Addiction Treatment Tailored to the Needs of Attorneys

addicted lawyerAre you an attorney who is battling substance abuse, or do you know an attorney who is? Addiction is a serious problem in the legal profession, seeing more cases of addiction than almost any other career field. Lawyers face stress and expectations that far exceed most other professional demographics, which spawns substance abuse as a form of coping. Rather than seek treatment right away, it is highly common for an attorney to hide their addiction problem for months or even years, which makes the addiction problem all the more difficult in the long run.

Attorneys are nearly twice as likely to become substance abusers as the rest of the population, which was until recently not something that legal organizations wanted to acknowledge. But with malpractice suits over substance abuse claims becoming more prevalent, legal firms are beginning to realize that it is in their best interest to connect addicted lawyers to the substance abuse treatment they require. This is gradually bringing public awareness to a grave, long ignored problem.

If you are an attorney battling a substance abuse problem, you are not alone. Your problem is so common that rehabilitation treatment programs have been designed specifically for your profession and eager to see you receive the treatment you need. Whether you are practicing law in Edmonton, Calgary or at a Kelowna law firm, if you are struggling with addiction, there are specific luxury rehab options for you. Luxury rehabilitation centers that specifically treat attorney addiction problems will ensure that you are given a thorough, medically supervised detox, specialized one-on-one counseling, therapeutic activities and a luxurious private environment to recover in.

It may be an old habit for you to conceal your addiction, but now that there are compassionate, professional treatment programs designed with your career challenges in mind, there is no reason to hide anymore. Do not hesitate to learn more about luxury rehabilitation for high profile individuals, and begin the recovery you long for today!

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Uncovering Addiction in the Legal Profession

lawyers and substance abuseAddiction can be an emotional and upsetting thing to confront, and attorneys are more likely to be affected by it than other working professionals. Addiction can stay hidden in the legal world for a long time, but eventually will deteriorate the personal and professional life of the person it affects. Lawyers are prone to concealing and denying their addiction problems in order to save their reputations, but often the addiction will just grow stronger over time and will eventually be impossible to hide.

It is very important that the colleagues of an addicted attorney connect them to the treatment they require, for the sake of the individual and for the sake of the firm, as addicted attorneys are more likely to get their firm sued for malpractice. Attorneys who seek treatment for addiction are statistically more likely to regain their sobriety and become an asset to the firm again. Through detoxification, counselling, medical and mental treatment and ongoing support, it is possible for legal professionals to defeat their addiction and embrace recovery.

There are several signs to watch for if you suspect that an attorney you know may be suffering from addiction. These signs are as follows:

  • Poor attendance. Because substance abuse physically affects a person, it is common for an attorney who is addicted to miss work, court appearances and appointments with clients because they are not feeling well.
  • Inappropriate consumption. It is typical of an addicted substance abuser to become intoxicated at inappropriate times, which, in the case of an attorney, may be during work hours or at lunch on a work day, in court, at a Bar meeting or at a social gathering.
  • Unethical or incompetent conduct. Addiction will affect the decision making capabilities of an attorney, and they may begin to do things that are out of character, such as misuse funds, miss deadlines or give poor performances in court.
  • Personal problems. Lastly, personal problems will start to arise for an addicted attorney, such as a decline in the quality of their personal and professional relationships and a tarnished legal reputation.

If you or someone you know in the legal profession is misusing drugs or alcohol, it is important that they receive rehabilitation treatment as soon as possible. Severe cases of substance abuse can be life threatening and require immediate professional intervention and rehabilitation.

The Evolution of a Lawyer’s Addiction Problem

It has been proven that attorneys are at a higher risk of addiction, particularly substance abuse, than other members of society. This is highly due to the stress and pressures of the legal profession, but is also influenced by other social, psychological and neurological factors.

lawyer addictionMany cases of addiction in the legal profession are going untreated because most lawyers hide their problem. Despite the availability of rehabilitation programs that are customized to suit the legal professional’s lifestyle, the primary factor influencing attorneys to seek treatment for addiction is when they can no longer hide their problem and are sued for malpractice.

There are certain addiction trends that can be observed through out the legal profession, which chart the general progress of addiction through an attorney’s career.

  • Law School: Approximately 25 percent of law students are reported to develop a substance abuse problem while attending their educational institution. The number begins modestly, but rises to 25 percent by graduation.
  • Practicing Law: Over 15 percent of practicing attorneys are afflicted with addiction, which is nearly twice the amount seen in other professions, and the severity of the addiction will statistically increase with time.
  • Early Career: It is estimated that younger attorneys battle substance abuse problems at a rate of 17 percent.
  • Later Career: Substance abuse problems among senior attorneys increase to 24 percent.

Addiction Within the Legal Profession

addiction in legal professionsResearch into the legal profession has indicated that attorneys are significantly more likely to abuse substances than the general population. This doesn’t only affect the attorney, but their coworkers, clients, family and friends as well. Approximately 10-percent of professional lawyers are battling addiction, and the more actively the attorney is practicing, the more likely they become to encounter a problem with addiction. This is due to the intense stress that can be found within the legal profession. Attorneys afflicted with addiction will often show signs of this problem by exhibiting bad work attendance and performance, along with a general decline in their decision making abilities.

Though an attorney’s addiction problems are seldom recognized until their work performance suffers, many attorneys are initially exposed to the lifestyle of addiction in law school, where substance abuse is common and accessible. One theory about the root of this problem is that those in the legal profession realize early on that their own moral systems do not matter to the defense of their client, which in turn suppresses their own healthy expressions of self, emotion and morality. This negatively impacts the individual’s coping abilities and influences them towards the escapism of addiction in times of stress.

It is not uncommon for an attorney to hide their addiction problem, sometimes for years, so as not to damage their reputation. Some attorneys have the option of receiving treatment privately so they do not have to explain it to co-workers. It is becoming more common for legal professionals to seek rehabilitation treatment for addiction, which is positive, but there are still many who suffer through it alone, to the detriment of themselves, those around them and the public’s trust. It is necessary to connect lawyers to the addiction treatment resources they need in order to restore sobriety to their personal and professional lives, and to restore dignity to the legal profession.