Sea Side Scrap Book » Attorneys Are People Too! Pt. 3

Attorneys Are People Too! Pt. 3

Additionally, when you think about the risk factors for suicide, like depression, anxiety, stress, divorce, alcohol and substance abuse, attorneys experience many of these at rates that are higher than the general population consistently. Why do lawyers seem more likely to deal with emotional problems than anyone else? From an anecdotal perspective, lawyers are more likely to suffer from perfectionism and competitiveness. While these traits might drive these people to do their best to excel in life, they also have a down side. An unachievable high coupled with a temperament that is less likely to seek help is a recipe for disaster.

Perfectionism has been known to cause levels of the stress hormone cortisol to rise. Chronic, high levels of cortisol are a key factor in a variety of health problems including depression. When a mistake is made, which of course is inevitable, perfectionism blows up the sense of failure.

Add the nature of the work itself to the “type a” personality traits of people who are drawn to the profession, and you can easily see why lawyers might be so stressed. The legal system in and of itself is conflict driven by its own nature; the other side is always out to prove you wrong. Deadlines, time constraints, and the scrutiny from opposing counsel, the courts, and clients are without doubt huge sources of stress for attorneys.

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A number of suicides by lawyers in the past year have called new attention to these problems. Last April, Mark Levy, head of a large law firm died in a suicide at his law office in Washington D.C. In Connecticut, attorney James Ripper spent his lifelong career focusing on residential and commercial real estate transactions. With the market in a slump, his practice dwindled. In November, he hanged himself in his home. In January, Houston attorney John Mason Mings committed suicide, shooting himself.

In May, the American Bar Association started to sponsor a continuing legal education program on lawyers and suicide called “What Lawyers Need to Know About Suicide During a Recession: Prevention, Identity and Law Firm Responsibility.” But, regardless of how bad the economy might be, statistics point to the fact that those involved in the legal field might be high risk. Remember that even if they might be the purveyors of your bad news, attorneys are people too. So on April 13, National Be Nice To Lawyers Day, and every other day, show a little kindness to your friendly neighborhood lawyer.

Mallory Megan works for a debt collection company. Also she writes stories on business and finance, consumer spending and collection agencies. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.