Law Student Wellness: Anxiety (77%), Depression (51%), Increased Alcohol|Drug Use (35%), Thoughts Of Self-Harm (17%)

Bloomberg Law, Well-Being in Law School: Law Students Aren’t OK:

Most law students are struggling with mental health issues, according to a new Bloomberg Law survey. Over 75% of student respondents reported increased anxiety because of law school-related issues, and over 50% reported experiencing depression.

Bloomberg Law has been reporting on the troubling level of attorney burnout and the drop in attorney well-being for the past few years. This past December, Bloomberg Law’s second Law School Preparedness Survey asked law students about their mental health and how their overall well-being changed during the semester. ...

The survey also asked law students whether they experienced various mental and physical health problems “because of law school related issues.” The response from most students was a resounding “yes.” A majority of law school respondents reported experiencing anxiety (77%), disrupted sleep (71%), and depression (51%). Only 11% of law students reported experiencing none of the given issues. ...

The legal profession is demanding, but preparing for the practice of law is just as hard. An intense workload, expectations for perfection, grading on a curve, and cold-calling all help prepare law students for our client-driven and often-adversarial profession—but it may also be laying a foundation of anxiety and stress. And, as the data show, the negative effects may be worse for those who identify as female, nonbinary, or Black.

Bloomberg Law, 2021 Law School Preparedness Survey