mental well being Archives - Lawyers With Depression

A Lawyer, a Father, a Friend: One Lawyer’s Experiences with Depression & Recovery

This interview is part of the ongoing podcast series “True Stories,” where I have conversations with lawyers about their journeys through mental health challenges and well-being triumphs.

In this podcast interview, I speak with Jim Warner about his struggles with major depression as a lawyer. Jim obtained his undergraduate degree at Harvard and his law degree from Boston College of Law in 1992. Since 2020, he has served as General Counsel for Oracle Elevator. Previously Jim was engaged in the private practice of law for Hemenway & Barnes in Boston and Deborah Mills & Associates in London. He lives in Tampa with his wife, three boys, and two dogs. On the weekends, Jim pretends he still knows how to play ice hockey with a bunch of similarly deluded old guys. You can read more about her incredible journey by reading the blog he wrote for his law school alma mater’s website, BC Impact.

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How Lawyers Can Find Silver Linings In Dark Times

Dr. Beau A. Nelson is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Chief Clinical Officer at FHEHealth in Florida. He specializes in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Integrated Behavioral Healthcare, maximizing medical, psychiatric, Neuroscience, and clinical interventions.

The philosopher Fredrick Nietzsche famously said, “That which does not kill me makes me stronger.” There’s some debate over the truth of that statement. Obviously, some life experiences are so traumatic they leave little room for silver linings. At the same time, emerging therapies like “Post-Traumatic Growth” look to capitalize on the process of healing from trauma or apply a strengths-based perspective that builds on successes and positive efforts to get better.

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Lawyer Procrastination, Depression and Multitasking

Most lawyers who are depressed have a hard time being productive. Work—and here I mean everything from preparing for depositions to arguing a motion in court to the kinds of “work” we assign ourselves, like reading a good book or planting a garden—is a chore to the depressed. It drains us, leaves us feeling as bad as before, physically worn out and emotionally depleted, instead of proud of ourselves and invigorated. Other people with depression seem to work very hard all the time, but there is little payoff for their efforts. As with so much of depression, there is a real chicken-or-egg question—is work so difficult because we’re depressed, or are we depressed in part because we can’t accomplish anything? And as with so many chicken-or-egg situations, we face a false dichotomy: the truth is, poor work habits and depression reinforce each other.

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TEDx Speaker Seeks to Shine a Light on Living With Depression

Bill Bernat talks about how the chasm separating those suffering from mental illness from their loved ones can be bridged by a willingness to open up and even a sense of humor. Read more here.

American Workers Are Already Lonely. Here Come the Robots.

According to researchers who study the issue, the economic damage caused when employees suffer feelings of isolation could soon worsen as offices become increasingly automated and more people work remotely. Read the full article here.

When It Comes To Treating Depression, ‘Step Therapy’ is a Costly Misstep

Dr. Gregory Mattingly, a practicing psychiatrist for over 25 years, offers some insight on the halting and all too commonly ineffective methods used to treat mental illness. As Dr. Mattingly explains, while the initial cost savings insurance companies derive from ‘step therapy’ are desirable, the failure to adequately treat a patient is more expensive over the long run and, most importantly, often fails to alleviate suffering in any measurable way. Read the blog here.

Daylight Savings Time Is A Depression-Inducing Devil, So Here is What I Do To Keep It From Keeping Me Down

Aliya King’s blog offers some useful tips for coping with depressive symptoms that tend to crop up around this time of year. Read it here.

Lets Stop Assuming People Know What Mental Health Is

One of the most important steps in overcoming the stigma surrounding mental illness lies in concretely defining terms that can serve as the basis for an honest discussion. Ross Szabo, CEO of the Human Power Project, helps clear up some common misconceptions shrouding mental well being in his blog that coincides with the beginning of National Suicide Prevention Month. Read his blog here.