Welcome to the latest installment of The Struggle, a series where we examine the mental-health issues that students encounter during the oftentimes grueling law school experience. We are posting these stories because sometimes what law students really need is to know that they’re not alone in their pain. Sometimes what law students need is to know that they’ve got a friend who is willing to share not just in their triumphs, but also in their struggles. These are real e-mails and messages we’ve received from real readers.
If these issues resonate with you, please reach out to us. Your stories need to be heard. You can email us, text us at (646) 820-8477, or tweet us @atlblog. We will share your stories anonymously. You may be able to help a law student who needs to know that someone else has been there before and survived.
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Two members of my (just started) 3L year class have committed suicide in the last 2 months.
The first one shocked everyone. The second, I found many people saying that it wasn’t as surprising as the first. Neither were people that I ever felt like I needed to be concerned about.
They both left myself and my classmates wondering what we could have done and what signs we should have seen. I feel crazy. I don’t know how to believe the façades of my classmates anymore.
More than one of my friends have expressed concern about there being more, a fear someone will be inspired by the last two.
It’s weird. My class was called the “kumbaya” class by professors because we were chill and friendly. Clearly, we were seeing only the surface.
The school always has employed a part-time counselor. They notified everyone by e-mail both times and held a group session with the counselor for people to come and talk. I went to the first one, but I just couldn’t bring myself to go to the second. They also allowed us to organize a memorial at the school. The dean spoke at the first one. The second one is still being planned.
I think the school has done a decent job with that, but my class has become overly sensitive to what used to be acceptable behavior. Someone in career services sent out an e-mail about everyone “surviving” summer recruitment, and a lot of people kind of flinched at the word choice. A library employee made a “shooting herself in the head” gesture to something and word got around in my class. Little things like that shouldn’t be upsetting, but I think we all just feel a little unsure how to handle things.
I’m not sure they’d consider us the “kumbaya” class anymore. I don’t think that’s how we’ll be remembered.
I’m scared. I’m sad. I know I’m not alone. I wish I had focused more on looking into the eyes of my classmates more deeply and asking genuinely about their welfare.
Would it have helped? I have no idea.
Regardless, I will try harder to do it now. I know my classmates will too.
The problems are real. The anonymous posts in ATL’s mental health series hit very close to home.
Most colleges and universities have counseling and psychological services resources that students can turn to if they are in crisis or would like counseling, even after hours. If these services are not available at your school, and if you’re depressed and in need help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or a lawyer assistance program in your state. Remember that you are loved, so please reach out if you need assistance, before it’s too late.
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Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. Follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.