Only Human: How Lawyers Can Recharge Physically, Emotionally & Socially

Only Human: How Lawyers Can Recharge

Physically, Emo:onally, & Socially

copyright © 2014 Dave Nee Founda9on

Presenter

Katherine M. Bender, Ph.D., NCC

Programming Director Dave Nee Founda9on

_______________________


AGENDA Introduc9ons Facts & Stats

Mental Health 101 Wellness 9ps

Poten9al Indicators of Concern Interven9ons Resources

Ques9ons, Comments, & Evalua9ons www.daveneefounda9on.com


The Story of Dave

https://vimeo.com/77947937


American Bar Founda:on Research Journal found in a past study: •  8-‐9% of law students reported symptoms at the of start law school; •  32% did aTer two semesters; •  40% did aTer three years. • 17% 2 years AFTER gradua9on

(Benjamin, G. A. H., Kaszniak, A., Sales, B. and Shanfield, S. B., 1986; Benjamin, Darling, and Sale, 1990)

Depression in Law School


FSU study found: Law students at the start are rela9vely “normal”

BUT, eventually

Decline in posi9ve affect and life-‐sa9sfac9on Increase in nega9ve affect and depression Overall decrease in subjec9ve well-‐being

(Sheldon, K.M, and Krieger, L. S., 2004)

Law Student Well-‐Being


Dammeyer, M.M., and Nunez, N., 1999 found


Factors that contribute to higher rates of depression

•  Isola9on •  Expecta9on to be “expert” •  Pressure to Perform •  Analysis v. emo9ons

Depression in the Legal Field


Are lawyers special?

§ Perfec9on § Pessimism § Vicarious trauma

Your stress is!


CNN REPORTS

hlp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_ZelG4_bqQ


Mental Health 101

What is mental health?


Everybody’s Got It

We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health.


Best Case Scenario: Peace & Balance

•  social •  emo9onal and

•  psychological states


Social Connec:ons


Full range of emo:ons

Tragedy

Happiness

Open to life experiences


Effec:ve Coping

•  Cope with challenges •  Solve problems •  Connect thought and emo9on •  Manage Stress


HOWEVER… Some:mes

things go wrong


§ High blood pressure § Chest pain § Rapid heartbeat § Jaw clenching § Breathlessness § Headaches § Fa9gue (Na9onal Ins9tute of Mental Health)


Physical Symptoms

§ Poor appe9te or overea9ng § Low energy § Sleep disturbances § Feeling sad, empty, alone, hopeless § Low self-‐esteem/self-‐cri9cal § Excessive crying and/or worrying § Feeling more anxious than usual § Overreac9ng to situa9ons § Feeling no purpose to existence (Na9onal Ins9tute of Mental Health)


Emo:onal and Behavioral Symptoms

§  Decreased mo9va9on §  Difficulty concentra9ng §  Decreased interest in ac9vi9es previously enjoyed

§  Decreased trust in others §  Irritability §  Wan9ng to spend 9me alone §  Difficulty rela9ng to people (Na9onal Ins9tute of Mental Health)

Emo:onal and Behavioral Symptoms


•  Dis9nc9on •  Frequency, Intensity, Dura9on •  Work •  Play •  Love

Monitor the Symptoms


Self-‐Assessment

hlp://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/screening/default.aspx Other-‐Assessment hlp://www.lawlifeline.org/


WHAT HAPPENS IF WE IGNORE

THE SYMPTOMS?


Fewer than 25% receive adequate treatment

If le_ untreated,

depression can lead to

alcohol and substance use and higher rates of suicide


Depression is the most common mental illness

Death by suicide is more common in males, but females alempt more…there are oTen observable warning signs

Peers are in a posi:on to intervene or recognize that help is needed,

some:mes even more than professionals.

hlp://www.afsp.org/understanding-‐suicide/facts-‐and-‐figures Drum, Brownson, Burton-‐Denmark, & Smith, 2009; Furr, Westefeld, McConnell, & Jenkins, 2001; Konick & Gu9errez, 2005; Stephenson, Pena-‐Shaff, & Quirk, 2006; Westefeld & Furr, 1987; Westefeld et al., 2006 Bean & Baber, 2011; Dadonna, 2011; Sharkin et al., 2003

Suicide


IS PATH WARM?

American Association of Suicidology

I Idea:on S Substance Abuse

P Purposelessness A Anxiety T Trapped H Hopeless W Withdrawal A Anger R Recklessness M Mood Change


WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED

A PROBLEM?


