Transcript Slide 1

Drugs, Alcohol, and Other
Perils: JLAP Can Help
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be better able to:
• Describe services available to judges, lawyers, and
law students through JLAP
• Recognize warning signs of substance abuse,
depression, and compassion fatigue/burnout
• Identify the role of friends and colleagues in helping
an impaired lawyer
• Create a self care plan to protect yourself against
compassion fatigue
What is JLAP?
JLAP helps law students, lawyers, and judges
dealing with stress, mental health, substance
abuse, or any other issues affecting their quality of
life and ability to practice law.
Some Myths You May Have
Heard
Myth
JLAP only works with substance abuse issues.
Fact
We help with:
Myth
If I call JLAP they will report what I say to
the Disciplinary Commission.
Fact
• JLAP is entirely separate from the Disciplinary
Commission.
• In addition, any contact you have with JLAP is held
in strict confidence under Admission and Discipline
Rule 31. Whether you are calling because you need
help yourself or because you are concerned for a
friend or colleague, no one will know about your call
unless you give your permission.
Myth
JLAP is just for people who are in trouble with
the Disciplinary Commission.
Fact
The majority of the people working with JLAP
come to us voluntarily. Only about 10-15% of
our cases are formal referrals, and the
remainder are either self-referred or are
referred by a concerned friend, family
member, or colleague.
The Bottom Line
The earlier JLAP can get involved, the more
we can do to get the person the help they
need and avoid any legal, admission, or
disciplinary issues.
Signs of Trouble:
Substance Use & Depression
Changes from Baseline
• Everyone has a baseline for personality
traits and behavior
• Warning signs are always relative to
the person’s baseline
Early Warning Signs:
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Client neglect
Unreturned phone calls/unopened mail
Late for hearings/depositions
Barely making deadlines
Cancelled appointments
Increased sick days
Technical trust violations
Later Stage Warning Signs
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Failure to appear at office or court
Intoxicated in court
Unprofessional appearance/hygiene
Inappropriate mood (angry, withdrawn)
Substantive trust violations (misappropriation)
Statute of limitations violations
Dishonesty to tribunal
Abandonment of practice
Substance Abuse
• A maladaptive pattern of use
continued despite significant
substance related problems.
• It is a chronic disease like diabetes
or heart disease. It cannot be cured
but can be successfully managed.
Difficulty in Diagnosing
• 66% of American Adults drink alcohol. (2012
Gallup Poll)
• What is the difference between a mental illness
and normality?
• It is not how much or how often you drink or
use, but what happens to you when you do,
including during the use and later
consequences.
The Disease of Alcoholism
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Primary Disease
Progressive
Fatal
Treatable
Relapse is common
Genetics play a part
Denial is a hallmark of the disease
Signs of Depression
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Changes in sleep pattern
Appears sad or quiet
Change in appetite or weight
Loss of interest in activities previously
enjoyed
• Decreased ability to concentrate
• Decreased energy
More Signs of Depression
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Slowed motor activity or agitation
Thoughts of suicide or death and dying
Unexplained physical symptoms
Isolating
Uncharacteristic irritability
Uncharacteristic disorganization
Causes of Depression
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Inherited Predisposition/Genetics
Chemical Imbalance in the brain
Stress – chronic or acute
Medical problems – thyroid, heart
Medication Side Effects
Personality/World View
Abuse of Alcohol or other drugs
Depression is Treatable
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Rule out Physical Causes
Individual Therapy
Medication
Support Groups
Partial Hospitalization or IOP
Exercise
Review of Alcohol Consumption
The Role of Friends and
Colleagues
What You Can Do
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Recognize Problem
Avoid Enabling Behaviors
Address the problem head on
Call JLAP to help locate resources
Early Intervention Pays Off
• Saves lives in some cases
• Better chance to save law practice
• Increased chance of saving relationships
How to Help: DO
•Educate
•Observe
•LISTEN
•Respect
•Support
•Offer Options
•Motivate
•Treat everyone involved as adults responsible for
their own behaviors and decisions
How to Help: DON’T
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Diagnose
Accuse
Direct
Solve
Order
Blame
Assume
Enable
We want to avoid this…
Why are Lawyers Stressed?
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Adversarial System
Long Hours
Rigid deadlines
Clients
Uncivil Colleagues
Compassion Fatigue
Compassion Fatigue
“The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering
and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic
as expecting to be able to walk through water without
getting wet.”
(Remen, 1996)
What Is Compassion Fatigue
• A condition resulting specifically from
empathizing with people who are experiencing
pain and suffering
• The emotional residue or strain of exposure to
working with those suffering from the
consequences of traumatic events
DOING…
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Too much
For too long
With too few resources
And working with the big uglies in
life
Contributing Factors
• Nature of the work
• Nature of the clientele
• Nature of the worker
• Nature of the social/cultural context
Annoying
Distressing
Traumatic
Signs & Symptoms
• Exhaustion
• Uncharacteristic anger and irritability
• Losing compassion for some people while becoming
over involved with others
• Experiencing illness, aches, or pains
• Dread of working with certain clients/cases
• Diminished sense of satisfaction with work
• Difficulty separating work life from personal life
• Heightened anxiety or intrusive imagery
Why We Need to Care about
Compassion Fatigue
The Cost Of Compassion
Fatigue at Work:
• Reduced productivity in yourself
• Influence others and reduce their productivity
• Not able to serve clients to your best ability
The Cost Of Compassion
Fatigue…to You
• Reduced effectiveness in all areas
• Lower self-esteem
• Feeling of guilt in not fulfilling commitments
The Cost Of Compassion
Fatigue to Those You Love
• You are emotionally drained or unavailable
• You feel disconnected or aloof
Preventing Compassion Fatigue
Through Self Care
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Sleep 7-9 hours a night
Follow a regular exercise regimen
Connect with someone daily
Set boundaries
Unplug
Laugh
Cultivate your creativity
Good nutrition (excellence, not perfection)
Self Care Inventory
• See handout
• Mark an “X” by the things you already do
• Mark an “O” by things you would like to
do more
Developing a Self Care Plan
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Warning signs and symptoms
Accountability partners
What things I can control
How I will relieve stress
How I will prevent/reduce stress
Commit to Change
• What changes will you make in the
next
–Week
–Month
–Year
• Keep this list where you can see it
• Share it with your accountability partner