Q. Law students have no more issues with mental health than someone in the other graduate school programs. FALSE.
A. Law students have highest rates of psychiatric distress than those in the general population, those in other graduate school programs and those in medical school.
Q. Law students who enter law school have similar rates of mental health issues as the general population. TRUE.
A. Law students have a significant rise in reporting mental health issues after the first month of law school. Those rates rise during the first year of law school and do not significantly decrease when entering either the second or third year of law school.
Q. Law students do not drink more than anyone else. FALSE.
A. 50% of law students report drinking to get drunk in the last 30 days compared to 61% of undergraduate and 39% of other graduate students. 43% report binge drinking in the prior 30 days compared with 45% of undergraduates and 36% of other graduate students.
Q. Law students use prescription drugs appropriately and safely. FALSE.
A. One out of eight law students report giving away prescription drugs to classmates without a prescription. Most commonly, these prescription drugs are sedatives to help with sleep, stimulants to stay awake and anti-anxiety drugs. 20% of law students report using prescription drugs during law school without a prescription.
Q. Law students fear getting help because they are afraid it will be a bar to obtaining state bar admission. TRUE.
A. 63% of law students won't seek help because they are afraid of the bar admission process. 43% of law students report the fear of social stigma in seeking help. 41% of law students report not getting help because they don't have either the finances or insurance coverage to do so.
Q. Law students who don't use alcohol or drugs have no need to be concerned about mental health issues. FALSE.
A. 37% of law students suffer from anxiety as defined by the DSM-5 during law school. 27% of law students report having signs of an eating disorder but only 3% have sought professional intervention. 18% of law students report depression meeting DSM-5 criteria. 6% of law students report seriously considering suicide during law school.
