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LSAT and Depression
Ohnoeshalpme
Alum Member ⭐
I know this isn't the most uplifting topic on here but I wanted to know if anyone else has experienced depression while studying for this test. Studying something for a year, with very little to no tangible affirmation or reward has definitely taken its toll on me. Anyone else experience this?
Comments
It truly can be a stressful endeavor, keep your head up, it will all be worth it when you see that acceptance letter!
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Yes, absolutely! You are not alone in feeling that way.
I struggled a lot with all the alone time from studying. The cycle of working full time, coming home in the evening, eat dinner, study, then sleep and repeat... that really got to me.
I’ve been going to counseling for the last couple of years, which is invaluable. I really think everyone could benefit from counseling, not just people with issues like anxiety or depression. I started noticing the depression cropping up during studying though and had to actively do things to fight it. One of the things that most recharges me and makes me happiest is spending quality time with friends. I made sure to spend at least 1 weeknight (sometimes 2) with friends and totally away from studying. I also limited my weekend studying to just a PT on Saturday and the BR on Sunday. The rest of those days, I did not touch the LSAT, and would try to make plans to do something I enjoy with friends.
All that said though, the depression came raging back this summer. The things that worked before stopped working. After trying really really hard to push through it, I hit a real low and finally made a doctor appointment to discuss medication. I’m happy to say, that has made a world of difference and I’m in a better mental state now than I’ve been in a long time.
If it’s not too bad at the moment, I suggest taking some time off from the LSAT to do some things that you enjoy and feel like they charge your batteries. But if you’re in a real low and have tried things like that or don’t think they’ll help, please take the step to either start counseling or talk to your doctor about medication. If you’re already doing those but still having a really difficult time, please talk to your professionals! Sometimes a change in med can help.
Ok sorry that was long, but obviously this is an important topic and I’ve dealt with it too. Just know there are lots of people that deal with the same thing, and taking care of yourself is really crucial.
I suggest not seeking affirmation from the test/studying. It is a long journey with pitfalls along the way. LSAT studying related affirmation/reward is too unreliable - there is no guarantee of the time frame upon which you will improve/get the score you want, etc. Seek affirmation and reward in other parts of your life. Things like hobbies, friends, and relationships are a much more reliable stream of affirmation and reward, which in turn will help you with your LSAT studying.
Secondly, my non-mainstream view of depression is that it is not a disease, but a symptom telling you that your body needs something. It could be anything. Exercise, socializing (every type that in sum scratches your itch), sunlight, etc.
Also, perhaps this just means the methods you were trying aren't working for you and that you need to try another method? Have you exhausted every single resource/test prep company out there?
@"Leah M B" thank you for taking the time to share. It actually means a lot to hear from you and everyone else. I guess these feelings are pretty common.
@lsatbeastmode that's an interesting take on depression. Also, I am happy with 7sage as I know that there are still plenty of things contained within the method that I haven't mastered yet. I have made some solid improvements in my PT's just not as much as I had hoped when setting out a year ago.
I have had depression and anxiety long before I started studying for the LSAT. And when I just started studying couple months ago, I've been under incredible amount of outside stress from family and personal matters.
Despite this, I've been chugging along studying for this exam.
It's extremely difficult and painful, but I hope it is all worth it at the end.
I highly recommend darkness visible by william styron. An absolutely incredible book.
Had my fare share of experience with this kind of stuff. All I can say is you have to resist the urge to judge yourself against others on the forums, especially around the time of score releases and admissions decisions. As with everything public on the internet, people generally don't want to post about their totally mundane study habits or another PrepTest bang on their average. For every person on here explaining how they cram PT, review and drills in amongst their 40 hour work week and their childcare, there is undoubtedly someone going along casually and doing just fine.
What you see is a curated slice of peoples' experiences with the LSAT and admissions. Don't let it get you down.
EDIT: I personally found it useful to try and only read posts and threads that I feel I have something to contribute to. As selfish and Grinch-like as it sounds, it's of no benefit to me to merely read about someone else having success (given how wildly different everyone's lives are).
