In the December 2015 issue of the ABA Journal, the American Bar Association reported that “available estimates peg the addiction rate of attorneys to be roughly twice that of the general population.” The Journal even suggested that that figure may be an overly conservative estimate. Quoting Patrick R. Krill of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, “the reality is that careers in the law carry with them heightened risk of problematic and dangerous lifestyles, overall lack of wellness, addiction and other mental health concerns.” These concerns even reach into the judiciary as well as law schools.
But why? What is it about the law that makes problem drinkers out of its practitioners? The answer to this question lies both inside and outside the typical attorney. There is no question that there has been a deterioration of the legal work environment. The legal profession has adopted a culture of workaholism where attorneys are expected to bill 1800-1900 per year which translates to a typical workday averaging between 9 to 12 hours per day. This demand causes attorneys to neglect other aspects of their life including their health and their families.
Additionally, the legal profession has become an increasingly competitive industry. In 1950, there were 200,000 lawyers in the United States or one for every 750 people. As of 2012, there were 1.2 million lawyers for an average of one lawyer for every 300 people. While the proverbial “pie” stays the same or, in some cases shrinks, law schools continue to pump more attorneys into the economy each and every year. This competitive environment causes an added stress to an already stressful occupation.
Then, of course, there’s the practice of law itself which is by its very nature combative. As Amiram Elwork, Ph.D. writes in Stress Management for Lawyers, “our adversarial legal system tends to promote a Machiavellian environment, in which aggression, selfishness, hostility, suspiciousness, and cynicism are widespread.” This culture contributes to a less than ideal work environment in which backbiting, disrespect and incivility from coworkers runs rampant. Litigators seem to suffer more stress than other practitioners especially those that practice in the area of family and criminal law.
Hollywood also plays a role. Based upon TV shows and dramatic movies, such as A Few Good Men, clients carry with them unreasonable expectations as to how their legal matter will resolve. In other words, attorneys are often held to a fictional standard of expertise which, in reality, is unattainable.
While most lawyers would like to blame externalities for their distress, the problem also lies within the typical lawyer. It is no secret that the legal profession attracts a certain personality-type. Dr. Elwork notes that “perfectionism is a common personality trait among lawyers that makes them more susceptible to stress.” Another common stress–inducing trait among lawyers according to Dr. Elwork is that lawyers “tend to be exceedingly analytical thinkers and do not fully appreciate the positive role that emotions can play in human cognition” and, to make matters worse, our adversarial legal system often stimulates feelings of hostility, cynicism, aggression, fear and low self-esteem.
What makes substance abuse and alcoholism so intractable in the legal profession is the fact that attorneys typically are A-type personalities who not only assert control, but are expected to assert control, over their client’s financial, personal, and sometimes physical well-being. It is difficult for these personalities to recognize that they may not be in control of their own personal lives and even more difficult for them to recognize that they need help.
Thankfully, bar associations across the nation are beginning to recognize the distress in which more and more lawyers are finding themselves. The State Bar of Nevada, for example, created the Nevada Lawyer Assistance Program in 2013 to formalize the clinical services available to attorneys suffering from abuse, addiction and/or mental health issues. The State Bar also actively supports the Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers program which even has a hotline for attorneys in need of confidential assistance with alcohol, drug depression, stress or gambling problems. If you are Nevada lawyer reading this post and think it might have some application to your life, do not hesitate to click on the following link: http://www.nvbar.org/NLAP