Anxiety & Depression

It was my first year as a lawyer. I was convinced that I should be able to handle the stress of practice. Every day that my billable hours were not on target, I told myself that I should be able to do better tomorrow. I had a trial go sideways and was convinced that I should have known more about trial work and done better. My girlfriend, also a lawyer, was working 12- to 16- hour days, and I said I should be able to do the same. After all, with all my debts from law school, I had no choice, I told myself.

I was born with a lot of advantages, living in a good location, in an upper income family. I also went to good schools and had access to many extracurricular activities such as sports, music, theatre, travel and whatever else was “in”. There were disadvantages however, both parents had illnesses, were unavailable and sometimes hostile. I learned the best thing to do was to stay out of the way. I got good grades, played all the sports, spent time with friends and mostly I stayed away from home.

I was born with a lot of advantages, living in a good location, in an upper income family. I also went to good schools and had access to many extracurricular activities such as sports, music, theatre, travel and whatever else was “in”. There were disadvantages however, both parents had illnesses, were unavailable and sometimes hostile. I learned the best thing to do was to stay out of the way.