The fear around mental health in the legal world

**Article 1 of 5 in the Mental Health in the Law series**

What is it with the term ‘mental health’ that causes so much discomfort for the legal world?

This article aims to take things back to basics. We’re going to look at what mental health is, the reasons for our discomfort around mental health issues and how mental health can be displayed in the legal environment.

Introduction

If you ever ask a lawyer what they like most about their job, I’m certain you’ll hear variants of the following:

It’s intellectually stimulating
It’s mentally challenging
I love the adrenaline of thinking on my feet
I like figuring out problems / connecting the dots
I like being able to explain complex issues in an easy way

We’re a mental lot! Our brains are our prized commodity and our mental aptitude is paramount to our success in the legal industry. Afterall, our identity, our careers, our livelihoods are all dependent on it.

It seems quite ironic that, for an industry which interprets and dissects words on a daily basis, that the term ‘mental health’ should cause such discomfort.

Why is mental health so stigmatised?

No one is born with an affliction towards the words ‘mental health’. It is something which has been learned as we have grown up.

As children, the phrase: “Are you mental?” was often bandied around the playground. A bout of giggles usually followed, except from the poor little kid at whom the comment was directed.

From an early age, even if subconsciously, the word ‘mental’ was developing a negative association to being crazy; mad; out of control.

Back in my day, there were no classes around mindfulness or mental health. And, in general, very few open conversations around mental health were held in the home environment either.

The snippets of adult conversations which we did overhear around a family member’s mental health were, more often than not, halted when we entered the room – merely stigmatising further this already negative notion we felt towards mental health.

For many, this lack of education and discussion around mental health continued into adult life. Mental health was still rarely spoken about in open terms, limiting the opportunity to allay the unwarranted, negative connotations associated with mental health, and gain any real understanding as to what mental health actually is.

When you pair that misinformation around mental health with a legal industry that prides itself on its mental prowess, is it any wonder that there is a reluctance to discuss any health issue which could seemingly threaten its most precious asset?

How people react to mental health issues

You’ll have, no doubt, seen the following situations play out in the work place:

The colleague who yells at you for not being tough enough for the law when you are stressed from overwork (fight).
The boss who can’t find his words when you try to explain that you have just had a panic attack (freeze).
The friend who avoids you when you say you are struggling with depression – as if you can catch it (flight).

These are fear reactions: fight, flight or freeze, resulting from a feeling of inadequacy to address the issues at hand and the preconceived ideas around mental health as a whole.

So, what is mental health?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines mental health as:

“a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

As further described by the Western Cape Government of South Africa:

“‘Mental health’ is not merely about an absence of mental illness, but rather the presence of mental health and well-being.”

So, let’s get this clear:

Nothing too scary about that, hey?

Good mental health

When a person is experiencing a good level of mental health, they are able to fulfil a number of key day-to-day functions and activities.

The Mental Health Foundation in the UK describes good mental health as, amongst other things [1]:

the ability to learn
the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions
the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others
the ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty.

Research has proven that there is also a direct correlation between the physical health of a person and their mental health. [2]

We will talk later this month about how to improve and maintain good levels of mental health whilst working in the legal world.

What are the signs of someone struggling with mental health?

Poor mental health can manifest in a number of ways and to varying degrees. Some examples are highlighted below:

Stress
Anxiety
Changes in mood / behaviour
Erratic thinking
Impulsive actions
Controlled / uncontrollable eating

Panic attacks
Low self-esteem
Exaggerated sense of self-worth
Use of controlled substances
Reliance on alcohol
Anger

Feelings of loneliness
Sleep problems
Burnout
Becoming quiet / withdrawn
Suicidal feelings
Lack of self-worth

Do any of those sound familiar?

I’d hazard a guess, that at some point in every lawyer’s life, the words: “I’m stressed” will leave their lips. With demanding clients, long hours and a competitive working environment, it’s part and parcel of working in the legal world.

The difference between mental health v mental illness

Before continuing, it is important to understand that there is a clear distinction between mental health and mental illness (even though these concepts are often used interchangeably).

Mental illness includes a range of conditions for which there are standard criteria used to diagnose them (e.g. depression, anxiety, substance abuse). A mental illness significantly affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves and interacts with other people. [3]

In other words:

you can have good mental health (e.g. a positive outlook, feeling capable of dealing with day to day issues) but be diagnosed with a mental illness (e.g. clinical depression).
you can have poor mental health (e.g. struggling with insomnia and stress), but not be diagnosed with a mental illness (e.g. alcoholism).

Needless to say, poor mental health, if not addressed, can become a mental illness.

How do we effect change towards mental health in the workplace?

So, with the knowledge that mental health is a state of well-being, something which we all possess, and not something to fear, how do we change the attitude towards mental health in the workplace?

We have to:

educate the legal community about mental health
encourage open conversations about different types of mental health issues
practice good mental health
acknowledge and admit when we are struggling and seek help when we need it
lean-in to the discomfort of learning a new way of working – where mental and physical health are promoted and protected

If you have read the “my story” page on the website, you will know that I readily admit to having struggled with stress, insomnia and low self-esteem.

I worked through my struggles with a counsellor and then a coach. I still work with my coach on a regular basis, dedicating an hour every couple of weeks to talk through any imminent concerns I may have and protecting my mental health.

It’s not made me weaker, any less capable or damaged my career. Quite the contrary in fact.

It’s made me stronger, more self-reliant and more aware.

Final thoughts for today

As there is so much to talk about on mental health in the legal world, Braving Boundaries is dedicating August to this topic. Keep your eyes open for the weekly articles and add us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to keep up with the daily discussions. Click on the buttons at the top left-hand corner of the page.

Make August the month you really educate yourself around mental health in the legal world.

Mental Health Matters.

Click here for the next article: “The legal sector has a very real mental health problem”.

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FOR LAW FIRMS / CORPORATES

FOR INDIVIDUAL LEGAL PROFESSIONALS

If you are interested in or responsible for bringing greater awareness around mental health to your law firm / corporate, let’s work together to create a bespoke workshop or webinar for your staff.

If you are a legal professional struggling to get your mental health back on track at the moment, give me a shout. Let me help you to reduce that stress so that you can start living and loving your life, both professionally and personally.

BOOK A CORPORATE DISCOVERY CALL

BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL

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References

[1] “What is good mental health?” by the UK Mental Health Foundation

[2] Galderisi S, Heinz A, Kastrup M, Beezhold J, Sartorius N. “Toward a new definition of mental health”. World Psychiatry. 2015;14(2):231-233. doi:10.1002/wps.20231

[3] “Mental Health v Mental Illness” by Newcastle Industrial Benefits