# Why do I do this to myself?



## Paiger81 (Jun 22, 2004)

Why do I, a chick who is diagnosed with OCD w/Panic Attacks and IBS C&D, both which are related to stress, decide that I am going to go to law school? What is wrong with me? Why am I going to give up a dull but well paid job to go back to living off of financial aid and having no life other than law?Having a little bit of a mental breakdown here!!!!!!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

LOLWait wait...your pain isn't funny, but I do know a lot of people like this.The same things that make you OCD, etc. also make you a driven individual who wants to make something of themselves. That same thing that makes settling for a dull job unacceptable.Unfortunately most things in life are like that. On the one hand any given trait is a good thing, but the same trait also has the side of it that drives us nuts.K.


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## Paiger81 (Jun 22, 2004)

You are pretty much right.I feel bad for my brother- suffers from Depression- because he's had a lot of anger issues with the fact that I'm so driven and push myself to do it, where he is driven but if it becomes difficult he quits. Gotta love those psych. sessions when the psych. told him that I shouldn't stop succeeding just to make him happy.I was registering for my LSAT, but the freak out made me hold off on filling out the LS Apps. One day at a time........


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## palma (Aug 2, 2004)

I do know how you feel. I am graduating from college in December and I am now in the process of applying to graduate school and taking my GRE's. I also gave up a dull but good paying job to do this. I have always been a nervous person and I know that this aggravates my IBS. But I say that if this is something you really want, don't let anything stop. I'm sorry for the terrible cliche but it is true. Just think of how good you will feel when you get out of law school. I have 7 more years before I get my PhD!!! They should be interesting....


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## scottyswotty (Jun 29, 2000)

also be sure you want to do law - the study of law is VERY different to the practice of law.it is one of the more stressful professional jobs you could do.


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## JoanneThomas (Jan 17, 2002)

I'm a bit with scottyswotty on this as living with a lawyer I know the stress he goes through ~(and its me with the IBS!)Mind you it may be that the stress reactions you have are not related to this kind of situation. Who knows. Different people get stressed in different situations. Some people thrive on certain recognisable stressful situations and buckle under in situations that others may find easy to deal with. (Not sure that sentence made sense







)good luck with whatever you do!


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## Paiger81 (Jun 22, 2004)

Thanks for y'all's support. I'm a bit wierd in that I can thrive in certain types of stress and completely wilt in other situations. My OCD w/Panic Attacks started around 1999. In a span of 2.5 years, 9 close relative and friends died from various reasons. That's a lot for an 18 year old to take in. Looking back now, it is quite evident I was going down hill, but I did a great job at hiding the OCD for quite a long time. I didn't seek help until the end of 2000. I'm a lot more aware of what my stressors are now.


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