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A study of 3,265 college students who have utilized campus counseling services has shed light on the increase of mental illness, as well as the use of psychiatric medications within this demographic. This analysis investigated the prevalence of “mental disorders, suicidal thoughts and self-injurious behaviors” through the years 1997-2009.  Though the percentage of students who admit to suicidal thoughts within two weeks of counseling decreased over time (from 26% in 1998 to 11% in 2009), the rate of students suffering from depression increased (from 34% to 41%), as well as the use of psychiatric medications (from 11% to 24%).  Recently, many organizations have been founded with the mission of supporting college students affected by mental illness.  Active Minds, a past Dave Nee Foundation grant recipient, which now has 271 chapters, is one of the organizations credited with making efforts to help students. Active Minds’ founder, Alison Malmon, received a Leadership Award at the Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards banquet.

More information about this study can be found here.

To learn more about Active Minds, click here.

Lawyer and distinguished psychology expert Dan Bowling is conducting a research study designed to examine the impact of a law school student’s personality on academic success, as well as their well-being. Bowling plans to use his findings to assist students as they begin to make life changing career decisions. By working with both incoming law students and law graduates, Bowling will also examine whether character traits influence the specific career choices they have made, hypothesizing that “unhappy lawyers are mismatched with their careers.” Bowling offers a piece of advice for all law school students, which is to learn the ability to momentarily disengage from the “thinking like a lawyer” mentality.

To read more about Dan Bowling’s upcoming study, click here.

Additionally, Andrew Sparkler, President of the Foundation, spoke to the Queens County Bar Association.  The New York Lawyers’ Assistance Trust invited Andrew to serve on a panel that led a discussion regarding various issues facing lawyers.  Andrew addressed the high rates of depression in the legal community and the need for vigilance, effective treatment, and elimination of the stigma associated with depression, particularly among lawyers.

In 2008 Jordan Burnham, who suffered from severe depression, jumped from his family’s 9th floor balcony.  Though his intentions were to end his life, Burnham survived the 90 foot fall. As a suicide survivor, Burnham has reevaluated his life and now hopes to prevent other teens who are suffering from depression from making the nearly fatal mistake that he made.  Working with the advocacy group Active Minds, the Foundation’s 2007 inaugural grant recipient, Burnham helps teens understand efficient coping strategies and available treatment options for depression.

More information on Burnham’s work can be found here.

The South Washington County School District is currently petitioning to increase funding for student mental health programs after two high school students committed suicide.  The proposed plan suggests increasing care by an additional $50 per student (approximately $800,000).  Addressing these health issues in a school setting is believed to help students whose emotional health is interfering with their schoolwork. Supporters believe this funding is necessary to ensure  that all students’ needs are met.

The complete article can be found here.

In a recent CNN.com article, several people who have attempted suicide share their advice about how to help a friend who is contemplating suicide.  Alexis Moore, a second year law student, courageously describes her own suicide attempt and passes along valuable words of wisdom regarding how someone who is having suicidal thoughts may respond to a friend taking action on their behalf.

The full article can be found by clicking here.

The Wall Street Journal Law Blog directs its attention to the link between the isolation many attorneys face in their own legal practices and how that isolation may lead to depression and suicide.  The article points out that “[o]ver the years, attorneys have become more isolated from their peers. If you are a solo or small firm practitioner, practicing law can be a very lonely existence.”  Several explanations are presented as to why this may be and a lengthy discussion has formed in the comments to the blog entry.

For a direct link to the blog click here.

In a review of ABC’s new series, “The Deep End,” Alex Williams goes beyond a simple analysis of the show and addresses the reality facing many attorneys at large law firms, including the risk of depression inherent in big firm practice that has been exacerbated by the recession. Dan Lukasik of lawyerswithdepression.com, a friend of the Foundation, is quoted in the article.

The whole article is available here.

According to a recent study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately half of Americans with major depression do not receive treatment for the condition, and in many cases, the therapies people do receive are not consistent with the appropriate standard of care.

The results were published in the January issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, a journal of the American Medical Association. The work was also funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging.

More details on the study can be found on msnbc.com or by clicking here.