coping with depression before law school starts Forum

[diane23]

what to do? the depression has nothing to do with fear of my abilities or the legal economy - just getting out of a long relationship coupled with moving to a new place.

i thought about seeing a counselor but recently heard that even your medical stuff gets looked at by the state bar. because i have some c&f issues, i would be scared of being labeled bipolar or something.

i thought i'd shake out of this funk like i normally do 3 weeks ago but it hasn't happened and now i'm 1 week away from school w/ first day assignments to do and haven't ordered books yet. forecast is gloomy.

[cofc2008]

what to do? the depression has nothing to do with fear of my abilities or the legal economy - just getting out of a long relationship coupled with moving to a new place.

i thought about seeing a counselor but recently heard that even your medical stuff gets looked at by the state bar. because i have some c&f issues, i would be scared of being labeled bipolar or something.

i thought i'd shake out of this funk like i normally do 3 weeks ago but it hasn't happened and now i'm 1 week away from school w/ first day assignments to do and haven't ordered books yet. forecast is gloomy.

Go see a counselor. No one will fault you for accepting that you are depressed and seeking help with it. I struggled with it for the better part of a decade. It dragged me down in everything I did in life and contributed to some serious failures on my record.

You need to try and beat this thing before it becomes worse than you can handle.

[Yeshia90]

I really can't help beyond telling you that seeking out a professional really helped me with the same problem a few years back, but if any state bar would fail you because you went to a therapist, that's seriously fucked.

[WhoIsDonDraper]

what to do? the depression has nothing to do with fear of my abilities or the legal economy - just getting out of a long relationship coupled with moving to a new place.

i thought about seeing a counselor but recently heard that even your medical stuff gets looked at by the state bar. because i have some c&f issues, i would be scared of being labeled bipolar or something.

i thought i'd shake out of this funk like i normally do 3 weeks ago but it hasn't happened and now i'm 1 week away from school w/ first day assignments to do and haven't ordered books yet. forecast is gloomy.

Breaking up is the devil, I feel your pain. Go talk to someone, anyone who is not a friend or family member. Listening to someone's advice when they don't have any direct involvement in your life is a huge help.

[NoleinNY]

what to do? the depression has nothing to do with fear of my abilities or the legal economy - just getting out of a long relationship coupled with moving to a new place.

i thought about seeing a counselor but recently heard that even your medical stuff gets looked at by the state bar. because i have some c&f issues, i would be scared of being labeled bipolar or something.

i thought i'd shake out of this funk like i normally do 3 weeks ago but it hasn't happened and now i'm 1 week away from school w/ first day assignments to do and haven't ordered books yet. forecast is gloomy.

A therapist (psychologist, counselor, psychiatrist) is a must. It's a serious issue that must be resolved. Some people can beat it on their own... but diabolical thing about depression is it can become an echo chamber. Pain can intensify without if it isn't expressed out verbally. Close family and friends (and myself, during middle school) have suffered from depression.

tl;dr = Seek help.

[loomstate]

talk therapy really helped me. you should be fine, best of luck with everything.

[Hadlendale]

Know that life sucks more for 2Ls and 3Ls and jerbless grads.

[luthersloan]

The C&F issue with mental illness is no longer a big deal. They used to ask about it, but as I understand it most states no longer do, and even those that do are unlikely to have any problem with anything short of major psychotic episodes.

[random5483]

Better to seek help now than to fail out of law school due to depression or do something worse because of the depression. Seek help from a professional.

[TPNY EduGuru]

The amazing thing about the mind is that it moves through emotions. It's just the way it works.

As an integrated life coach, with certifications in Hypnosis, Neuro-linguistic programming, and Reiki, I can promise you things get better. They just do.

In addition to these 'certifications' I'm also a SPAM expert, and have been trying to post SPAM on TLS since early this afternoon. Sadly, the mods edit all of this SPAM out when they find it, and that makes me sad. Unlike minor life problems, I can't overcome this because I'm banned and will (hopefully) never post on TLS again.

Very Best,

Bara Sapir, MA, CHt
Founder & Executive Director

Spam New York
Maximize your Spam, Minimize your TLS Lifespan!
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[vanwinkle]

Better to seek help now than to fail out of law school due to depression or do something worse because of the depression. Seek help from a professional.

This. Very much this.

I believe the major concern in C&F, if it even comes up, is whether your mental issues pose a current (as in, at the time you're taking the bar) obstacle to your judgment or abilities. If you get help now, you're a lot less likely to still have a problem three years from now. This should mean that getting treatment now makes you less likely to have a C&F problem later. Your goal is to be as problem-free as possible when you graduate.

