Another bit about lawyers’ depression, another nerve hit

Last Wednesday, the WSJ Law Blog ran an item titled Are Lawyers Emotional Wrecks?, drawing on a Boston Globe story about a lawyers’ assistance program for lawyers with mental-health problems. The gist of the Globe story is the recent increase in the number of lawyers seeking help for depression. The WSJ Law Blog editor invited readers to comment, and boy, did they ever! Much of the commentary is negative toward the commentators’ individual jobs particularly and the legal profession generally.

Speaking for myself, I enjoy practicing law. By and large, I enjoy the company of the people I work with. In my case, practicing law did not cause depression—if it did, I wouldn’t still be doing it. That said, I do think that the legal profession attracts people who may be prone to depression (e.g. perfectionists), and that the demands of the profession can sometimes be bad for your mental health (e.g. several weeks without a full day off). That’s why all lawyers should know the signs of depression, and should not be bashful about getting help if they spot them. (A good place to start is your primary-care physician.)