A Terrible Melancholy (Trailer)

Attorneys suffer from depression at a rate of four times that of the general population, according to a Johns Hopkins study. This film features four lawyers and a former judge discussing their personal experiences with depression. Several national experts are also interviewed, including Joshua Wolf Shenk, author of the best-selling book "Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Fueled a President to Greatness." A renowned trial lawyer before becoming president, Lincoln suffered from depression his entire life. The film provides hope and resources for those who may be suffering in silence.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• attorneys
• lawyers
• law
• students
• depression
• mental
• healing
• health
• educational
• psychology

[HarveyHyman]

Dan: Thank you for making this film. Depression is rampant in the legal profession (affecting 1 of every 5 lawyers). Psychotherapy, medication, daily exercise, meditation, yoga, massage, meeting with friends and seeing funny movies can help. But law will remain a depressing profession until the attitudes and behaviors that make up our legal culture change. Lawyers who want to change it can check out my book The Upward Spiral: Getting Lawyers From Daily Misery To Lifetime Wellbeing. Harvey Hyman

[delaughterc]

Can you imagine if youre one of the countless of debtor/slaves who are in up to their eyeballs, to the tune of 150-200K, and can not find a job or survive on the slave wages paid in the sweat mills of new york city. Truly a law degree is a fast path to your grave.

[mytubze5]

How unfortunate that Law School does NOTHING to inform its students to this alarming problem

[tmf1977]

"Law is a profession which breeds depression." I could not agree with that statement more.

The legal field is very demanding to the point that the demands are unrealistic. Many firms demand long hours (and am talking about 15-20 hour days) and being held accountable for things that are at times out of the attorney's control.

[mousegun1]

Is the full video available some place? A similar full length video is available as a webinar through the PA Bar Assoc. Ethics CLE is given for watching it. I had an episode of my own and live in fear of ever going back to that black hole. The trailer does not convey at all just how deep and all encompasing it can be. Perhps that is not possible to convey. PBS did a good multi-hour show a few yeas ago called "Depression - Out of the Shadows" that is worth seeing.