One in five Illinois lawyers rates their mental health as fair or poor

According to “The Weight of Practice,” a study sponsored by the Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program (Illinois LAP), 20 percent of the 6,778 lawyers surveyed in the state described their mental health as fair (16 percent) or poor (four percent). 

Meanwhile, nine percent of Illinois judges polled considered their mental health as fair (eight percent) or poor (one percent). 

Apart from mental health and well-being, Illinois LAP’s study delved into alcohol and drug use and its overlap with mental health, gambling, stress, vicarious trauma, cognitive decline, and overall wellness within the state’s legal profession. 

Among the survey respondents who rated their mental health as fair or poor: 

• 32 percent went through suicidal ideation at least once this past year, 24 percent of whom experienced it over the past two weeks 
• 37 percent did not seek help this past year, with reasons ranging from a perception that they could deal with their mental health issues on their own, financial constraints, embarrassment, confidentiality concerns, or worries about damaging their career 
• 63 percent sought help, 92 percent of whom turned to a therapist, physician, or treatment program, while others reached out to friends, family, or colleagues 

Of those who asked for help, the most common professional diagnoses included anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Among survey participants, 30 percent experienced vicarious trauma this past year, most frequently in connection with the following practice areas: litigation, criminal law, and family/domestic relations. 

Mental health impacts

Of the survey respondents who considered their mental health fair or poor: 

• 43 percent took time off or missed work this past year because of mental health issues 
• 91 percent felt burnt out 
• 71 percent had poor attention 
• 57 percent performed substandard work 
• Over half said a spouse, family member, or colleague expressed concern regarding their mental health 
• Two percent underwent disciplinary action 

Alcohol consumption

Among survey participants, 15 percent shared that they did not consume alcohol this past year. Of the 85 percent that did drink: 

• 50 percent drank a few times a month 
• 22 percent drank several times per week 
• 12 percent drank 4+ times a week 
• Nine percent drank nearly every day 

More than 28 percent admitted that they could not stop drinking or control their drinking this past year. 

Drug use

Of survey participants, 13 percent frequently used recreational drugs and/or frequently misused prescription drugs, with 93 percent reporting that they did not seek help. 

Those who frequently used recreational drugs or misused prescription drugs were seeking to reduce stress or relax (74 percent), to feel good or get high (67 percent), or to address sleep, pain, and other health problems (61 percent). 

The most common recreational drugs used were cannabis (97 percent ), hallucinogens (17 percent), and cocaine (11 percent). 

Overlap of mental health and alcohol or drug use

Among survey respondents: 

• 1.3 percent reported wellness challenges in all of these areas: fair/poor mental health, high-risk alcohol use, and frequent recreational drug use/prescription drug misuse 
• Seven percent experienced challenges in two of three areas 
• 24 percent had a challenge in only one area 

Gambling

Of survey participants, three percent admitted to engaging in problematic gambling, 53 percent of whom gambled at least once a week and 12 percent of whom gambled daily or nearly daily. 

Reported reasons for gambling included: 

• the thrill of victory or competition 
• entertainment and fun 
• escape from worries or problems 
• the recovery of money from prior losses 

Cognitive decline

Of survey respondents, 39 percent noticed symptoms of cognitive decline among fellow lawyers, while 21 percent saw signs of cognitive decline among judges. 

Stress

According to the report, a relatively large proportion of survey participants experienced stress and the associated feelings either weekly or daily. Such stress took the following forms: 

• experiencing stress at work (57 percent) 
• feeling overwhelmed with the numerous things they needed to do (36 percent) 
• feeling as if the day would never end (31 percent) 
• having trouble taking time off from work (30 percent) 
• finding it difficult to wind down from their job (29 percent) 
• anxiety or panic about work (27 percent) 
• worry about looking foolish or incompetent at their job (21 percent) 

More international law news on mental health

Here are some other recent international law news stories revolving around mental health. 

The Hollywood Reporter reported that investors sued the following individuals for alleged securities fraud, common-law fraud, and contractual breach in connection with Wondermind, a failed mental health startup: Selena Gomez, a Hollywood singer-actor; Mandy Teefey, her mother; and Daniella Pierson, their former business partner. 

The Law Society Gazette reported that LawCare, a UK-based mental health charity catering to legal professionals, confirmed that a cyberattack on Beacon CRM, a software company, had compromised its database. 

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