Mental health diagnosis Forum

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YinFireHare

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Mental health diagnosis

Post by YinFireHare » Tue Aug 01, 2017 5:14 pm

I was diagnosed this week with Bipolar disorder.

Right now, I'm on medications and feeling honestly good/stable. The idea of being a lawyer scares me but at the same time, I feel like it would be rewarding for me to represent clients - the good days and the bad ones. Does anyone have advise for me to consider? I'm studying for the December LSAT and I want to get into a top school and do well.

Provided I maintain balance and go to my doctor/therapist appointments through law school and career afterwards, I should be OK right?

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TheBlueDevil

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Re: Mental health diagnosis

Post by TheBlueDevil » Tue Aug 01, 2017 6:17 pm

YinFireHare wrote:I was diagnosed this week with Bipolar disorder.

Right now, I'm on medications and feeling honestly good/stable. The idea of being a lawyer scares me but at the same time, I feel like it would be rewarding for me to represent clients - the good days and the bad ones. Does anyone have advise for me to consider? I'm studying for the December LSAT and I want to get into a top school and do well.

Provided I maintain balance and go to my doctor/therapist appointments through law school and career afterwards, I should be OK right?
Well, on one hand, there are a lot of law students and lawyers with mental health issues, so you certainly won't be alone. On the other hand, law school and legal practice seem to be rather bad for mental health, so going into it with preexisting issues may be... difficult.

In any event, this is a personal decision that you should make with the advice of your doctor.

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MKC

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Re: Mental health diagnosis

Post by MKC » Tue Aug 01, 2017 6:24 pm

TheBlueDevil wrote:
YinFireHare wrote:I was diagnosed this week with Bipolar disorder.

Right now, I'm on medications and feeling honestly good/stable. The idea of being a lawyer scares me but at the same time, I feel like it would be rewarding for me to represent clients - the good days and the bad ones. Does anyone have advise for me to consider? I'm studying for the December LSAT and I want to get into a top school and do well.

Provided I maintain balance and go to my doctor/therapist appointments through law school and career afterwards, I should be OK right?
Well, on one hand, there are a lot of law students and lawyers with mental health issues, so you certainly won't be alone. On the other hand, law school and legal practice seem to be rather bad for mental health, so going into it with preexisting issues may be... difficult.

In any event, this is a personal decision that you should make with the advice of your doctor.
The most most fucked up part about that is that 0Ls are more mentally stable than the general population, but by the time they graduate they've turned into insecure basketcases, statistically speaking.
Last edited by MKC on Sat Jan 27, 2018 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

YinFireHare

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Re: Mental health diagnosis

Post by YinFireHare » Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:39 pm

Removing this post.
Last edited by YinFireHare on Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

YinFireHare

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Re: Mental health diagnosis

Post by YinFireHare » Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:40 pm

TheBlueDevil wrote:
YinFireHare wrote:I was diagnosed this week with Bipolar disorder.

Right now, I'm on medications and feeling honestly good/stable. The idea of being a lawyer scares me but at the same time, I feel like it would be rewarding for me to represent clients - the good days and the bad ones. Does anyone have advise for me to consider? I'm studying for the December LSAT and I want to get into a top school and do well.

Provided I maintain balance and go to my doctor/therapist appointments through law school and career afterwards, I should be OK right?
Well, on one hand, there are a lot of law students and lawyers with mental health issues, so you certainly won't be alone. On the other hand, law school and legal practice seem to be rather bad for mental health, so going into it with preexisting issues may be... difficult.

In any event, this is a personal decision that you should make with the advice of your doctor.
Thank you

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YinFireHare

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Re: Mental health diagnosis

Post by YinFireHare » Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:44 pm

MarkinKansasCity wrote:
TheBlueDevil wrote:
YinFireHare wrote:I was diagnosed this week with Bipolar disorder.

Right now, I'm on medications and feeling honestly good/stable. The idea of being a lawyer scares me but at the same time, I feel like it would be rewarding for me to represent clients - the good days and the bad ones. Does anyone have advise for me to consider? I'm studying for the December LSAT and I want to get into a top school and do well.

Provided I maintain balance and go to my doctor/therapist appointments through law school and career afterwards, I should be OK right?
Well, on one hand, there are a lot of law students and lawyers with mental health issues, so you certainly won't be alone. On the other hand, law school and legal practice seem to be rather bad for mental health, so going into it with preexisting issues may be... difficult.

In any event, this is a personal decision that you should make with the advice of your doctor.
The most most fucked up part about that is that 0Ls are more mentally stable than the general population, but by the time they graduate they've turned into insecure basketcases, statistically speaking.
Thank you

derekne

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Re: Mental health diagnosis

Post by derekne » Wed Nov 01, 2017 8:42 pm

You should be ok though, depending on where you want to practice, a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder could cause some headaches for the C&F portion of the Bar application. I know Texas and a couple of other states ask questions like, "In the last ten years have you been diagnosed or treated for the following conditions: Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Psychosis etc...). If you're applying for admission to the Bar in one of these states you're supposed to disclose and present your case to the Bar examiners that your condition won't adversely your ability to practice law.

IMO they should not be asking these questions and have no idea how they would find out if you lied about your diagnosis, but I would advise disclosing if this situation arises.

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