The majority of law students are facing mental health challenges, according to a recent survey by Bloomberg Law.
Results from the Law School Preparedness survey, which was conducted in December and included more than 1,000 law students, showed that 75% of respondents reported increased anxiety due to law school-related issues and more than half reported experiencing depression. The survey focused on well-being during the fall 2022 semester.
An analysis of the survey discusses the various stressors that law students face, such as heavy workload, competition and job uncertainty, which can take a toll on their mental and physical health. More than half of the surveyed law students acknowledged that their well-being worsened during the fall 2022 semester of law school.
Of the respondents, 32% reported a “slight” worsening and 26% a “significant” worsening. A higher percentage of female (26%) and nonbinary (38%) students reported a “significant” decline in their well-being compared to male students (22%).
The results also showed that Black students (33%) were more likely to report a “significant” decline in well-being compared to White students (24%).
When asked if they experienced various mental and physical health problems due to law school-related issues, the majority of respondents answered in the affirmative. Most students reported issues of anxiety (77%), disrupted sleep (71%) and depression (51%). Only 11% of law students reported experiencing none of the given issues.
The analysis also mentions the lack of resources and support available to law students to help them manage stress and maintain their well-being.
