Suicidal Neuroscience
A bipolar Ph.D. neuroscientist explores the neural basis of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
The shocking suicide of attorney and former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst a little over a month ago has prompted renewed attention to mental health issues, both generally and within the legal profession. I know the pressures of the job. I used to be an associate attorney at one of those big law firms where the price of the big bucks and the fancy perks is all of your time, accounted for in six-minute increments.
I spent six years there. I busted my ass to work up the rungs, and I got to the point where I had a green light for partnership. Then I became so severely depressed that I was unable to work. I had to take a leave for several months under the Family and Medical Leave Act. At the time, I didn’t know I had bipolar disorder. Although my psychiatrist had flirted with the idea, the mental illness du jour was major depression.
I remember checking to see if the generous life insurance policy that the big law firm had taken out on each of its associates would pay out in the event of suicide. I didn’t have a plan to do anything, but it was on my mind.
