Attending Law School while depressed is a horrible idea Forum

[lsdropout]

I'm talking about clinical severe depression. I tried it and failed. I was attending a very good school, but I couldn't concentrate nearly enough to succeed. Also, cold-calling is horrible for someone with severe social anxiety. In college, there are resources to get by, it's not the same in law school. Just a word of warning.

[LeDique]

What resources did you have in college that you don't have in law school?

[BeenDidThat]

I was under the impression that trying to achieve anything while severely clinically depressed is a horrible idea if there's the opportunity to try to achieve it while not severely clinically depressed.

[dextermorgan]

It is extremely hard to achieve anything while suffering from clinical depression. I was under the impression that all law schools connected to regular universities offered the same services (counseling, mental health, etc.) to law students.

[sunynp]

So OP what are you doing about your situation? I think you need to try to take a leave of absence or talk to your dean.

[JamMasterJ]

So OP what are you doing about your situation? I think you need to try to take a leave of absence or talk to your dean.

based on his username, I have a feeling he dropped out

[crossarmant]

I'm suffering from some serious clinical depression and I'm in LS. It's difficult, but I've never let it impact my academics. I think it's really a balance. Some days it'd be overwhelming and I'd have to just hide in my room; you can get your work done, but you don't talk to people. It's intriguing.

All in all, you can do alright with depression in law school, but you have to want to do well despite the otherwise crippling depression and social anxiety.

[Opie]

I'm suffering from some serious clinical depression and I'm in LS. It's difficult, but I've never let it impact my academics. I think it's really a balance. Some days it'd be overwhelming and I'd have to just hide in my room; you can get your work done, but you don't talk to people. It's intriguing.

All in all, you can do alright with depression in law school, but you have to want to do well despite the otherwise crippling depression and social anxiety.

I dated a girl who failed out of undergrad due to her anxiety. I think one serious problem is that a person may miss some classes due to the depression, lethargy, etc. When the person is ready to return, the anxiety kicks in and the person worries about what others will think about them missing class. This causes them to miss more class which makes them depressed because they are failing. It then becomes even harder to go back to class.

[Michaela]

I
All in all, you can do alright with depression in law school, but you have to want to do well despite the otherwise crippling depression and social anxiety.

That's great that you're able to do that, but I suspect many "want to do well" but can't because of their crippling depression.

[TheFutureLawyer]

I was under the impression that trying to achieve anything while severely clinically depressed is a horrible idea if there's the opportunity to try to achieve it while not severely clinically depressed.

had to lol at that.

Seriously though, good luck OP. And would you mind me asking what you're doing or planning on doing?

[cynthia rose]

I'm suffering from some serious clinical depression and I'm in LS. It's difficult, but I've never let it impact my academics. I think it's really a balance. Some days it'd be overwhelming and I'd have to just hide in my room; you can get your work done, but you don't talk to people. It's intriguing.

All in all, you can do alright with depression in law school, but you have to want to do well despite the otherwise crippling depression and social anxiety.

I dated a girl who failed out of undergrad due to her anxiety. I think one serious problem is that a person may miss some classes due to the depression, lethargy, etc. When the person is ready to return, the anxiety kicks in and the person worries about what others will think about them missing class. This causes them to miss more class which makes them depressed because they are failing. It then becomes even harder to go back to class.

Yep. It's a vicious cycle. And I can see why cold-calling would freak one out. That and OCI are the two things I least look forward to.

But I'm also curious as to what resources were available to OP in undergrad that he/she didn't have available in law school. If OP is on medication and/or has a therapist there's no reason that should change in law school, right? Well, if you go to a law school in a new area you have to find a new therapist/psychiatrist and maybe OP didn't do that for certain reasons.

Every person is different though...for some maybe law school + their level of depression and anxiety will ultimately prove to be too overwhelming, but for others they will want it badly enough that they'll force themselves to work through it. I had a nervous breakdown two days before the LSAT but I knew I couldn't go in that Saturday and self-destruct so I forced myself to pull it together...I imagine law school is pretty much going to be like that, only it will be 3 years of intermittently breaking down and pulling it together instead of one week. NBD *shrugs* I guess I have a different perspective though b/c my situation is the inverse of OP's (no resources in college/didn't realize what was wrong with me vs. figuring it out years after graduation and learning how to properly cope without letting my performance in any given area suffer). Not saying I'm going to go in and absolutely crush competition, just that if I do fail at anything I'm not going to let depression be the reason.

[CaptAdams]

I have severe depression and panic and anxiety disorder (my brain hates me). For a long time, I was unable to work and undergrad looked impossible. But I'm a non-traditional student, with great insurance and some money in the bank. So while it was expensive, living, working and going to school with a severe mental illness is totally possible. You need good doctors (plural) and a good support system.

OP, hang in there. You can do it.