I am Medicine and I am Poison
Rule number one of not getting yourself torn into little bitty shreds on N&B is probably to avoid making things too personal. I’m breaking that rule as I write this post tonight, which involves a topic that’s intensely personal to me—both as a budding young member of the legal profession, and as someone who just yesterday lost another family member to a needless disease.
That disease being, alcoholism.
To recap what most of us already know: Alcoholism, and other forms of substance abuse, disproportionately affect those in the legal profession. Most statistics show that substance abuse is twice as likely among attorneys compared to the general population, with about 18% of all lawyers admitting to having a problem with drinking (that number goes up to 25% if you’ve been practicing for 20 years or more).
Why lawyers are more prone to substance abuse is an interesting question. A 2009 article in the ABA Journal seemed to suggest that personality traits like perfectionism, overachiever tendencies and a workaholic nature may help high-functioning alcoholics succeed professionally despite their disease. Common sense offers other reasons as well: Low job satisfaction, being unable to function socially without alcohol, and depression.
Given these statistics, I'm disappointed by the lack of alcohol education at Boalt. We bury this issue in courses on professional responsibility (and let’s be honest, how many of us are even lucid in those classes)—or maybe an occasional message from our resident shrink. Meanwhile, the social culture here is unashamedly dependent on alcohol.
Let me make myself clear before I get added to some kind of “Kip’s Revolt” hit list. I’m not advocating against Bar Review, having a good time, etc. I am a social drinker myself, despite the heavy toll alcohol has taken on my family. But after two years of walking the halls—at a professional school, mind you—hearing “OH MY GAWWD I got so hammered last night!!” and getting emails from journals, plying me with “Free booze… oh, and did we mention, more free booze??” and attending meetings where red cups are being passed around under the tables, I’ve become concerned.
I don’t want to be preachy. I suppose I have no better takeaway for my fellow Boalties than just: Be careful guys, okay? If you have inklings that dependency might be an issue, look into it… the earlier, the better. And you aren’t alone… contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a disease that only affects 40-somethings. It often takes root in the behaviors of people in their 20s and 30s, who are under extreme stress (just like us).
As a final note, I’d caution against assuming that everyone around you likes to drink. Alcoholics, and those of us who have lost loved ones to the disease, are typically a silent bunch. We like to fit in, and fly under the radar. When you’re sharing stories about how funny and drunk you were, or insist that someone else have a drink, try to be mindful that some of your peers may be struggling already because of alcohol, in one way or another.
That disease being, alcoholism.
To recap what most of us already know: Alcoholism, and other forms of substance abuse, disproportionately affect those in the legal profession. Most statistics show that substance abuse is twice as likely among attorneys compared to the general population, with about 18% of all lawyers admitting to having a problem with drinking (that number goes up to 25% if you’ve been practicing for 20 years or more).
Why lawyers are more prone to substance abuse is an interesting question. A 2009 article in the ABA Journal seemed to suggest that personality traits like perfectionism, overachiever tendencies and a workaholic nature may help high-functioning alcoholics succeed professionally despite their disease. Common sense offers other reasons as well: Low job satisfaction, being unable to function socially without alcohol, and depression.
Given these statistics, I'm disappointed by the lack of alcohol education at Boalt. We bury this issue in courses on professional responsibility (and let’s be honest, how many of us are even lucid in those classes)—or maybe an occasional message from our resident shrink. Meanwhile, the social culture here is unashamedly dependent on alcohol.
Let me make myself clear before I get added to some kind of “Kip’s Revolt” hit list. I’m not advocating against Bar Review, having a good time, etc. I am a social drinker myself, despite the heavy toll alcohol has taken on my family. But after two years of walking the halls—at a professional school, mind you—hearing “OH MY GAWWD I got so hammered last night!!” and getting emails from journals, plying me with “Free booze… oh, and did we mention, more free booze??” and attending meetings where red cups are being passed around under the tables, I’ve become concerned.
I don’t want to be preachy. I suppose I have no better takeaway for my fellow Boalties than just: Be careful guys, okay? If you have inklings that dependency might be an issue, look into it… the earlier, the better. And you aren’t alone… contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a disease that only affects 40-somethings. It often takes root in the behaviors of people in their 20s and 30s, who are under extreme stress (just like us).
As a final note, I’d caution against assuming that everyone around you likes to drink. Alcoholics, and those of us who have lost loved ones to the disease, are typically a silent bunch. We like to fit in, and fly under the radar. When you’re sharing stories about how funny and drunk you were, or insist that someone else have a drink, try to be mindful that some of your peers may be struggling already because of alcohol, in one way or another.
posted by L'Alex at 1:16 AM
18 Comments:
L'alex, first, my sympathies to you and your family. I am sorry this is happening to you right now and I wish there was something I could do. Second, this seems like a good place to link to this article(pdf), which every law student should read at least once before graduating.
Sorry for your loss, L'alex, and thanks for the important post.
L'alex, thanks for the post. When I was studying for the bar exam a few years back, my sister was nearly killed by a drunk driver. If you are going to drink, do not drive. The lives you F--- up may not just be your own.
Your kind words mean alot to me, so thank you. Also, thanks Patrick for that article--it's definitely eye-opening.
I'm sorry for your loss, L'Alex.
