Over the past two decades research has shown increasing emotional and mental distress among lawyers. Findings from the Work and Well-Being Study (Siebert and Carroll) show:
-42% of lawyers surveyed agree or strongly agree they worked “when too distressed to be effective.”
-39% indicated they met the criteria for burnout.
-34.7% men and 29.2% women had binge-drinking episode in past month.
-incidence of substance abuse is as much as double the national average.
-approximately 25% report depression (10% of general population report depression).
-28.5% report “drinking is part of being a lawyer.”
-67% are somewhat or extremely worried about the future.
-42% take work home daily or frequently.
-20% entered profession with difficult history (childhood abuse/substance abuse by parent).
Other research shows:
-25% of lawyers report elevated psychological distress including feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, anxiety, social alienation and isolation. (Benjamin Sells, “Facing the Facts About Depression in the Profession,” Florida Bar News, March 1995).
-Lawyers report high rates of pessimism and perfectionism. (Lynn Johnson, Stress Management, Utah State Bar Journal, Jan/Feb 2003).
-Lawyers are more likely to suffer from depression than those in other professions and nearly 4 times more likely than the average. (Johns Hopkins, 1990).
-Male lawyers are two times more likely to commit suicide than men in the general population. (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Healthy, 1992).
SC Lawyer Assistance Program: Lawyers Helping Lawyers
About thirty years ago a group of SC lawyers began meeting and called their organization Lawyers Caring about Lawyers. They had the purpose of supporting each other and other attorneys who were experiencing troubles with addiction. About ten years ago they reorganized and renamed the program Lawyers Helping Lawyers (“LHL”).
LHL has four purposes:
1. to protect the interests of the general public and clients from harm caused by lawyers and judges impaired by substance abuse or depression;
2. to protect the integrity of the legal profession from harm caused by lawyers and judges impaired by substance abuse or depression;
3. to educate the bench and bar about the causes and remedies for substance abuse or depression within the profession; and
4. to provide help to lawyers and judges who suffer from substance abuse and or depression.
About 150 lawyers per year have some degree of contact with LHL.
Current services offered by LHL include assessment, referral to counseling/treatment, mentoring, monitoring and assisting with Bar application process for 1st time admissions.
Current goals of LHL include the reestablishing of support groups for impaired lawyers, creating a presence in both law schools and increasing the number of referrals.
Lawyers are usually hitting or approaching a “bottom” when they call LHL. A significant number of attorneys develop a high sense of well-being by way of addiction recovery. 7.9% of lawyers surveyed in the Work and Well-Being Study reported being recovered or in recovery.
Resources for Support:
Robert Turnbull, Director of Lawyers Helping Lawyers, can be reached on the toll-free helpline at 866-545-9590 or at 803-603-3807.
Beth Padgett, Assistant Director of Lawyers Helping Lawyers, can be reached at 803-240-6526.
LifeFocus Counseling Services can be reached at 866-726-5252. They provide referral to a counselor in the area.
All calls and all information are confidential.
A Simple Strategy for Increased Well-being – Mindfulness
Mindfulness is defined as:
-“an awareness that is non-judging, friendly, and does not seek to add or subtract anything from the experience before it. Mindfulness arises as one pays attention, on purpose, in an allowing, accepting way to inner and outer experience unfolding in the present moment. Mindfulness is not limited to rigid or formulaic methods of meditation, but is available to be experienced in each moment and with every breath.”
-“commitment to reside as best one can from moment to moment in awareness with an open heart, a spacious, non-judging, non-reactive mind, and without trying to get anywhere.” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, 2003)
Much research has been conducted over the past 4 years on mindfulness practice and its effects on the brain, mind and body. Key components of recent research have shown:
-improvement in executive attention.
-improvement in ability to recognize, name and control emotions.
-improvement in self-awareness.
-improvement of sleep quality. (Winbush, Gross, and Kreitzer, 2007).
People with higher levels of mindfulness report feeling less stressed, anxious and depressed. They also report feeling more joyful, inspired, grateful, hopeful, content, vital and satisfied with life. (Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer and Toney, 2006).
Therapeutic effect has been shown on many stress-related illnesses including type 2 diabetes, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, low back pain and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
People trained in mindfulness show a better ability to quit smoking, decrease binge eating and reduce alcohol and illicit substance use. (Greeson, 2008)
A Moment of Practice
From “Mindfulness Neuroscience and the Lawyer’s Brain” (Scott Rogers, Negotiation Insight Wisdom, April 2009)
• Sit in a comfortable position.
• Keep your back straight but not rigid.
• Rest your hands on your knees, thighs or in your lap.
• Close or lower your eyes and bring awareness to your breathing.
• Follow your breath for a few moments, observing it with curious interest.
• Move awareness from the breath to your mind, watching the coming and going of thoughts.
• You may notice a busy mind, a restless mind, or a quiet mind.
• Watch your thoughts arise, letting them come and go.
• If you find yourself distracted, or you mind wandering, that’s okay. That is what the mind does. What’s amazing is that you notice it and that you have a choice what to do next.
• After you notice your mind’s wandering, bring awareness back to your breathing.
• After a few breaths, move awareness to your thoughts and observe your mind.
• At the end of the practice, whether 2 minutes or 20, smile and savor the moment.
Support for Everyday Mindfulness:
Slow down.
Talk less.
When you can (or when you will) do just one thing at a time. Reduce multitasking.
Focus on your breath while doing daily activities.
Relax into a calm feeling of presence with other people.
Use routine events, such as the phone ringing, having a drink of water, cranking the car engine, as reminders to return yourself to a sense of centeredness. Take a couple deep breaths before you pick up the phone.
At meals, take a moment to reflect on where the food came from. Imagine where the vegetables grew, where the grains grew and the people who were involved.
–Beth Padgett
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