The Atlanta Lawyer May 2015 | Page 10

MENTAL HEALTH IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION 1 in 4 Out of 100 occupations, lawyers lead the nation with the highest incidence of depression. 60% 1 in 4 American adults suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Lawyers suffer from mental illness at alarmingly higher rates than the general population. 100 OCCUPATIONS 60% of suicide survivors, family members and friends who have killed themselves are more likely to commit suicide. In South Carolina, 6 lawyers took their lives within 18 months between 2007 and 2008. Kentucky has reported 15 known lawyer suicides since 2010. 3 Georgia lawyers committed suicide within 9 months of each other during 2012. 10 THE ATLANTA LAWYER May 2015 The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association