Mental Illness Links
Click the following links to learn more about:

Depression

Stress

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Suicide

Bipolar Disorder

DEPRESSION

Occasional feelings of sadness are a normal part of life we all experience. But when unhappy feelings become overwhelming and interfere with a person' ability to function, we are talking about depression -- a serious medical condition that affects body, mood, and thoughts. Depression causes immense suffering, not only to the person who is depressed, but to family, friends, and colleagues.

Lawyers top the list of professions when it comes to depression, according to a recent John Hopkins study of 103 occupations. Lawyers are four times more likely to be clinically depressed than the general population.

Depression is a treatable condition treated with anti-depressant drugs, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. Lawyers' Assistance Program can make referrals for a professional assessment.

GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER

All of us have felt anxiety in our lives. It has crept up on us as we prepared for speeches, job interviews, or sporting events. It has pounced upon us as we encountered a potentially dangerous situation. It has seeped through us as we edged our way through dark or unfamiliar circumstances. In these cases, anxiety has a beneficial effect. It prompts us to be prepared. Anxiety motivates us to practice for presentations. It sharpens our senses so we are able to respond quickly to what we see, hear, and feel.

For most of us, these responses develop only when they are needed. But many people live with feelings of anxiety and apprehension nearly all the time. They suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, an illness in which people face constant, unrealistic, and excess fears or worries. Generalized anxiety disorder affects as many as eight per cent of all Americans.

STRESS

Everyone understands stress but it is difficult to define because it means different things to different people. Each of us responds to stress in a different way - so what is stressful for one may not be stressful for another.

When lawyers talk of stress, they talk of constant pressure, office problems, dealing with difficult clients, exhaustion and loss of control while preparing and trying cases, and billable hours. By seeking professional help and support, many are able to live more balanced and comfortable lives.

BIPOLAR DISORDER

Mood changes are a normal part of life, but the highs and lows of bipolar disorder are not normal. The moods of a person with bipolar disorder, which has also been called manic depression, swing from period of intense elation to periods of intense sadness. This disruptive illness impacts every phase of a person's life.

In the manic "up" state, the individual may be unrealistically self-confident, energized, or hostile. On a destructive high, the person may make irrational decisions that risk health, damage relationships, and destroy careers. In the depressed stage, the same person can feel so low, fatigued, and helpless, that any activity is difficult. Thoughts of suicide are not unusual. Substance abuse is common in individuals with bipolar disorder and may disguise the illness that underlies the addictive behaviors. Once properly diagnosed, most people with bipolar disorder - even severe cases - can obtain relief from their symptoms. Seventy percent or more respond well to medication that helps reduce the frequency and intensity of manic episodes. A combination of medication and professional counseling helps most return to productive and fulfilling lives.