Summary: American attorneys have higher rates of drinking problems and depression than any other group, including the general public.

The American Society of Addition Medicine has released their latest report on drinking and it does not look good for attorneys. Attorney’s in America have a drinking problem with over 20 percent drinking at levels considered “hazardous, harmful, and potentially alcohol-dependent.”

This rate among licensed attorneys is three times higher than among the general public rate at 6.8 percent. The numbers were taken from over 12,000 American lawyers by the American Bar Association and Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

The study found that male attorneys have higher rates of drinking problems than women at 25.1 percent to 15.5 percent. The highest rates were for attorneys under the age of 30 at 31.9 percent and junior associates at 31.1 percent. This rate may be partly due to the trend of young Americans to be heavy drinkers but also from the high stress level of being a young attorney in a competitive field.

The legal industry tends to “prioritize success and accomplishment over things like balance, personal well-being, health, etc,” says Patrick Krill, lead author of the study. Attorneys go through training “where they are taught to work harder, play harder, and assume the role of a tough, capable and aggressive professional without personal weaknesses or deficiencies,” continues Krill. “Heavy drinking, lack of balance and poor self-care are entirely normalized. That’s the behavior that young lawyers see being modeled all around them, and throughout the profession.”

The study also found that depression is very high in attorneys at 28 percent. The general public only sees 8 percent experience issues with depression each year. Krill explains this tendency by the attitude most lawyers have, “Studies have shown that most lawyers are pessimists (either by nature or by training) which can be psychologically taxing and inconsistent with health coping skills.”

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/02/05/americas-lawyers-have-a-serious-drinking-problem/

Photo: cavemamas.com

The post Attorneys Have Problems with Drinking first appeared on JDJournal Blog.

 A bully appears to be strong, in control, and confident, but the truth is that often times, bullying is some kind of compensation that the bully uses to get over some problems that he is suffering from.

While we all like to believe we have the fortitude to stand by our own convictions during any situation, most of us tend to follow the behaviors of others. But what’s particularly strange is that when enough of us get together, we end up doing some really bizarre, nonsensical, and downright violent things that we’d never consider on our own. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as herd or mob mentality.

It is hard to watch other people being bullied. From what was observed on the video posted on Cheezburger.com, it creates a wide range of emotions and stresses that can take its toll on people. From anxiety and uncertainty to fear and guilt, bullying significantly impacts bystanders. Some people are plagued by uncertainty. They see the bullying and know in their heart that it is wrong, but they have no idea what to do. Others are trying to determine if the situation is serious enough to do something and they will watch to see if someone else will step forward. Sometimes when no one steps forward, that is enough to the other bystanders to justify doing nothing. In a famous study in the late 1960s, researchers showed that people who watch a dangerous situation unfold take longer to help if there are many fellow onlookers. The presence of multiple bystanders diffuses responsibility and also makes people unsure of social cues—they hesitate to be the first one to make a move if no one else has.

Getting or giving help means that you are part of the solution. You can help to make your school or neighborhood a safer place by doing your part to stop bullying. When you see bullying, remember that you have a chance to help somebody.

Image Credit: Cheezburger.com

The post The Bullying Experiment first appeared on JDJournal Blog.

Tmz reported that sources close to Lindsay said that Charlie and LiLo had become close friends during the shooting of “Scary Movie 5” back in September, and that they spend a lot of time together both on and off the set. Probably, during this period, Charlie learned of Lindsay’s financial and tax problems.

Apparently, Charlie wanted to help her out with the money right then in September, but Lindsay did not agree. However, last week, Lindsay’s business manager received a check of $100,000 from Charlie. Needless to say, Lindsay was overwhelmed by Charlie’s thoughtful gesture and immediately used the money to reduce her outstanding with Uncle Sam by half.

TMZ had earlier reported that Lindsay owed the government about $233,904 in unpaid taxes between 2009 and 2010. And though Lindsay is slated to earn over $2 million within this year – the future is always unpredictable.

The post Charlie Sheen Helped LiLo Pay Taxes with a $100,000 Check first appeared on JDJournal Blog.