Which Came First, The Lawyer Or The Depression?

This is the legal profession's version of the chicken or the egg question.

onMay 28, 2019 at 2:14 PMMay 28, 2019 at 12:28 PM

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Does becoming a lawyer cause depression? I’m often asked that. And I say no, it does not. But is it a significant risk factor for depression? Yes. It is. They’re overachievers, they’re used to living their life with their pedal on the gas the whole time. Just like with a car, you can’t run your engine at full force and expect it not to fall apart.

— Dan Lukasik, founder of LawyersWithDepression.com, commenting on the fact that the obstacles lawyers face in the legal profession can lead to mental health struggles.

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Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.