21 percent of practicing attorneys qualify as problem drinkers, 28 percent struggle with some degree of depression and 19 percent demonstrate symptoms of anxiety. We can question the numbers. We can discount the numbers as the result of a single study whose methodology we have not scrutinized. (You think the study sponsor, Hazelden, might have a bias?)
Or we can simply face facts, as hard as that can be. The Star Tribune reported this recent study today. I have posted about this issue directly and indirectly here, here, and here (and more).
I have included a link to Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers in many posts and do so again here.
The Star Tribune article points to various potential causes (pressures of the job, alcohol-infused marketing [perceived] obligations, a culture of denial, and so on). Another word for “causes” might be “excuses.” The article did not talk about effects — domestic abuse, criminality, negligence, death (cirrhosis, suicide), etc. etc.
Alcoholism, as we all know, is a widespread illness but no one should be surprised if data shows that lawyers, in particular, are particularly hard hit, given what has happened in their industry over the past ten years (and counting).