To put it another way... which of the following would you rather be telling the state bar, or in general, three years from now?

1) I've been depressed for a long time now, actually, although I just haven't done anything about it.
2) Some personal issues prompted me to seek professional help about three years ago, but I've improved significantly since then.

[AffordablePrep]

Depression is the common cold of mental disorders. The c plus f is more for schitzoid-personality disorders that can deem a lawyer temporarily incompetent. It must be rough being depressed, and thinking that the fact you're depressed can hurt your career. You are entering a performance driven field so as long as it does not impact your performance I'm sure you won't have issues.

[AffordablePrep]

Also - it is important somebody notes that while talkimg about it cant hurt, some depression is of biological origin and may need need medication in which case you should start now so you're not worrying about side effects come finals.

[NotMyRealName09]

The only think C&F will care about is if your untreated mental disorders cause you to do things harmful to yourself or others. Getting help is EXACTLY what they want to see happen. Not getting help - and somehow screwing things up as a result of going untreated - is what might ding you.

If your depression leads you to poor grades or alcoholic crimes, that would be a problem.

Go ahead and deal with it through seeking help. Depression sucks but there are treatments and it is far more common than you might think. There is NO SHAME in getting help. Getting help will NOT hurt you on C&F.

[vanwinkle]

The only think C&F will care about is if your untreated mental disorders cause you to do things harmful to yourself or others. Getting help is EXACTLY what they want to see happen. Not getting help - and somehow screwing things up as a result of going untreated - is what might ding you.

If your depression leads you to poor grades or alcoholic crimes, that would be a problem.

Go ahead and deal with it through seeking help. Depression sucks but there are treatments and it is far more common than you might think. There is NO SHAME in getting help. Getting help will NOT hurt you on C&F.

This is what I was trying to say, but said better.

[loomstate]

this is an awesome article if anyone is interested - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/magaz ... wanted=all

[picardy third]

what to do? the depression has nothing to do with fear of my abilities or the legal economy - just getting out of a long relationship coupled with moving to a new place.

i thought about seeing a counselor but recently heard that even your medical stuff gets looked at by the state bar. because i have some c&f issues, i would be scared of being labeled bipolar or something.

i thought i'd shake out of this funk like i normally do 3 weeks ago but it hasn't happened and now i'm 1 week away from school w/ first day assignments to do and haven't ordered books yet. forecast is gloomy.

Had to respond to this, though of course I might have the wrong idea (not having a lot of information). First, I know it's hard to admit something's wrong and seek help, so I'm glad you're considering it. If you're scared the c&f reviewers are going to label you as "bipolar or something," I think they know they're not doctors and are not going to be making diagnoses--they want to see whether you're at risk for managing client money badly, or something like that.

If you're scared the counselor or doctor you see will say you're bipolar, please don't let that stop you from seeking help. With recurrent depression and whatever your "c&f issues" are, it's likely something to at least talk about with your doctor. Yes, it's not nearly as common as unipolar depression, and the generalization about it is that it's more serious, but the important thing is to find what works for you--a label doesn't tell you anything about an individual or how well they are functioning, but does help you find appropriate treatments.

In my case, when I first went to a psychiatrist, I was really depressed but minimized my other symptoms, which led to me being on medication that made things worse. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder soon after, and my life is so much better now that I've found medications that work well for me. I still have symptoms, but I was able to finish 1L year solidly in the top half of my class at a T14, and I cannot imagine having done this (or practicing law) with untreated mental health problems.

In short, do not be afraid to get help! Help is out there. Help is often very helpful. Feel free to PM me. And go get help.

[northwood]

depression is something that is pretty serious. There are many triggers for it, and moving, starting school ( ending your old career), and ending a relationship are all things that can put you in a funk. Since it lasted a while andyou still are feeling the blues you should seek someone out for help. Medication may or may not be necessary, but its a good idea to seek assistance in coping with the events that are going on in your life. IF you think you need some more time to get yourself ready- contact the school and defer for a year. Especially if you are under doctors care- they will most likely be leinient in assisting you- and will make sure you have a place to go when you are ready ( either a seat in a class or services ready for you). There is no harm in talking to someone, in fact a lot of people benefit from this.

As others have said you want to get help now before it gets worse. Best of luck to you with whatever you decide is best for you

[keg411]

You need to go talk to someone ASAP because 1L grades are way too important and depression will put a serious damper on your ability to succeed. Having a bout with depression doesn't mean that you are bipolar or that you will need medication or anything like that. Sometimes just talking to someone for a month or so is all you need.

