Depression and Law

Cute duckies!

I learnt a very important lecture today during the first class of Civil Litigation.

Fact #1: Comparitively to Medical students and to students in general, Law students are statistically proven to have a much higher likelihood to be depressed.

Fact #2: Comparitively within professions, lawyers has the highest rates of depression, substance abuse and stress.

Fact #3: Depression esculates with years spent at law school. First year law students are usually confident, believes they have acheived their dreams. Third year law students are 5 times as likely to get depressed. Alumini do not have the pre-law school rates of happiness.

More Stats:

• One in four lawyers suffers from stress
• There are disproportionately high numbers of suicides among lawyers (Stein, 2005).
• Substance abuse among lawyers is around double the national average (Naylor, 2004)
• Lawyers are at greater risk for substance abuse, anxiety disorders, divorce and stress-related illnesses such as hypertension, heart attacks and strokes (Ostrow, 2003).
• A 1998 USA study reports that 30% of lawyers are so disillusioned with their career that they consider change.

The 10 Signs of depression includes:

1. I am unable to do the things I used to do.
2. I feel hopeless about the future.
3. I can't make decisions.
4. I feel sluggish or restless.
5. I am gaining or losing weight.
6. I get tired for no reason.
7. I am sleeping too much, or too little.
8. I feel unhappy.
9. I become irritable or anxious.
10. I think about dying or killing myself.

Draco's momento

The attributes of Lawyers

Lawyers are competitive, achievement oriented, materialistic, whilst declining alterism and idealism. From a US study performed in 1994, lawyers are also significantly different from most people as measured on the MBTI scale.

Typical laywers are ISTJs. (Meaning Introverted (c.f. extroverted), Sensers (like to be concrete), Thinkers (logical analysis, tolerant of contract – c.f. feelers who like to please people) Judges – structure, closure, planning (c.f. perceiving) )

Therefore Lawyers can be categorised as abnormal.

My gosh why did I choose to do law? No wonder I keep on complaining about law because it was so depressing!

The competitive nature of Law means that students are easily subjected to depression. Depression also results from the lack of growth of people in their lives. Therefore the quality of life one leads is very important to lead a happy lifestyle, free of stress.

Stress management depends on how you set your boundaries and how much social support you have.

A Good Life Model (Ward, 2002) is...

1.Life (incl. healthy living &optimal phys. functioning)
2.Knowledge
3.Excellence in play and work
4.Excellence in agency (autonomy, self-directedness)QOL Continued
5.Inner peace (freedom from turmoil and stress)6.Realtedness (incl.
intimate, romantic and family relships) and community
7.Spirituality
8.Happyness
9.Creativity

*leaves the lecture hall*

I have concluded this is the amount of learning I will do today. I liked this talk the guest lecturer gave during the last 1/2 hr of class. It is very entertaining!

However, I was dissapointed why they did not mention this to me during my first year of Law sch?? I have gone past the 'stressed stage' of law school already and all this time I blamed it on myself. Now I know the true reasons...


cute westie terrier