Working with a Diagnosis in Law School
Mental health issues like addiction, depression, and anxiety are more prevalent among lawyers than among the general population, but these diagnoses are manageable. Engaging in self-care activities, taking steps to decrease feelings of social isolation, and reaching out for help are all excellent tools for building and maintaining a healthy and functional orientation to the world. Many lawyers have dealt and are dealing with with these issues, and some of their experiences are shared below, along with organizations to reach out to for help when needed. National, regional, and Howard University-specific resources are included.
Table of Contents: Working with a Diagnosis in Law School
Image by Tanaya Sharma
Crisis Resources
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call 1-800-273-8255
- Washington, D.C. Rape Crisis Center: call 202-333-7273 for the 24 hour hotline
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
- DC Safe (Domestic Violence Crisis Intervention): call 1-844-443-5732
- University Counseling Services’ Emergency Resources: Find resources for a number of mental health services. For the UCS after-hours and emergency line, call 202-345-6709.
- University Counseling Services’ Local Hotlines: This is an extensive list of D.C.-area, Maryland and Virginia hotlines to expand your search.
Depression/Anxiety
- ABA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Toolkit for Law Students and Those Who Care About Them: This resource outlines mental health problems facing law students, shares ways to manage them, and offers resources to reach out to for help.
- Lawyers With Depression: This website offers testimonies and resources for lawyers with depression. Includes links to news articles, blog posts, and a podcast.
- The Full Weight of Law School: Stress on Law Students is Different by Rachel Casper - Lawyers for Concerned Lawyers: This blog post discusses the realities of widespread stress among law students, shares some reasons for this stress, and offers some advice to law students experiencing stress.
- Lawyers for Concerned Lawyers Depression Archives: This page shares compiled blog posts and resources about lawyers experiencing depression. The Anxiety Archives can be found here.
- Law Professors, Law Students and Depression . . . A Story of Coming Out (Part 1) by Brian Clarke - thefacultylounge.org: A law professor shares their experience with clinical depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Parts 2 and 3 can be found here.
Addiction
- Washington Area Intergroup Association: The D.C. area Alcoholics Anonymous website. Includes links to area meeting lists and resources for alcoholics or people struggling with drinking. Call 24 hours a day to speak with a live, local person: 202-966-9115. Or use HelpChat service to send a text message.
- Chesapeake and Potomac Region Narcotics Anonymous: The D.C. regional Narcotics Anonymous website. Links to D.C. area meetings and what happens at NA meetings, as well as other information for members and the public. The 24-hour phone number is 1-800-543-4670.
- Cocaine Anonymous: The DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia website for Cocaine Anonymous. Links to meeting lists and other resources. For the CA helpline, call (202) 368-0476 or (301)-368-9202.
- Al-Anon/Alateen - Washington D.C. Metro Area: "Al‑Anon is a mutual support program for people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking." Find meetings in the D.C. area or call (202) 635-2023.
- Voices of Recovery Podcast Series - ABA.org: "The ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs has produced a new podcast series about overcoming substance use disorders, mental health issues and addiction. The lawyers featured in this series have all agreed to tell their story in the hope that it will reduce the stigma surrounding these issues and encourage others to get the help they need."
- Brian Cuban blog: This blog by Brian Cuban, author of The Addicted Lawyer, features experience with alcoholism and addiction while practicing law.
- Lawyers for Concerned Lawyers Addiction Recovery Archives: A collection of blog posts and resources for lawyers dealing with addiction and those in recovery.
- Drug Rehab Centers in Washington, D.C.: Select accredited treatment centers in Washington, D.C. Find all recovery options in nearby cities and sort by detox, inpatient, outpatient, aftercare, payment type, amenities and more.
If you're interested in learning more, our Continuity of Library Services guide contain sections on (1) coping with stress, (2) prioritizing self-care, and (3) adjusting to change.
© Howard University School of Law Library. Questions about this guide should be directed to reference@law.howard.edu.