[picardy third]

You need to go talk to someone ASAP because 1L grades are way too important and depression will put a serious damper on your ability to succeed. Having a bout with depression doesn't mean that you are bipolar or that you will need medication or anything like that. Sometimes just talking to someone for a month or so is all you need.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. (Am I aging myself with a Seinfeld reference?)

I don't know the OP, of course, and wouldn't pretend to know what the story is with anyone. Maybe the OP didn't have any genuine fear about actually being bipolar, but was using the word, as many people do throw it around, to mean "someone crazy/really sick/abnormal." And is understandably afraid of being perceived that way. (PSA: That kind of talk is hurtful to people who do have a major mental illness--and no, you can't always tell who we are, so thinking before you talk is advisable.) What I meant to say above for the OP is basically that, even IF what you are afraid of is true, it really can be ok, and don't let that fear stop you from seeking help for whatever your problems are. Whether it's fear of a scary diagnosis or fear of people's biases.

And therapy can be great--CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is medically proven to be as effective as antidepressants for many people.

[Jack Smirks]

Tagged.

[keg411]

You need to go talk to someone ASAP because 1L grades are way too important and depression will put a serious damper on your ability to succeed. Having a bout with depression doesn't mean that you are bipolar or that you will need medication or anything like that. Sometimes just talking to someone for a month or so is all you need.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. (Am I aging myself with a Seinfeld reference?)

I don't know the OP, of course, and wouldn't pretend to know what the story is with anyone. Maybe the OP didn't have any genuine fear about actually being bipolar, but was using the word, as many people do throw it around, to mean "someone crazy/really sick/abnormal." And is understandably afraid of being perceived that way. (PSA: That kind of talk is hurtful to people who do have a major mental illness--and no, you can't always tell who we are, so thinking before you talk is advisable.) What I meant to say above for the OP is basically that, even IF what you are afraid of is true, it really can be ok, and don't let that fear stop you from seeking help for whatever your problems are. Whether it's fear of a scary diagnosis or fear of people's biases.

And therapy can be great--CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is medically proven to be as effective as antidepressants for many people.

PSA: take your own advice .

Also, I will plug CBT forever and ever. CBT >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> medication for many many people and the best part is that it isn't something you have to do/take forever (which was part of my point; often times these things are VERY curable with good therapy).

[picardy third]

You need to go talk to someone ASAP because 1L grades are way too important and depression will put a serious damper on your ability to succeed. Having a bout with depression doesn't mean that you are bipolar or that you will need medication or anything like that. Sometimes just talking to someone for a month or so is all you need.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. (Am I aging myself with a Seinfeld reference?)

I don't know the OP, of course, and wouldn't pretend to know what the story is with anyone. Maybe the OP didn't have any genuine fear about actually being bipolar, but was using the word, as many people do throw it around, to mean "someone crazy/really sick/abnormal." And is understandably afraid of being perceived that way. (PSA: That kind of talk is hurtful to people who do have a major mental illness--and no, you can't always tell who we are, so thinking before you talk is advisable.) What I meant to say above for the OP is basically that, even IF what you are afraid of is true, it really can be ok, and don't let that fear stop you from seeking help for whatever your problems are. Whether it's fear of a scary diagnosis or fear of people's biases.

And therapy can be great--CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is medically proven to be as effective as antidepressants for many people.

PSA: take your own advice .

Also, I will plug CBT forever and ever. CBT >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> medication for many many people and the best part is that it isn't something you have to do/take forever (which was part of my point; often times these things are VERY curable with good therapy).

Re PSA: Sorry if that came off as directed as you in particular--I meant, people in general should think before they talk. Some of the stuff people say to me in real life, not knowing I'm bipolar/on psych meds, are pretty ridiculous.

It sounds like we agree with each other. One additional point is that medication isn't necessarily something you have to take forever--it really depends. Sometimes people need something for a while, and then are fine. Or try something and decide it's not for them. It's ok to do that and doesn't mean taking the easy way out. Psychiatry & psychology are so imprecise that predicting perfectly what will work for an individual is impossible, so I'd never fault anybody for trying all the things they can to make their life not suck.

Not that the OP cares about us agreeing with each other, but I hope OP is getting out of this that there are options that can really help and are worth it. And dealing with your problems = very respectable.

[diane23]

yeah i'm going to get help. i've felt depressed for maybe a week or two every few months since 6th grade. not sure why it is acting up now but even if i "stabilize" i'll be getting some professional help. thanks all.

[zeth006]

yeah i'm going to get help. i've felt depressed for maybe a week or two every few months since 6th grade. not sure why it is acting up now but even if i "stabilize" i'll be getting some professional help. thanks all.

Glad to hear you're getting it. Better now than later when the pressures of 1L could otherwise worsen it.