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The Bald-Faced Lies Depression Tells Us

Whatever the cause, clinical depression sufferers are often shackled to a prison of ruminative, negative thoughts about the world and themselves.

They are full of self-loathing, feelings of worthlessness, and a sense of failure. Confidence in their ability to build and maintain successful relationships is eroded. Their sense of competency about their work can plummet as they struggle to get things done, be productive and earn a living. Some may even hate themselves when lost in this destructive process.

If that weren’t tough enough, are brains actually work against in this negative spiral. Psychologist Margaret Wehrenberg writes:

“Brain function plays a role in rumination in several ways, but one significant aspect

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Should I Tell My Students I Have Depression?

From The New York Times, Abby Wilkerson writes: “The new class I was teaching — “Composing Disability: Crip Ecologies” — was one of several first-year writing seminars offered at George Washington University. Given the focus, it was likely to be a challenge for at least some of the students. And it was presenting a particular challenge to me. Even before the class began, I was anxious. I have depression, and I wondered: Should I acknowledge it in the class? Would the students benefit if I did? I wanted to be sure I knew what I was doing, for everyone’s sake, before taking the leap. But I was not at all certain. The idea of disclosing in the classroom made me feel conflicted and vulnerable.” Read the rest of the story.

3 Things Entrepreneurs Need to Do When Dealing With Depression

Chris Myers writes in Forbes magazine: “Since I first began writing about the struggles with anxiety, depression, and uncertainty two years ago, I’ve heard from hundreds of entrepreneurs who are in desperate need of help. I’ve been humbled by the response, and do my best to connect with each person in a timely manner. Invariably, the number of people who reach out spikes this time of year, no doubt due to the pressure of the Holidays and reflection that takes place at year-end. With that in mind, I thought it might be an appropriate time to share an excerpt from my latest book, ‘Enlightened Entrepreneurship,’ in the hope that it provides solace to fellow entrepreneurs who might be suffering”. Read the rest of the story.

27% of Medical Students Are Depressed

Time Magazine reports that doctors have far higher rates of depression than the average person. According to a new analysis, that elevated risk is present even before they become doctors, back when they’re in medical school. Researchers analyzed nearly 200 studies of 129,000 medical students in 47 countries. They found that 27% of medical students had depression or symptoms of it, and 11% reported suicidal thoughts during medical school. Medical students were two to five times more likely to have depression than the general population; their depression prevalence ranged from 9%-56%. Read the rest of the story.

‘The Impact on Society is Enormous’ in Legal Profession, Depression, Addiction Hurt Clients, Too

CBC News reports: “Ten years ago, litigation lawyer Michele Hollins was a ‘perpetually happy person,’ with twin daughters and a partnership in her Calgary law firm. Then, depression struck. For a while, Hollins was able to hide her illness at work, then go home and ‘become a complete automaton,’ she says, unable to eat or even muster the energy to get ready for bed. Read the rest of the story.

Young Lawyers Help Put Wellbeing Back on the Agenda

Lawyers Weekly reports: “Drawing on the expertise of contributors from a number of disciplines, the Being Well in the Law pocketbook provides tips on how to manage the pressures of work and life. The free book offers a combination of positive psychology techniques and insights, which the authors point out can help “shape attitudes and build a sense of hope for the future”.Emily Ryan, the new president of NSW Young Lawyers, commended the publication in a recent Christmas message to members.“This toolkit … offers ideas to help everybody, young and old, deal with depression, anxiety, and stress and learn to better manage the business and pressures of work and life,” Ms. Ryan said. Read the rest of the story.

Seven Reasons Why Practicing Law Might Be More Stressful Than Spending 18 Months in a POW Camp

Legal Recruiter, Harrison Barnes writes: “After a long day at the office, the other day talking to attorneys about their jobs who did not seem the least bit excited about practicing law, I had a refreshing phone call with a woman practicing law overseas. The woman is an American but has never practiced with a US law firm. During our conversation, she seemed quite simply to be the happiest attorney I had ever spoken with. “The weather is so nice here today!” she gushed. “I cannot wait to go outside for lunch and take in some sunshine! It’s also my secretary’s anniversary here today! I ordered her flowers. She is going to be so excited!” I’ve been a legal recruiter most of my career. Did this woman know what was going on and how tough being an attorney really was? Had she discovered some unknown antidepressant that was making her immune to the horrors of practicing law?” Read the rest of the story.

Five Tips for Handling Holiday Stress

From the website Attorney at Work, blogger Jamie Spannhake serves up five wise and timely tips for balancing a stressful law practice during the holiday. Read his blog.

The Secrets to Being a Happy Lawyer

Lawyer Monica Zent writes in The Huffington Post, “Associate attorneys may have the highest salaries but, in a recent survey, they were rated as having the “least happy” jobs, perhaps because of the long hours and lack of work/life balance. Greater “balance,” however, might not be the answer. According to Wharton Professor Stewart D. Friedman, ‘A commitment to better ‘work/life balance’ isn’t the solution… A more realistic and more gratifying goal is better integration between work and the rest of life…’ As boundaries between work and home continue to blur and work/life balance becomes increasingly elusive, the future lies in integrating career and life in a more seamless, less structured way”. Read the rest of her article.

11 Images That People With Anxiety Will Understand

From the Refinery 29 website, blogger Rebecca Adam writes, “Since spreading a greater understanding about mental illness is one of the most important ways to bring mental health to more people, we decided to interview a handful of readers and R29 staffers about what anxiety really feels like to them. We received a wide range of responses, from jarring, graphic imagery to descriptions of persistent undercurrents. One described it as their “whole psyche fracturing and bubbling like lava”. Read the rest of her blog.