Attorneys and Depression

The Wall Street Journal has an excellent article called “Why Do Lawyers Get Depressed?” You can find it here.

The study of lawyers and depression is an important endeavor because lawyers have traditionally suffered higher rates of alcohol abuse and alcoholism than the general public. In 1991, studies showed that lawyers had twice the rate of addiction to alcohol than the general population. In 2000, it was estimated that 15 to 17 percent of California attorneys were alcoholics, or about one out of every six attorneys. In comparison, nearly 14 million Americans, or one in every 13 adults, abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. These statistics are concerning, because alcohol abuse can interfere with an attorney’s professional duties.

The Wall Street Journal article reveals that lawyers suffer depression at rates that are 3.6 times higher than other professions.

One cause may surprise you. Lawyers are trained to be analytical and critical thinkers, which makes us pessimists. Pessimism leads to unhappiness. To combat this, psychologist Martin E. P. Seligman recommends that firms reward attorneys with a change of pace from “drudgery” and offer exciting work assignments when possible.

Here is a short video about depression in the legal profession.

Here is a site devoted to attorneys with depression.

Public Service Announcement on Depression


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