What Lawyers Can Do About Worrying During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BY CHRIS RITTER, DIRECTOR, TEXAS LAWYERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

BE WELL

Beginning with law school, lawyers are at, or near, the top of the list of those suffering from anxiety and depression. Before anything goes wrong in the world, we lawyers are managing the worst things for so many clients that we are constantly on the verge of overload with fear and exhaustion. This likely explains why more than 46 percent of attorneys admit to suffering from depression. Then, something major like this COVID-19 pandemic, or a family loss, or a divorce happens and we can be truly at our tipping point. This is why, I believe, we have an obligation—now more than ever—to learn how to cope with our worrisome minds.

Here are five things that can help:

1. Use your calendar to schedule your self-care.

Self-care is a solution to worry. However, we are never going to take care of ourselves unless we make it possible. The idea that we will do healthy things after we finish everything else is one that will always result in failure because we do not have time to finish everything, ever. If we will just put three or more things on our calendar for self-care per week, it can make a world of difference.

2. After a stress trigger, do something physical.

Every time we check the news, email, or voicemail, we are triggering our sympathetic nervous system. We will remain in a state of chronic stress until we do something physical, such as walking or swimming or (as the “woke” lawyers are doing) meditating on the breath. One study showed meditation could reduce stress from the 90th to the 57th percentile in just a few weeks.

3. Focus on the things you can control.

We are seeing the horrors of a pandemic and experiencing serious loss. Having the wisdom to know the things we cannot change can be a game-changer. If I cannot control it, I need to focus on the few things that I can control. The main one is myself. I can direct my attention away from the things I am pointlessly ruminating about and toward what I can do to help myself or my loved ones today. Today is all we need to manage when things are highly stressful.

4. Try gratitude journaling.

One great way to stop worrying and start getting some relief is to focus some attention on the things in your life that are positive. This does not mean we invalidate our fears. This is being honest. I am grateful my daughter is healthy right now. I am grateful I have people to talk to in my life, even if it is by phone. Focusing on the positives can increase our happiness by 25 percent and give us relief from negative thinking.

5. Help others.

Another great way to relieve worrying is to focus on helping others in need. This is perhaps the most powerful tool and has kept me sober for over ten years. When I get resentful or fearful, I can focus on the needs of other people and my despair almost magically dissipates. One study noted that helping others twice or more per month actually offsets the difference in death rate of people who have stressful jobs. In other words, helping others gives us resilience.

There is no easy way through anxiety or grief, but having just a few coping strategies can help. CLICK HERE to see TLAP’s extensive list of resources to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. For mental health or substance use support resources, call TLAP at 1.800.343.TLAP or text TLAP to 555888. AL

Chris Ritter

Chris Ritter is the director for the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program.