Lawyers as a group experience high rates of depression, anxiety, and substance use. Lawyers also as a group tend to be highly competitive and perfectionistic and have difficulty with perceived failure, which can lead to becoming overwhelmed with shame. In addition, the culture of competence and mastery, not to mention stigma, can further inhibit help-seeking. Feelings of hopelessness, especially when combined with substance use, can be a recipe for disaster. Not surprisingly, the incidence of suicide within the profession has been found to be higher than many other professions. This all during “normal” pre-pandemic times.
Since March, CDC data show that symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population have spiked, and there is no reason to think lawyers are immune to this increase. CDC data collected weekly from April through July reveals overall 33 – 41% of respondents reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression. Compare these numbers to 11% reporting the same symptoms in 2019. When breaking the 2020 data further down by age, race, and ethnicity, in some groups > 50% of respondents (i.e., 18 -29 year-old age range) reported these symptoms at different times over the course of the survey.
The second phase of this survey, involving data collection every two weeks, began in mid-August and found 39% of Connecticut respondents reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. In a separate, quarterly CDC survey in June, 11% of respondents (26% of those aged 18 – 24) reported seriously considering suicide in the previous 30 days. All the more reason to check in with yourself and loved ones, and to tune in and listen to colleagues who show signs of depression.
Risk factors for suicide include many of the things people are experiencing as a result of the pandemic:
- Hopelessness
- Depression
- Substance use
- Feeling isolated or disconnected
- Impulsive or aggressive tendencies
- Loss (relational, social, financial, work)
- Unwillingness to seek help because of stigma
- Family history of suicide
- Prior suicide attempts
- Physical illness
There are plenty of resources available, including telehealth with a local psychologist or other mental health provider and Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers-CT. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL): 1-800-273-TALK (8255), 24/7, in confidence.
For more information on warning signs and suicide prevention, check out the National Institutes of Mental Health
website.
