Report: America's lawyers have serious drinking problem

A latest report from the American Society of Addiction Medicine has suggested that America's lawyers suffer form a serious drinking issue.

The drinking levels of over 20% of licensed attorneys are considerably ‘hazardous, harmful, and potentially alcohol-dependent’. The rate among them is thrice as compared to the rate of problem drinking among the general public.

The numbers are based on a Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association funded survey, conducted over more than 12,000 American lawyers.

Male lawyers had higher rates of problem drinking that is 25.1% as compared to than women with 15.5%.The peak rates as a whole were in lawyers below 30 and junior associates at law firms.

The numbers could be triggered partly by the tendency of younger Americans to be heavier drinkers in general, but also might be a reflection of the stresses, an individual faces as a result of trying to move ahead, succeed in a highly competitive field.

Study lead author Patrick Krill said in an interview that the factors driving heavy drinking among lawyers are ‘an uncommon confluence of high risk variables.

Krill, himself an ex lawyer, wrote in an email that lawyers tend to give priority to success and accomplishment over other things such as health, balance, personal well-being, etc.

Krill added, “You put them through a training (law school) where they are taught to work harder, play harder, and assume the role of a tough, capable and aggressive professional without personal weaknesses or deficiencies”.

Moreover, the field tends to strengthen such tendencies. Krill mentioned that heavy drinking, poor self-care and lack of balance are totally normalized. It is kind of behavior young lawyers see being modeled in their surroundings and across the profession.