I think this would make a great topic for some sort of open discussion in the Boalt community as it's a complicated issue, especially with how alcohol and drugs function at Boalt and in society (and the world) in general.
As Patrick's article notes, it is also important to stay aware of other issues, such as abuse of stimulants, be they cocaine or prescriptions.
Mctwo, Do you think that article inflates the statistc a little? 25% of lawyers have tried stimulants/cocaine? That seems very high. I definitely agree that it needs to be something that people keep in mind but I think the stereotype of the drugged/alcoholic lawyer, like most stereotypes, is an exaggeration.
Is all use of illegal drugs abuse?
12:43, nope.
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To answer both questions: I think that 25% is a fairly reasonable number if it is all persons who have tried it once, not necessarily those who use the drug regularly. I think, similar to alcohol, there is a line between use and abuse of drugs, but that line hard to draw in any definite way. In the end, it is something individuals should always reflect on; when does their use of anything transform from a use to an abuse?
25% actually seems a bit low if the bar is "tried".
L'alex - really sorry to hear your news.
I think I did my part in furthering the law school-drinking correlation, and I think I will have to put some time into thinking a bit more about it. Drinking can be/is fun, certainly, when done responsibly, and alcohol dependency is notoriously tricky to define. I don't think I would have done law school any differently, especially since my post-school opportunity to drink has nosedived, but I think I probably should have been a bit more cautious about how I advertised it.
L'Alex, I'm sorry for what happened.
I want to bring an alternative perspective. Some of us did not change our behavior when coming to Boalt. We're not trying to inflict our lifestyles on other people, but we also aren't shy about discussing our evenings/weekends with our friends on school grounds. We tend to use alcohol responsibly and I think it's important to maintain an environment where drinking isn't hidden and where alcohol can be consumed in a normal way at a social event. People in their 20s want free stuff. People in their 20s want free alcohol. I think it's troublesome to conflate those two things with an atmosphere that should be concerning in general.
Because, ultimately, I think we agree. We both know people at school who abuse alcohol and drugs. We both know people at school who use alcohol and drugs, but to nobody's detriment.
I would also contend that the social culture here isn't dependent on alcohol. I think there's an alternative social culture that does its own thing. But, I do think that the more "social" individuals do tend to drink and that's fairly normal for adults in their 20s.
At the end of the day, we're all adults. Some of us have a prediliction for alcohol abuse and others don't. It's important to be mindful that one more shot of whiskey means different things to all of us and that person offering you that extra drink is probably just trying to be friendly. For what it's worth, I appreciate you talking about this in such a public way.
Thanks, 3:53 – and I appreciate your different perspective. I don't disagree with anything you said... I just don't think the points you made need much defending. Rest assured the status quo at Boalt is, and will likely always be, much more embracing of alcohol than condemning.
The issue I wanted to raise is that there's another side to all of this. When drinking is one of the main things we do to socialize, and when it becomes the highlight of law school events, it has the power to set a dangerous precedent for us as we enter the legal profession. It can also marginalize some of our peers, though you won't hear many people complaining.
Your point that "we're all adults" is well-taken, but the simple fact is that people who enjoy alcohol don't constantly have to conform to pressure (implicit or explicit) from socially-desirable groups of non-drinkers. Quite the opposite. That's why, in my opinion, drinkers have a unique responsibility to be conscientious (which is different from censoring themselves) around their peers.
Appreciate this being discussed in a mature way, and sorry for your loss. People die of all kinds of things, and the truth is at some point we have to weigh risks v. rewards. I also agree that some people are not assessing these risks properly. I myself am willing to admit I continue to struggle with alcoholism, and that sometimes I use alcohol alone to relieve myself after a long day studying.
As successful people, I believe most of us are true addicts. We can't do our education at half-pace, we can't do our jobs at half-pace, and ultimately we have trouble drinking and doing drugs at half pace. As someone who has successfully overcome a serious drug addiction, I know that this is a reality. Many of us can be high all the time and not get any help, because from the outside onlooker we look so successful. We are able to abuse drugs without them ruining our lives.
Well this is getting a little long winded. Here's my test of addiction which is pretty damn accurate: If you find yourself picking up a drink or hitting a bong while your mind is saying "I don't want to do this" you have a problem. Please seek out help if you do.
Sorry to be this guy, but I just listened to a relevant This American Life episode called "#1 Party School," about the alcohol-soaked culture at most American universities today. As an alumnus of a well lubricated big state school, my first instinct was to dismiss the episode as overly moralistic and out of touch. For the first half hour, I kept shouting at my radio "Come on! It's college!" By the end, I started to grasp the scope of the problem, and realized that I had been a part of it.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I like drinking. (And for the most part, I do it responsibly.) But even if there's nothing wrong with drinking, per se, we probably shouldn't celebrate it quite as much as we do. And we certainly shouldn't let it take over the entire student culture at American schools.
I think much of what you see in law school and beyond is spillover from that college culture, and I'm not sure how you fix something that starts so early. But I think the first step is acknowledging that it's a problem.
If you're interested in the This American Life episode, it's here: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/396/1-party-school
This was an important and good post. Thanks for writing it.
L'alex-
I'm looking for some back up on your statistics. I read an article in the ABA Journal that discussed depression, drug abuse and suicide among lawyers but can't seem to find it. I'm presenting to high school kids on the pros and cons of the legal profession and want to give an honest look. Thanks in advance.
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