“Alarmingly high rates” of lawyer depression and drug/alcohol use reported

A new study, published in February of 2016 in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, claims to be the first research on the issue of substance abuse in the legal profession since 1990.

According to the study, more than a quarter of all lawyers have alcohol problems, and better than 1 out of 10 lawyers stated in the study that they considered taking their own lives at some point during their career.

Not only are lawyers at the highest risk of substance abuse among professionals, but also various mental health issues were reported at alarmingly high rates.

These issues are significantly more prevalent among men in the legal profession than women. Individuals’ aged 30 or younger and junior associates at law firms were the most likely to have substance abuse and depression issues, the study found. The majority of respondents in the study stated that their substance abuse issues commenced within 15 years after graduating from law school.

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