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It’s no secret that lawyers have poor mental health and disparate rates of depression. But because everyone knows this, people are here to help. Below are some lawyer mental health resources so you can help depressed, anxious, or just overwhelmed lawyers.
Lawyer Mental Health Resources
Immediate Help
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).
How to Help Someone Contemplating Suicide – a guide from NPR
Lawyer Assistance Programs By State – contains resources for both law students and practicing attorneys
Know That You’re Not Alone
Lawyers with Depression – a blog that discusses issues and stories about lawyers with depression
I Almost Became Another Lawyer Who Killed Himself – a personal account of how one lawyer faced depression and suicidal thoughts with a happier ending.
Attorney Suicide – What Every Lawyer Needs to Know – the ABAJournal’s guide to attorney suicide
Anger, Depression and Student Loan Debt: 5 ways Millennials Can Let Go of Money Shame – practical tips for dealing with the psychic toll of massive student loan debt
Lawyers who have spoken out about their personal struggles with mental illness: Prof. Elyn Saks at Southern Cal (schizophrenia, via The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness (2007)); Prof. Lisa McElroy at Drexel (anxiety disorder, via an article on Slate); Prof. James Jones at Louisville (bipolar disorder, via an article in Journal of Legal Ed.); Prof. Brian Clarke, Assistant Professor at Charlotte School of Law, We Need to Start Talking About Why So Many Lawyers are Killing Themselves; The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of the Bar, Booze, Blow and Redemption
Help for Student Loans
These Lawyers May Have Discovered A Way to Wipe Away Student Debt in Bankruptcy
How Student Loans Kill People by Contributing to Suicide and How to Break the Cycle
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