• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Law School Toolbox®

All the tools you need for law school success

  • Tutoring
  • Courses
    • Start Law School Right
  • Job Help
  • Law School 101
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • About

How to Take Care of Your Mental Health in Law School

July 28, 2015 By Ariel Salzer 2 Comments

LAw School MEntal Health

What do you call it when you put one hundred Type-A personalities who are used to excelling at everything into a high-pressure, high-stakes environment for 10-12 hours every day for a few months and then tell them it’s impossible for everyone of them to “succeed”? Well, my friends, you call that law school. But, you know what else you call it? Prime incubation territory for widespread and rampant anxiety, self-doubt, mental health problems and depression. If you think law school depression and mental health issues aren’t that common, think again!

Earlier this year, for example, there was quite the buzz about a Yale Daily News article which indicated that upwards of 30% of law students struggle with mental health issues and depression. That’s a lot! It’s no wonder the State Bar mails attorneys a flyer for mental health and substance abuse when they send you your Bar card every year! (This is true, you’ll see).

I know the school year hasn’t even started yet, and, at least if you’re an incoming 1L, you’re probably feeling pretty excited and positive about going to law school. If and when the rosy glasses come off, though (and they might), or if you start feeling blue or anxious, you should know in advance that you have options.

Contact Your On-Campus Mental Health Offices

Most law schools offer psychological counseling or other mental health programs for students who feel depressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or just plain out of sorts. More often than not, these services are already included in your tuition, so you don’t need to pay for anything out of pocket or with insurance.

Find a Trusted Advisor

If your law school has an academic support program or academic success educators, you might feel more comfortable reaching out to them than one of your professors or another student. These people are in the business of helping law students who are having a rough time with grades or the bar exam get back on their feet. They might be able to help you too, or at least point you in the direction of someone who can.

Have a Buddy

A buddy doesn’t have to be someone in your class, it could be your sibling or best friend or parent. Make sure there is someone in your life who will know if you stop going to class, answering your phone or leaving your room. As I noted above, law school and depression can go hand in hand, and for a lot of people, this manifests as not wanting to get out of bed in the morning—or for days at a time. If you start feeling like you’re giving up, or just stop caring altogether, make sure you have someone you can reach out to who has your best interests at heart.

Consider Your Environment

I’m not saying that serious mental health issues can be magically solved with fresh air and sunshine, but if you start feeling bogged down in law school, keeping yourself cooped up at your desk without taking any breaks could definitely be part of the problem. It is amazing what taking a walk, exercising, or just getting some time outside, good healthy food and enough water can do for your brain, your body, and your general sense of well-being. Law school has a way of stripping people of the activities they used to enjoy—it never feels like there is enough time, and things like exercise and preparing meals can often go by the wayside. You don’t need to hit the gym or prepare anything gourmet, but see if making some small changes helps make you feel better.

Give Yourself Time to Relax

Law school may be one of the least relaxing places in the world. For this reason, it can be a great idea to counter-balance all the stress and competition with relaxing activities like yoga, swimming, or tai chi, and restorative self-care like massages or acupuncture. Again, these won’t necessarily cure any mental health issues, but they can go a long way toward making you feel less exhausted and ragged.

— – —

Want more law school tips? Sign up for our free mailing list today.

And if you’re starting law school, check out our course for incoming 1Ls: Start Law School Right. You’ll get the feedback and support you need to succeed in law school, from day one!

Other helpful pre-1L posts:

  • Pre-1L Summer Checklist 
  • The People You Will Meet in Law School 
  • All The Supplies You Need to Start Law School Right
  • How to Start Law School Right 

Photo Credit: Pressmaster / Shutterstock


 

Looking for some help to do your best in law school? Find out about our law school tutoring options.


About Ariel Salzer

Ariel Salzer is a tutor and mentor tutor for Law School Toolbox and Bar Exam Toolbox. Ariel has taught everything from conjunctions to calculus on four different continents. A primary and secondary school educator in the U.S. and abroad before law school, Ariel has always had penchant for teaching and editing. As a student at the University of San Francisco School of Law, Ariel tutored Torts and led 1L workshops on time management, exam preparation, legal writing, and outlining. As the chief Technical Editor on the Executive Board of the USF Law Review, Ariel was in charge of ensuring the accuracy of thousands of legal citations, and has become a Bluebook expert. She also served as a Case Counsel for the USF Moot Court program, and received CALI awards for high-scoring two classes, including Legal Research and Writing. After practicing law as a product liability litigator in California for a number of years, Ariel found her way back to teaching and now enjoys helping students find success in their law school classes and on the bar exam.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sara Killinger

    08.04.15

    I have been considering applying to law school but have been concerned about how mentally taxing law school can be. I graduated with an average GPA during my pursuit of a bachelor’s degree but was uncertain if I had the mental capacity to manage law school. Thanks for the excellent advice to find a trusted adviser during law school. I will be sure to seek out an adviser as soon as possible while entering law school to ensure that I will be capable of managing my mental health.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. A New Year: Starting fresh after winter break – Nationaljurist says:
    December 21, 2021 at 1:31 pm

    […] or clerkship. No matter how stressed and beaten down I felt in law school, I always felt like I was walking on cloud nine when I got notice that I had obtained a great experiential learning […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Us

If you find law school tough, you are not alone! The Law School Toolbox team is here to help you through it. Check out our helpful free content, podcasts, courses and one-on-one tutoring. Thanks for stopping by and drop us a line if you have any questions. We also invite you to join our weekly mailing list, for advice right to your inbox.

Recent Posts

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 382: Listen and Learn — Negligence: Proximate Cause

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're discussing Proximate Cause – a subtopic of Negligence in Tort Law. In this episode we … Read More about Podcast Episode 382: Listen and Learn — Negligence: Proximate Cause

How to Take Advantage of Admitted Student Days

How to Take Advantage of Admitted Student Days

Spring is an exciting time for law school applicants. Admissions results have been trickling in over the winter and, by now you have probably heard … Read More about How to Take Advantage of Admitted Student Days

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 381: Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World (w/Eve Rodsky)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we have attorney and author Eve Rodsky back with us to discuss, amongst other things, her … Read More about Podcast Episode 381: Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World (w/Eve Rodsky)

3 Steps to Prepare for the MPRE

3 Steps to Prepare for the MPRE

I started law school thinking that the bar exam was a post-law school problem, only to find that one exam can be taken as soon as post 1L year — the … Read More about 3 Steps to Prepare for the MPRE

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 380: Why BigLaw Isn’t for Everyone (w/Sadie Jones)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're chatting with our career consultant Sadie Jones about why a career in BigLaw might not be … Read More about Podcast Episode 380: Why BigLaw Isn’t for Everyone (w/Sadie Jones)

Want Better Law School Grades?

Sign Up for Our Exam Tips!

Footer

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Tutoring
  • Courses
  • Job Help
  • About
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Refunds

Copyright 2023 Law School Toolbox®™