I know that correlation isn’t causation. But, is there something about private-practice law that is overly stressful?

I just read a very sobering essay in the Times (link here). Someone wrote about an ex-spouse, who hid a drug habit for a long time and, sadly, died from an overdose. The author documented how stressful it was for her ex-husband to be an attorney. She also cited data from a study about law school, how it makes students more anxious, combative and depressed.

It made me a remember a friend of mine, who left law, saying that the amount alcohol abuse among her peers was extraordinarily high. It reminded me of another friend, whose husband had a heart attack when he was in his 30s, because of the stress of being an attorney.

I’ve written in the past about the importance of self-care (here). I’ve witnessed in my own life the de-humanization that can exist in certain finance jobs. I today encourage my children to figure out their own path towards re-energizing themselves in a positive way.

A very good article. I encourage you to make time to read it.