In the June episode of HearSay, Law Week Colorado reporter Julia Cardi looked into how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting mental health in the legal profession. Studies show attorneys already tend to suffer from anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide at higher rates than the general population, and the health crisis has come with a new set of potential triggers for mental health struggles and substance use, ranging from the upending of daily routines we took for granted to financial distress.
Mental health advocates interviewed for this episode say talking openly about these issues is key to solving them. Reducing the stigma attached to mental health struggles increases people’s willingness to reach out for help.
Among the interviewed is Sarah Myers, executive director of the Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program and an anonymous lawyer who returned to practicing law after coming back from an alcohol addiction and disbarment. He’s been sober for more than 15 years and his story may resonate with listeners struggling with mental health issues triggered by the pandemic.
This anonymous source explored the mental phenomenon of “misery loves company,” and how even though that saying sounds like it has a negative connotation, knowing we’re not alone in our struggles does wonders for helping us cope.
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