Every now and again you can see reports in the newspapers that a successful lawyer completed suicide.
To the average reader, this might come as a surprise as the cases presented are typically along the lines of 'lawyer living in a multi-million-pound mansion leaves young children and their spouse' with often little to show significant risk prior to the act.
Just look at some of these:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11823149/Millionaire-London-lawyer-jumped-in-front-of-train-after-suffering-considerable-guilt.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1202733/Im-sorry-Last-text-message-suicide-lawyer-struggling-juggle-motherhood-City-career.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/1138414/britains-top-human-rights-lawyer-who-represented-julian-assange-and-worked-alongside-george-clooneys-wife-amal-dies-in-apparent-suicide/
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/work-pressure-behind-suicide-of-city-lawyer-6808286.html
It came as no surprise that research highlights some of the highest rates among all professions of depression (around 20%) and problematic substance misuse (around 30%) to be found in lawyers.
Certain reports also show that the rates of completed suicide are higher than what is found in dentists.
So why is this issue so significant in the legal profession?
Surely high levels of stress can be identified by many, but this is not unique to barristers and judges.
The long working hours put a strain on one's psychological well-being and limit the time that can be spent with family, friends and on pursuing other hobbies.
You're probably aware that the culture might be to celebrate or meet clients in a pub. And in case you didn't know alcohol is a depressant, negatively affecting the quality of sleep and mood and severely limiting the effectiveness of antidepressant medication if someone is taking them and drinking.
Then comes the personality profiles of the people in the profession - highly driven, perhaps often a perfectionist, but finding it more difficult to tolerate uncertainty and when things don't go to plan.
Of course, this is all stereotypical and does not happen all the time, in every firm and does not describe everybody.
But the research highlights another important issue, which is a result of the personality and the 'success culture'.
Lawyers often find it difficult to ask for help and mental health or substance misuse problems are still seen as a 'sign of weakness'.
My understanding is that the issue is increasingly recognised by the employers and the resources are spent on improving well-being -both at work and in personal life. However seeing a psychiatrist or a qualified therapist is still a bit of a taboo.
With the attitudes to mental health slowly changing in society as a whole, hopefully for not too long.
The author is a consultant addictions and general psychiatrist working in the only online private psychiatry service. www.psychiatry-uk.com