Page 26 - December 2019 Bar Journal

COLUMNMENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS

ARE YOU A LAWYER WHO HELPS

OTHER LAWYERS?

Scott R. Mote, Esq.

hen asked why you • Decreasing quality of performance • Abnormally upbeat
became a lawyer, a • Inappropriate pleadings, decisions • Decreased need for sleep
common response is • Co-workers and staff “gossip” about changes • Poor decision-making — for example, going
“I want to help people.” in behavior on buying sprees, taking sexual risks or making
W And we do just that. We • Malpractice and disciplinary claims foolish investments
help people get their homes back, we help them • Missed hearings, appointments, depositions • Depressed mood
resolve disputes, get child support, find justice, • Loss of clients, practice, respect • No interest in activities
among many other things. But, what about • Sleeping too much
helping people in our own profession? Anxiety • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or
To be a good lawyer, one has to be a healthy Anxiety disorder, the most common mental inappropriate guilt
lawyer. A recent study of more than 13,000 illness, affects close to 30 percent of adults.
lawyers — The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Anxiety is when you become tense in Dementia
Practical Recommendations For Positive anticipation of a future event. Anxiety also Dementia is the development of multiple
Change — found that 17 percent of practicing makes a person avoid certain events because cognitive deficits manifested by both memory
lawyers experienced some level of depression, of fear. impairment (impaired ability to learn new
14 percent experienced severe anxiety, 23 You have probably heard of anxiety attacks, information or to recall previously learned
percent had mild or moderate anxiety, and six where a person is so worried about an information) and one (or more) of the
percent reported serious suicidal thoughts in event that causes the person to sweat, shake following cognitive disturbances:
the past year. We throw these words around— uncontrollably, and have fear of losing control. • Aphasia (language disturbance);
words such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, Other common symptoms of anxiety include • Apaxia (impaired ability to carry out motor
OCD—but do we understand their meanings? excessive worrying, agitation, restlessness, activities despite intact motor function);
If more lawyers get familiar with some of the trouble falling or staying asleep, and avoiding • Agnosia (failure to recognize or identify
common ailments that plague some of those social situations. objects despite intact sensory function);
in the legal profession, we can do a better job • Disturbance in executive functioning (i.e.,
of helping them. Helping our colleagues in Post-traumatic stress disorder planning, organizing, sequencing, abstracting).
distress will help maintain public confidence Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in These cognitive deficits cause significant
in the profession and reduce stigma attached some people who have witnessed a terrifying impairment in social or occupational
to mental health and substance use disorders. or shocking event. The person may have functioning, and represent a significant decline
flashbacks, bad dreams or terrible thoughts, from a previous level of functioning.
Common mental disorders which prevent the person from doing his
Depression or her normal activities. Some people who Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Depression is different than sadness or grief. suffer from PTSD can be easily startled, have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a brain
It is not something that you can just “snap out difficulty sleeping, have angry outbursts, disorder that interferes with normal functioning.
of.” It is an illness lasting more than two weeks negative and distortive thoughts. Major symptoms include inattention,
that negatively affects the way you feel and the hyperactivity and impulsivity. Some signs include:
way you function. Bipolar disorder • Missing details
A major symptom of depression is a loss Bipolar disorder, also known as manic • Making careless mistakes
of interest in the things you enjoy. Other depression, is a mental health condition that • Not following through on duties
symptoms include: causes extreme mood swings that include • Easily sidetracked
• Frequent absences emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and • Excessive energy
• Inappropriate behavior, moods lows (depression). Symptoms include:

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