Stress

Stress is, perhaps, the most common difficulty faced by lawyers. It is inherent in the job. It manifests as tension both physically and mentally. It can be triggered by single events or build gradually as a result of smaller events, frustrations, and pressures that, while individually don’t seem significant, over time build to a critical level. Individual instances of stress are, for lawyers the rule rather than the exception. Stress does not affect everyone in the same way. For some, it can provide motivation and inspiration for others it can be an extraction or a deterrent. Over time it can negatively impact both mental and physical health leading to anxiety, depression, burnout, addictive behavior, family problems, and in extreme cases suicidal ideation. While it’s not always possible to remove or control the stressors in life, it is possible to alter how it affects you. It can be difficult to identify the point where stress begins to be harmful so it’s important to be mindful of the effect stress in your lob or life in general starts to be a problem. The earlier this is addressed the easier it is to pursue a solution

It is important to note that stress does not affect everyone the same way and although you may not be able to control the stressors in your world, you do have the ability to change how you react to them.  There are many strategies for dealing with stress including meditation, changing work patterns, eliminating or changing the things that cause stress, counseling/therapy, getting proper sleep, and strong relationships.

If you are interested in obtaining more information on ways to beat burnout, stress, and anxiety or you feel that you could possibly benefit from an evaluation, contact us.