Manhattan Addiction Treatment for Attorneys
It is certain that lawyers and attorneys experience tremendous pressure in the workplace. Aside from the great demand of focus required to fulfill tedious job obligations, lawyers must also work directly with clients, generate and submit documents, abide by strict deadlines, and communicate these processes with their clients. This translates to a high-pressure atmosphere in which attorneys are often overworked, causing them to suffer from lack of sleep, lack of socialization, and little time for recreation. Due to understaffing issues in law firms, lawyers often suffer severe burnout and experience little job satisfaction despite high pay.
Corporate lawyers, those who specialize in corporate law, face these same pressures, and oftentimes, these demands are even greater. Corporate attorneys, often referred to as transactional lawyers, are responsible for advising clients of their legal rights, duties, and responsibilities. Because a corporate attorney’s job is to provide accurate guidance on issues that have the ability to deeply affect a business’ success and wellbeing, the stresses corporate lawyers face can be consuming if not dealt with properly. For these reasons and many others, lawyers and those in legal professions have been identified as a high-risk group for addiction and substance use disorders, creating the need for addiction treatment programs specific to attorneys and other legal professions.
Prevalence of Addiction Behavior and Risk Factors Among Corporate Lawyers
Attorneys’ social engagements and client functions are commonly centered around heavy drinking. According to a comprehensive survey of professionals, attorneys and others in legal professions have reported higher statistics of problematic drinking behaviors when compared to other professions. However, heavy alcohol consumption among lawyers is not a novel concern. In 1990, a study which assessed problem drinking among attorneys determined that 18% were problem drinkers compared to a 10% prevalence rate in the US.
The Stigma of Seeking Help for Substance Use
Attorneys experience unique factors that often discourage such professionals from seeking help for addiction and substance use. According to a national study of law students, the most declared barriers to seeking professional help for addiction were:
- Potential threat to bar admission (63%)
- Potential threat to job or academic status (62%)
Nearly half of the students surveyed reported that they believed the likelihood of being admitted to the bar would be better if substance use issues remained hidden.
In addition, attorneys engage in ample networking among colleagues and clients which is often centered around drinking. As a direct result, social capital, and its direct relation to economic gain, serves as a barrier to seeking professional substance use treatment. The notion that social capital directly impact increased earnings has been proven. In fact, research has determined that self-reported drinkers in professional careers earn up to 14% more than reported non-drinkers. This culture of substance use during networking occasions and its direct impact on social capital can produce division for those who do not want to drink with clients and other legal professionals, reenforcing a greater pressure for those with addiction behaviors to avoid seeking professional treatment.
Manhattan Outpatient Addiction Treatment for Attorneys and Legal Professionals
The award-winning addiction team at Fifth Avenue Psychiatry specializes in individualized, science-based treatment. All treatment programs are designed to remain discreet and ensure minimal disruption of careers. Led by Dr. Glazer, Fifth Avenue Psychiatry provides safe and confidential outpatient addiction and substance use treatment for attorneys and legal professionals in Manhattan.
References
1. Substance Abuse Among Lawyers | Hazelden Betty Ford. (2017, March). www.hazeldenbettyford.org. https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/research-studies/addiction-research/substance-abuse-legal-professionals