Mental Health Issues At Law School
The Yale Daily News reported some frightening news this week. Yale Law School conducted a Mental Health Alliance survey that found 70% of the participating students have struggled with mental health issues during their time in law school. The electronic survey entitled, “Falling Through The Cracks” was sent to all approximately 650 enrolled law students. Less than half (296) of the students responded.
What’s more, 50% of those students said their mental health struggles affected their academic success, with 56% adding that it affected their social relationships. Of those who responded with mental health issues, 82% sought medical help and about 20 of that 82% sought help from resources off campus. While 77% said they wanted to seek medical assistance, only 62% (82) actually did.
The reasons for not seeking medical help on campus were long wait lines, lack of trust in the school’s resources, and fear of professors, advisors, peers, and state bar associations finding out. To alleviate the issues found in the report, Yale Law intends to make sure students know how to utilize the mental health options available on campus, decrease wait times, and offer up to 25% reimbursement for off-campus visits to mental health options.
Professors and students were surprised by the fact that it is such an issue on Yale’s campus yet no one talked about it. The goal of the study was to make the campus community aware of the issue in an effort to solve the problem. Or, at the very minimum, make students aware of the options for help on campus and make those options as accessible and welcoming as possible.
One student said it would help remove the stigma if those students who are “super normal and cool and fun” start the conversation on campus.
Source: Yale Daily News
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