Oh very obviously, most people experience at least some degree of depression and burnout while studying for the LSAT or even more generally while studying for any hard entrance exam. The reason why is because it’s meant to be a test that weeds out the smartest of the smart; in other words, the passages are not designed to be your casual summer read by the pool. These passages are designed, at least ostensibly, who can really read at a high level. But just remember that the opposite depression is expression; if you score high on the LSAT or any entrance exam, it feels amazing because there’s honestly a strong sense praiseworthiness and superiority that naturally comes from doing better than your peers. I went to George Washington for undergrad, for example, and realistically most of my classmates still scored below 160. And I can tell you A LOT of people at GW are into pre-law. At the end of the day though it’s just a test...just do your best. A couple of my classmates from GW scored below160 and still got Georgetown law...non URM classmates. Hope that puts things into perspective.
Yes... basically me every time I get into the study schedule. It was bad this summer since I was finally home after 3 1/2 years. Everyone expected me to hang out and catch up but I blew everyone off to study. Don't get me wrong, I'd take a day off every week to just relax but for the most part I was always alone and consumed by my thoughts. It got really bad where I was having anxiety attacks almost every week and last week I just had a meltdown which led me to delay. You're not alone, we're all here for you! I learned to calm down a lot by forcing myself to talk about how I feel and venting to the friends I've made on here.
I hit a huge burn out wall last week and it was so bad. I took 3 days off from studying completely because my mind just couldn't do it anymore. I needed to just RELAX and remember what life was like before this test. It's hard. It sucks and it's lonely, you beat yourself up and you cheer yourself on. It's a roller-coaster of emotions and the routine makes you feel like a zombie. Sometimes your family or friends may not understand because well... they're not taking the LSAT. But one thing is for sure, your LSAT friends do!
Also, a professor of mine told me that it’s important to remember to sleep, eat well, exercise and have sex when you’re studying for these sort of entrance exams.
Oh no. Don't be too hard on yourself. I remember seeing you on the forums before and seeing that you're definitely a strong lsat taker. I think I have two pieces of thought to share:
First, burnouts (I assume depression leads to burnout, and is caused by some form of existential dread) always exist when humans aren't working on something that is necessary for their basic survival. It's just how we are, in my opinion. So it's probably a good idea to get acquainted and comfortable with it, and perhaps even make use of it. I've had several burn outs related to different things, sports, academics, work, and surprisingly, after walking away from it, if and when I did come back, I came back stronger than ever. So honestly, I don't see it as a catastrophic failure, but rather, a cyclical phenomenon that we simply must embrace and perhaps take advantage of. A bit of disclosure, my study schedule has conformed to this principle. I would study for 5 hours a day for a month or two, and then maybe 1 hour a day or even none for a month or or two, and then get back into it hard and fast and discover that my score jumped a few points despite my relative lack of focus on LSAT.
Second, adapt your mindset. 7Sage advocates for meditation, and I love them for this. I happened to have started my practice at a similar time as starting 7Sage, and the two have melded together very nicely. Personally, I utilize meditation practices from stoicism, buddhism, and daoism that focuses on fate, motivation, purpose, and acceptance. I am atheist and only use resources that focus on the self, and the mind. I find that they have given me sufficient understanding of myself to power through most episodes of self doubt and listlessness. Over time, it even becomes easier to move past the negative thoughts; like any exercise, the more you repeat it, the easier the exercise and the stronger your abilities become.
Thank you to everyone who posted, I genuinely appreciate the support and feedback from all of you. Also, I know this can be hard for some people to share so I applaud those of you who had the courage to make a post about this.
Don't get me wrong, JY is awesome and a great teacher, but perhaps the greatest gem of 7sage is the community. I could not have made it this far without all of your advice and support.
