Blawgletter enjoys Sue Shellenbarger’s Work & Family column in the WSJ. Today, she writes about an area in which our profession totally rocks — clinical depression. She calls it "Even Lawyers Get the Blues: Opening Up About Depression". Kudos to her!
Also to the Oklahoma City lawyer, Dan Lukasik, who tossed caution to the wind and fessed up to the reality that lawyers suffer depression at almost three times the rate of the general population.
Heavens to Betsy, you might ask — what could possibly depress people who have so much going for them money-wise, prestige-wise, and other-wise?
The question recalls to us a report of an interview with James Joyce, author of the unfathomable and (to us) impenetrable yet awesomely great Ulysses, in which the questioner wants to know what the author meant by such-and-such. Joyce answers along the lines of: Once God and I knew what I meant. Now, God only knows.
We suspect that people with great creative gifts — a group that includes the best lawyers — feel the pain of birthing innovative ideas. Imagine, therefore, the agony of rejection — a common experience for lawyers. Which experience in many cases may lead to the dullness of depression.
Thank you, Sue and Dan, for shining light on the subject. We suspect that many will benefit.
Barry Barnett