DO DO NOT QPR Promise Secrecy Listen Minimize

Express Concern Ignore Let People Know

You Care Say, “this is not so

bad”


WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW TO HELP?


Sleep. (6-‐8 hours a night) Take breaks. Allies. (spend 9me with

friends and family!)

Yoga and/or deep breathing.


Resources

•  LCL or LAP – Na9onal Directory – hlp://apps.americanbar.org/legalservices/colap/lapdirectory.html

•  9-‐1-‐1 •  800-‐273-‐TALK •  Therapy Directories


Where can I go to find more informa:on?

•  Lawlifeline • Dave Nee Founda:on •  State LAP or LCL •  Prof. Jones blog: hdps://www.law.louisville.edu/blog/84


Ques:ons and Evalua:ons


References American Association of Suicidology. (2006). Suicide in the

USA. Retrieved February 20, 2007 from http://www.suicidology.org/associations/1045/files/SuicideInTheUS.pdf American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (hlp://www.afsp.org/understanding-‐suicide/facts-‐and-‐figures) Bean, G., & Baber, K. (2011). Connect: An effective community based youth

suicide prevention program. Suicide and Life –Threatening Behavior, 41(1), 87-97. doi:10.1111/j.1943-278X.2010.00006.x

Benjamin GA, Darling EJ, Sales B. (1990). Int. J. Law Psychiatry 13(3), 233- 246.

Benjamin, G. A. H., Kaszniak, A., Sales, B. and Shanfield, S. B. (1986), The Role of legal education in producing psychological distress among law students and lawyers. Law & Social Inquiry,11, 225–252. doi: 10.1111/j.

1747-4469.1986.tb00240.x Carrington, P., & Conley, J. (1977). The alienation of law students. Michigan

Law Review, 75, 887-889. .


References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Violence Prevention- suicide

datasheet (2012). Retrieved September 23, 2013 from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/Suicide-DataSheet-a.pdf Daddona, M. (2011). Peer educators responding to students with mental

health issues. New Directions for Student Services, 133, 29-39. doi:10.1002/ss.382 Dammeyer, M.M., and Nunez, N., (1999). Anxiety and depression among law

students: Current knowledge and future directions. Law and Human Behavior, 23, 55-73

Drum, D., Brownson, C., Denmark, A., & Smith, S. (2008). New data on the nature of suicidal crises in college students: Shifting the paradigm. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40, 213-222. doi:

10.1037/a0014465 Furr, S. R., Westefeld, J. S., McConnell, G. N., & Jenkins, J. M. (2001).

Suicide and depression among college students: A decade later. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 32(1), 97-100. doi:

10.1037//0735-7028.32.1.97


References

Gibson, B. (2010). How law students can cope: A student’s view. Journal of Legal Education, 60, 140-146.

Gutierrez, F.J. (1985). Counseling law students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 64, 130-133.

Konick, L. C., & Gutierrez, P. M. (2005). Testing a model of suicide ideation in college students. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 35(2), 181-192.

McKinney, R.A. (2002). Depression and anxiety in law students: Are we part of the problem and can we be part of the solution? The Journal of the Legal Writing Insitute,8, 229-255.

National Institute of Mental Health http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml Sharkin, B., Plageman, P., & Mangold, S (2003). College student response to

peers in distress: An exploratory study. Journal of College Student Development, 44(5), 691-698.

Sheldon, K.M. & Krieger, L.S. (2004). Does legal education have undermining effects on law students? Evaluating changes in motivation, values, and well-being. Behavioral Sciences and the Law 22, 261-286.


References

Stephenson, H., Pena-Shaff, J., & Quirk, P. (2005). Predictors of college student suicidal ideation: Gender differences. College Student Journal, 40(1), 109-117.

Tani, M. and Vines, P. (2009). Law students attitudes to education: Pointers to depression in the legal academy and the profession. Legal Education Review, 19, 3-39.

Westefeld, J, Button, C., Halet, J., Jenks-Kettmann, J., MacConnell, J., Sandil, R., & Tallman, B (2006). College student suicide: A call to action. Death Studies, 30, 931-956. doi:10.1080/07481180600887130

Westefeld, J., & Furr, S (1987). Suicide and depression among college students. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 18(2), 119- 123.


Thank you for joining us and

Rocket Mader for hos:ng us!


Only Human: How Lawyers Can Recharge Physically, Emotionally & Socially

Career

Transcript of Only Human: How Lawyers Can Recharge Physically, Emotionally & Socially