I suffer from clinical depression and anxiety, and this exam is a big-time source of daily agony. Getting occasional practice questions wrong feels like a gut punch, especially when you factor in just how swift and precise you'll need to be during the exam. I'm constantly agonizing over how little time I'm spending studying relative to the amount I think I should. I think about this exam every hour lol.
These kinds of issues are tough to explain to folks who don't deal with intense depression or anxiety. It's not like I want to stress over this exam. I consciously make decisions that my rational mind permits when it comes to my lsat studying, but anxiety and depression are irrational. I literally would rather not struggle to fall asleep at night because I keep thinking about how I didnt practice fool-proofing a particular logic game enough, but its biological lol.
I am sorry you are struggling with the little rewards studying offers. I know what you mean. I am experiencing anxiety and some depression right now. I found a clinician to talk to and I think it is going to help. For me, the biggest problem is not making strides the way I want to, while living at home with mom and dad. It sucks. A part of me feels like a failure for not performing well on the test last year. Living at home definitely makes me feel like I have failed, but I can only remedy that by studying harder and getting better. I feel better when I have good days of studying. My goal is to study until I can achieve the score I want. Definitely try and find some balance in your life.
I was diagnosed as bipolar ii when I stated studying for this, and was also medically retired from the Army. The struggle has been real for me, but I try to take everything in stride and keep putting one foot in front of the other. If things get too overwhelming for me I take a break and I also make sure to schedule downtime to do something I enjoy (hiking, photography, etc).
This test is the source of so much stress and anxiety. For me, it means a lot more because I've lost a career. I put a lot more pressure on myself to do well. Once all is said and done, I'll have my score and can put this behind me.
I think this is a very lonely test and what I find that helps is going outside. Taking a walk. Meditating. Eating right. Communicating with people.
You are not alone. This test is Tough Mudder for the mind.
Talking to a mentor about your goals and aspirations can often help a lot. Sometimes we lose sight of what even brought us to this journey. When our lives center around studying we tend to focus on that "target score" rather than all the wonderful post law-school goals we have in mind. Because progress isn't always consistent and we tend to plateau, little victories in life can go a long way. Try to set yourself up for success by doing something fulfilling. I picked up horticulture and now apartment is filled with plants (I think I have over 20 now). I didn't realize it at first but taking care of the plants and watching them grow is therapeutic for me.
I agree. I think it can be specially lonely when there aren't people nearby who can understand what we are going through. I think that is why this community is golden. I think people in general mean well but they don't know.... they just don't know what this test does to you mentally.
@Ohnoeshalpme I feel the same way... so much studying and little gains. I hope you find others in this community that can be uplifting for you. And if you think your depression needs medication please seek the help of your doctor or a therapist. A close friend of mine takes medicine in the winter because that is the time of year that her depression is visible the most. Good luck to you.
this is a good topic, i definitely get my low moments, specially when studying hard and then get a bad PT score or get an easy question wrong and start thinking maybe its just not for me. I'm really bad at quitting though so i push through it but it is a lonely situation most around you dont understand. try explaining to someone else you're studying ONE test for a year and they'll think your an idiot, dumb or just plain out who's exaggerating. I keep hoping that once i get that nice score all of the time and energy and money and effort will all make sense and be worth it well. good luck to us all haha
Yeah I was a zombie for the 6 months I was studying. Just doing little things like not studying during my lunch break and going out to lunch with my coworkers instead cheered me up. It’s a shitty frustrating process and even once you take the lsat and get at/near your target score, then you have to do apps, and then you have to wait for responses. There’s no immediate reward and it’s a long process.
Not working out as often and sitting at my desk all day at work and then sitting for hours after work to study caused me physical pain along with making me feel f*cked up emotionally. I also had stomach issues in the beginning bc for a few weeks I was eating dinner at like 10 pm after I studied instead of before.
Remember to take time to exercise regularly and meal prep proper meals.
Making a healthy schedule for yourself and sticking to it and leaving room for time off to enjoy yourself is important.
My kind of instructor.
I disagree
@10000019 We need more Seinfeld on 7Sage