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Lawyers and Alcoholism
By Rose Bae
A typical work week for a lawyer consists of 80 hours, a lot of arguing and pressure to win. Stress is just part of the job. The natural reaction to stress is to find some kind of relief, and many lawyers turn to alcohol in order to cope with their heavy workload.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, while alcoholism affects 7 percent of the general public, 13 percent of lawyers surveyed by the American Bar Association consumed more than six drinks a day.
The way alcoholism affects lawyers is specific to the characteristics of the profession. Sarah Allen Benton, a licensed mental health counselor at Emmanuel College in Boston, asserts that lawyers affected by alcoholism tend to be high-functioning alcoholics (HFAs).
High-functioning alcoholics are those who can maintain their professional lives while drinking alcoholically. Lawyers who are HFAs possess certain characteristics that allow them to succeed professionally even though they drink excessively. Some of these include:
- A propensity for perfectionism
- A strong work ethic
- High standards of achievement
- A competitive and "workaholic" nature
- A strong physical constitution
High-functioning alcoholics tend to have strong denial mechanisms. Lawyers have a difficult time viewing themselves as alcoholics since they don’t fit the stereotypical image and have achieved a high level of success. They may justify their drinking by using it as a reward for their accomplishments or a way to relieve stress.
According to a partner at Tobin & Tobin law firm in San Francisco, “[because] lawyers have big egos, denial is much greater for lawyers than for any other [group of] professional[s].”
Another factor that makes it difficult to admit having a drinking problem is that lawyers who are HFAs are generally well-respected for their professional and academic performance, can maintain an active social life, and often drink with their colleagues. Typically, HFAs lead a double life. They compartmentalize their work life and drinking life, and appear to be managing quite well to the outside world.
Lawyers who are HFAs typically display the following characteristics:
- Cravings after consuming one alcoholic drink
- Obsession about the next drinking opportunity
- Personality changes
- Compromised morals when intoxicated
- Repetition of unwanted patterns and behaviors while under the influence
Rock Bottom
Ironically, hitting “rock bottom” for a lawyer who is a high-functioning alcoholic usually means having a few tangible losses and negative consequences, as well as accompanying thoughts that because they have not lost everything, they have not really hit bottom.
Without alcohol treatment, the ramifications for long-term alcoholism are just as devastating for an HFA as they are for a late-stage deteriorated alcoholic. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive and lifelong disease that requires exective rehab or some other form of treatment. Lawyers who are HFAs are putting themselves and their families at risk, as well as their clients.
