ground emotionally. Just because these things are true does not make them okay, and it does not have to be your new normal.

Please, if you are having thoughts of suicide, feeling anxious or depressed, seek help right away.

Pink, as always, <3

Tagged.

Came to troll, but this was too nice. Hope it helps who needs it.

Excellent thread, pink! I will also chime in that anyone who is experiencing depression/anxiety (especially panic attacks) in or not in law school can feel free to PM me as well.

Unfortunately, I think most of my anxiety comes not from law school bur rather from the simple fact that I exist.

Thanks for the resources though.

Didn't see this till just now -- what a great thread, Pink (: <3

If anyone wants an internet stranger to vent to, feel free to PM me. Sometimes it's nice to tell all the bullshit in your life to someone who doesn't know you at all: no personal judgments and they'll never know who you actually are. ^_^

Is this the thread we poast in if we need support for poasting on TLS too much?

Srsly though law school is soul crushing and pink is the best

Sorry that was such a law student thing to say.

Why we poast - The principles of Law School Pursuit:

1. Except for a few esteemed law schools, only 5 to 10% of law students will get Biglaw and make a six figure salary starting out.
2. Most law students will have large student loans upon graduation.
3. Law studendts below the top 33% will have a tough time finding decent private practice jobs and those at 50% and below have no chance.
4. Some law students will be inspired to do public interest or not for profit work.
5. Some law students will fade away to be forgotten and hopefully can use some law school training in their non-legal job.
6. The law schools led many law students down a prim rose path and some say the law students should have known better, but the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Soul crushing, yes. Worth it, depends. Are law students better for law school, probably for at least half of the law students in the long run. Does poasting about it make law students feel better - absolutely.

Just a bump to let y'all know I still check this and all my PMs. Thanks for making this effort a success thus far

I wish I had never come to law school. I should have become a dentist.

SPAM

If anybody needs someone to talk to, I'm here as well to offer support! Feel free to PM me whenever.

What a great idea.. Should there be an anon feature for those that want to post but don't feel comfortable doing so? ( and misusing it results in a long ban)?

I wish there was! I welcome PMs and no user information is ever posted anywhere.

I just want to mention that a family member of mine committed suicide about two years ago. She was really just going through a rough time but seemed to be improving. Anyway, we all firmly believe that if she could have been helped through her issues then, she would still be alive. My family and her two kids may never recover from losing her. And she is missing out on seeing her beautiful and talented kids grow up.

So I guess I want to remind people that they should reach out for help when they need it and make sure to tell someone how you really feel. When you are deeply depressed you may not realize how many people care about you and what you will be missing. Just don't give up.

I'm glad this thread is there to help people. The insane stress law school creates between money and grades and jobs is too much for almost everyone to handle alone. If you need help, don't be afraid to ask.

I'm very sorry for your loss. It's tough to know when someone needs help, especially since it can be easy to hide. I hope your family remembers her with fondness.

I seriously seriously love you (even though you are an internet stranger basically :-p) I am going to be taking you up on all this. xoxoxoxo

p.s. anyone who wants to talk about stuff, please PM me too. I have run the gamut of experiencing problems of the anxiety and depression sort from mentoring, personal, and secondhand perspectives, and would love to be a safe-to-vent-to person for all y'all.

Thanks. We love her and try not to blame ourselves too much. But it can be mystifying because it is hard to imagine the terrible mental distress she was in, and yet hiding it so well.

That is why I posted - to perhaps help someone else ask for help when they need it. You don't have to pretend that everything is fine when it isn't fine. But if you get help, you can get through whatever it is that you are dealing with.

I wanted people to remember that there are people who care deeply about them, even though at that time of deep depression, they might not feel that their life matters very much at all.

( hope that wasn't over sharing)

If this is towards me - I love you back! And your cats.

If I am ever overwhelmed with PMs, I promise to refer people to y'all. Fortunately, that has not yet happened.

<3