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No joke: Lawyers feel sad
Deseret News ^
| December 17, 2001
| Elaine Jarvik
Posted on 12/18/2001 12:30:53 AM PST by sarcasm
They've been bashed and sometimes despised — and a whole category of jokes was invented to poke fun at them. But lawyers have feelings, too, and in fact studies have shown them to be more vulnerable to depression, suicide and substance abuse than other adults.
"It's hard to imagine a harder way to make a living," Utah Bar Association President Scott Daniels told 160 Utah lawyers Friday. "Can you think of another job where (a colleague) tries to screw you up?" (Doctors, for example, don't try to kill each others' patients, he noted.)
His comments were a prelude to an afternoon of discussion about Lawyers Helping Lawyers, a program providing intervention and mentoring for attorneys with substance abuse and mental illness. There are similar programs in 45 states, plus an American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs.
"It used to be called the Commission on Impaired Attorneys, but people used to mispronounce it Commission of Impaired Attorneys," said Michael Sweeney, unable to resist his own lawyer joke. Sweeney is director of the Oregon lawyer assistance program.
He cited these studies:
- 18 percent of lawyers in Arizona and Washington suffer from alcohol addiction and 3 percent from drug addiction. This compares to a 10 percent addiction rate among the general public.
- 26 percent of North Carolina lawyers are clinically depressed (compared to 3 percent to 9 percent of the general population) and 12 percent said they contemplated suicide at least once a month.
- Lawyers are in the most depressed profession in the country, according to a study by Johns Hopkins University.
- Among the 100 addicted Oregon lawyers studied, the annual malpractice rate was 35 percent, compared to 13.5 percent for all Oregon lawyers.
The culprit is stress, says Murray psychologist Lynn Johnson. Lawyers are told not to make mistakes and constantly have to deal with people who are upset and emotional, he said. In addition, "the law attracts people who are more pessimistic and perfectionistic from the get-go."
Plus there is the stress of "billable hours" and the uncertainties of how a judge will rule, added Utah Supreme Court Justice Matthew Durrant. The result, he said, is that "good men and women allow their lives to spin out of control." Durrant is heading up a civility committee of the Supreme Court, to encourage lawyers to behave courteously, honestly and in a dignified manner.
According to Sweeney, interventions through Lawyers Helping Lawyers lower the rate of malpractice suits. After the intervention program, he said, the five-year malpractice rate among addicted Oregon lawyers dropped from 35 percent to 8 percent.
In Utah, Lawyers Helping Lawyers operated on a volunteer basis until last summer, when it added a small paid staff. The director, Richard Uday, says the key to the program's success is the confidentiality it provides.
Although lawyers are required by their code of ethics to report any colleague who appears to be suffering from substance abuse or other impairment, the code was amended in the early 1990s to allow, instead, reporting to Lawyers Helping Lawyers.
"As lawyers, we owe it to the profession to try to address this," said Daniels. "And we owe it to the public, because when lawyers have problems, the public suffers."
TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
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Lawyers are in the most depressed profession in the country, according to a study by Johns Hopkins University. Must be a typo - it should read:
Lawyers are in the most despised profession in the country, according to a study by Johns Hopkins University.
1
posted on
12/18/2001 12:30:53 AM PST
by
sarcasm
To: sarcasm; JD86
the most despised profession And the most misunderstood.
2
posted on
12/18/2001 12:37:16 AM PST
by
TopQuark
To: sarcasm
"It's hard to imagine a harder way to make a living," They need help clearing landmines and booby traps in Afghanistan. Consider it a "vacation."
To: sarcasm
i practised law for 15 or 20 years. it damn near drove me crazy. i lacked the emotional components (disregard for truth, indiference towards clients, etc.) that made it bearable for some.
p.s. i am now in an entirely different profession, substantially more demanding (intellectually) than law, and making a whole lot more money.
my wife is happy. and so am i.
4
posted on
12/18/2001 1:09:35 AM PST
by
johnboy
To: sarcasm
Not nearly as depressed as the Police who have to deal with their clients.
5
posted on
12/18/2001 2:40:44 AM PST
by
beekeeper
To: sarcasm
Oh great, a whole new "victim" class - the lawyers themselves.
Just a natural progression, they've used that line so much they actually believe it.
OK, quick poll - how many of us would contribute to a charity to help these depressed lawyers?
A) A lot of money
B) A little money
C) Go pound sand
6
posted on
12/18/2001 2:51:22 AM PST
by
Psalm 73
To: sarcasm
Physician Attorney heal thyself.
I don't doubt that much of this article is true. However, I also don't doubt that much of the stress is self inflicted.
Not all lawyers are unethical and cut-throat. But the ones who are color our impression of them.
To: sarcasm
But lawyers have feelings, too,
Try proving that in court.
To: sarcasm
Lawyers are like televangelists,
just not as entertaining...
9
posted on
12/18/2001 3:01:41 AM PST
by
ofMagog
To: Ward Smythe
As the old saying goes, 90% of lawyers give the other 10% a bad name.
10
posted on
12/18/2001 3:06:21 AM PST
by
ko_kyi
To: sarcasm
What's the difference between a rooster and a lawyer?
A rooster clucks defiance.
To: sarcasm
Can Lawyers feel??
12
posted on
12/18/2001 3:33:39 AM PST
by
mbb bill
To: mbb bill
Research has consistently revealed that lawyers cannot feel.
They belong to the only profession whose members detest all other members.
(Seriously, ask any lawyer what he thinks of other lawyers.)
The good news is lawyers make excellent compost.
13
posted on
12/18/2001 3:43:57 AM PST
by
ofMagog
To: sarcasm
I would like to see a study done on people who say "John Hopkins." Did they just not hear the "s"? Or did they hear it, but not believe it? These are questions I've asked myself for years.
To: sarcasm
Lawyers are in the most depressed profession in the country, according to a study by Johns Hopkins University. Consciance does take its toll.
15
posted on
12/18/2001 4:01:32 AM PST
by
varon
To: ofMagog
They belong to the only profession whose members detest all other members. (Seriously, ask any lawyer what he thinks of other lawyers.)Where I practice, there about 45 lawyers whom I run into frequently. I would say about there are about 6-8 of them I truly cannot stand, for their arrogance and condescension. For the most part, the lawyers I practice with do a good job for their clients, and their primary goal is to resolve the issues and settle the case outside of court.
16
posted on
12/18/2001 4:14:29 AM PST
by
GreatOne
To: johnboy
As a lawyer of 5 years myself, and seemingly going where you did, what are you now doing?
17
posted on
12/18/2001 4:15:59 AM PST
by
GreatOne
To: BikerTrash
Wow... good one. It took me a while to figure out that it isn't the FIRST consonant that you exchange...
To: GreatOne
All the lawyers that are depressed should meditate by holding their breath for 5 minutes and show 4 of their fellow lawyers how to do the same. That would be a nice start to the holiday season.
To: sarcasm
This country needs lawyer control! Those assault lawyers are dangerous!
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