May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which seems particularly timely as we continue to confront the COVID-19 global pandemic. While Americans are starting to adjust to our “new normal,” a large segment of the population is susceptible to experiencing mental health issues and may also have to confront past issues with substance abuse. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that the increased stress levels from the pandemic can cause myriad health problems, including increased use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

As a profession, attorneys are even more vulnerable to substance abuse, anxiety and depression, which occur at higher rates than in the general population. A study a few years ago by the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, in collaboration with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, examined alcohol use, substance abuse, mental health issues and help-seeking behaviors of lawyers. The study found that, “Attorneys experience problematic drinking that is hazardous, harmful, or otherwise consistent with alcohol use disorders at a higher rate than other professional populations. Mental health distress is also significant. These data underscore the need for greater resources for lawyer assistance programs, and also the expansion of available attorney-specific prevention and treatment interventions.”