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Lawyers Are a Bunch of Drunks

A recent study funded by the Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association found a significantly higher rate of alcohol abuse among lawyers than among the general population.

The stereotype of the hard-working, hard-drinking attorney is fodder for countless lawyer jokes, but it's no laughing matter for substance abuse experts studying the prevalence of mental health issues among one of the most respected and reviled professions in America.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine and funded by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, found a significantly higher rate of alcohol abuse among lawyers than among the general population.

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Based on a sample of 12,825 licensed, employed American lawyers, researchers found that over one in five screened positive for "hazardous, harmful, and potentially alcohol-dependent drinking."

READ: Big Alcohol Would Be Screwed Without Problem Drinkers

The study also found that young lawyers were found to be particularly susceptible to the trappings of alcohol, with junior associates having the highest rates of problematic use, followed by senior associates, junior partners, and senior partners.

"It is reasonable to surmise from these findings that being in the early stages of one's legal career is strongly correlated with a high risk of developing an alcohol use disorder," the researchers wrote.

"This is a mainstream problem in the legal profession," Patrick Krill, lead author of the study, told The Chicago Tribune. "I haven't seen a professional population out there with a higher level of problem drinking."

But substance abuse isn't the only mental health issue plaguing the legal profession. Other health conditions reported by participants were anxiety (61.1 percent), depression (45 percent), social anxiety (16.1 percent), and panic disorder (8 percent).

This new research demonstrates how the pressures felt by many lawyers manifest in health risks.

In response to what it calls a "landmark study," the American Bar Association acknowledged the disproportionately high rates of problematic drinking among lawyers, something which it chalked up, in large part, to the high-stress environment of the legal profession.

"This new research demonstrates how the pressures felt by many lawyers manifest in health risks," ABA President Paulette Brown said in a statement, adding that Krill's study would also be useful in setting up effective treatment for lawyers. "These ground-breaking findings provide an important guide as the ABA commission works with lawyer assistance programs nationally to address the mental health risks and needs of lawyers."