BarTalk June 2000
Volume 12, Number 3

Is it just me?

by Barbara Armstrong

No, it isn’t just you. Recent studies have confirmed that practicing law can be hard on a person. One showed that of 105 occupations studied, lawyers had the highest incidence of depression. A second found that a majority of lawyers would not choose law as a career if they could choose again.

What makes it so difficult? Lawyers work in a pressured, frantic fashion, responding to deadlines and crises, managing difficult clients, dealing with hostile adversaries and reams of detail, and making sense of increasingly complex laws. They can never show weakness. The stakes are high and the time short. The lawyer feels responsible for outcomes, even when they are beyond his or her control. The work requires dedication and such long hours that a personal life must come second.

Relentlessly focusing on the client’s interests, disregarding personal feelings, and never having the luxury to look at the bigger picture can leave lawyers feeling enslaved and trapped. They tell themselves to “just get through this day, closing, case, year or working life and then I can start living”. Many have lived in a chronic state of imbalance and inner deprivation for so long that they no longer see it as abnormal or unhealthy. They may believe that achievement in work makes up for what they are missing but chronic stress and lack of balance can cause serious physical and emotional problems.

Even though law is a demanding profession, if you put effort into pursuing balance, you can enjoy it. However, as you have made a commitment to work in a stressful profession, you must make a commitment to deal with that stress. Instead of obtaining temporary relief from alcohol or drugs, or a lift with excess caffeine or tobacco, or comfort from foods high in sugar and fat, develop healthy habits, which provide you with the strength to withstand stress. I believe that you should also practice a formal relaxation method such as yoga, meditation, or tai chi to provide a regular break from stress for your mind and body.

Stress is generated internally and externally. Observe your internal reactions and thought patterns, and you will find that your stress is affected by how you habitually think and react. For example, a hostile orientation stimulates others to respond negatively, thereby creating even more stress. As well, a perfectionist will be unhappy and dissatisfied much more than someone who is more realistic. We are all just human. An inability to communicate feelings will lead to inner feelings of isolation. You can reduce your stress by identifying and changing dysfunctional internal patterns. If you direct your intelligence and energy in this way, you can change your life.

You can also reduce external sources of stress. You might become a better time or work manager, or learn to stand up for yourself. It amazes me that lawyers who represent clients ferociously will not be assertive on their own behalf. Learn to say “no” when you are too busy to take on any more work. Find a way to reduce the number of hours that you work. It’s not all or nothing. Try something.

I know that most lawyers will respond with rolling eyes, irritation and the conviction that “she doesn’t understand. Yoga! Meditation! You must be kidding. There is no time or energy.” The truth is that the more impossible or ludicrous these measures may seem, the more stuck you may be. If any change really feels impossible to you, seek counselling. People often need help and support in making changes or in just stepping back to look at the bigger picture. It may have been so long since you got help for yourself that you have forgotten how good it feels.

Barbara Armstrong, LLB MA, a former lawyer, is a registered clinical counsellor in West Vancouver. She can be reached by telephone at 604.921.6956.

This article was published in the June 2000 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.