The legal profession, renowned for its rigorous demands and high-stress environments, has long grappled with a pervasive mental health crisis.
Marsha Brown, PhD, is a licensed psychologist with expertise in stress management and collaborates with organizations and business leaders to comprehend the detrimental effects of stress on company culture, performance and individuals. She uses the Deconstructing Stress method to empower high-stress professionals, conducting corporate training and workshops that enable employees to enhance their overall quality of life and performance.
“People on a team are an investment, and if you’re investing in your team and you’re making sure that they have whole-body wellness, that is an asset to your organization,” Brown says.
In a nationwide study published by the National Library of Medicine in 2016, it was revealed that 28% of lawyers experience depression, 19% report anxiety, 21% have alcohol-related problems, 11% face drug use issues, and lawyers contemplate suicide at a rate two to three times higher than the general population, shedding light on concerning aspects of lawyer well-being — and the toll this can take on those who work in that environment.
As Brown elucidates, legal professionals often find themselves juggling a multitude of tasks, including managing diverse personalities within law firms. The weight of these demands frequently leads to overwhelming stress and eventual burnout. To cope, many turn to unhealthy outlets, such as alcohol or recreational drugs, further exacerbating depression and anxiety. Brown observes the need for intervention at an early stage and notes that this mental health crisis begins in law school, where unyielding deadlines and relentless pressure set the stage for future struggles.
“For a lot of people, they find themselves super overwhelmed, and then they get to the point where they’re burned out,” Brown says.
Author: Amina Sergazina