The Hidden Struggles: Addiction and Mental Health Challenges Among Legal Professionals

18th Mar 2026
Addiction is a serious mental health disorder – one which millions of individuals are struggling with across the world – and one that must be treated as soon as it is detected. Although in the US, the number of drug overdose deaths has declined by almost 17% from July 2023 to July 2024 (1), this does not suggest that addiction is no longer an issue. In fact, it is one that we must all keep at the forefront of our minds and work to support others in; it is not a disorder to be stigmatised and/or hold a taboo. Addiction can require years of specialised treatment and care if it is not properly identified and treated in the early stages, making it one of the most dangerous mental health disorders on the planet. This article will cover more details about addiction (substance use disorders – SUDs - rather than behavioural addictions such as video game addictions) and its treatment but also look specifically at how addiction may impact those in the legal profession i.e., lawyers, barristers, judges, etc. and the reasons why this may be a heightened risk in some cases. Why do individuals develop addictions? As addiction is a non-discriminatory disorder (meaning that it can affect anyone, regardless of their background), this also means that it can develop for a countless number of reasons, as well as causing a multitude of different effects. Because of this, it makes it harder to determine why someone may develop an addiction in some cases; there may be many different factors in play and all affecting each other in different ways. However, in general, there are some common reasons that may apply in varying situations that may lead to a development of an addiction (either for someone in the legal profession or otherwise) and these are outlined below: Brain chemistry – scientists suggest that there are some parts of the brain that are born to be more susceptible to addiction (relatively), especially when the mother consumes substances (such as alcohol or opioids) while pregnant, for example. Genetic factors – more based on an individual’s family history, this can contribute to whether or not someone develops an addiction. Environment/social factors – including where the individua was brought up and those around them during this time, individuals close to young people can have a huge impact on how these individuals choose to act in the future (including the development of an addiction). Psychological/emotional factors – more the focus of this article, these factors refer to an individual’s own contribution to developing an addiction due to high pressure, mental health struggles, or stress, for example. Mental health and addiction: the importance of dual diagnosis Aside from the legal profession, addiction itself is considered to be a mental health issue, but it is also known to commonly co-occur with additional mental health issues, adding to the challenges when attempting to recover/overcome the effects of an addiction. Throughout an individual’s detoxification and rehabilitation process, it is vital that all mental health issues are addressed and treated – not just the addiction itself – as this will enforce the strongest recovery programme, as well as reducing the risk of a relapse in the future. Known as the dual diagnosis approach, it is vital that all providers of rehabilitative care are aware of this and strive to include it as a part of the individual’s treatment programme. The link between high-pressure jobs and addiction So, why are individuals in the legal profession at a greater risk of developing an addiction? The short and tall of it comes down to the stress and pressure that these individuals face on an almost daily basis. As an enactor of the law and a keeper of peace, those in the legal system often face huge challenges and decisions as a part of their job and, despite the long training process, this can take a toll on a person. For example, a lawyer defending their client on death row may feel extreme amounts of stress and sometimes find this hard not to relate to their own life. Although extreme, this is the kind of decision that these individuals face regularly, wearing down on their mental health and taking a toll, even if this is slowly and over a long period of time. The legal profession – why do individuals develop addictions? Along with the demands of the job itself, individuals in the legal profession also face a lot of additional pressures and stresses from the world around them – the pressures of the legal world, but also day-to-day life. This has been proven already across multiple scientific studies and shown to be more of an impact due to the way it impacts the lawyer (in this example), their friends and family, as well as the client(s) that they are defending (2). Examples of individuals within the legal profession include lawyers, barristers, judges, solicitors, secretaries, and assistants – all of whom are involved in daily difficult decisions and choices that many other professionals may have to deal with. The remaining subheadings of this article cover some of the key factors which can contribute to an individual developing an addiction, and most of these are more likely to occur within the legal world, making these especially dangerous and challenging for legal professionals to overcome. 1. Coping mechanisms At its most basic, many individuals in the legal profession develop an addiction as a way to cope with their daily life. A coping mechanism is a habit or a technique that individuals develop when they feel as there is no other way to solve their problem(s). A coping mechanism can be positive, but it can also be maladaptive (e.g., an addiction). These coping mechanisms can go on to further impact an individual’s life, contributing to the vicious cycle of addiction and the ways in which it can impact an individual’s every day. For addiction, the coping method may have originally consisted of mild substance abuse or misuse but may have quickly spiralled as the individual progressed with the original issue (a court case, for example, in the case of legal professionals). 2. High pressure/high stakes Similar to addiction being a maladapted coping mechanism, the high pressures and stakes that a legal professional faces within their job can often be a reason for an individual developing an addiction. With the potential of having someone else’s life dependent on your decisions, actions, and steps taken, any individual is likely to feel the pressures of this – a legal professional even more so due to the fact that this is directly linked to them and their career. 3. Time off As a final point, it can be argued that legal professionals are in a high stakes and high-pressure environment within particular cases, but not in others. This change of pressure and direction in an individual’s modern life can cause additional stress and pressure, especially if the individual is given a lot of time off between work in which they may struggle to fill the time. In rare cases, this sudden change from busy to bored and the presence of disposable income may make someone far more likely to develop an addiction compared to individuals who do not face these changes and/or unique circumstances. How can legal professionals seek help for addiction today? To get access to specialised rehabilitation and care as soon as today, individuals are generally recommended to contact an addiction referral service in order to get the best care for them possible. In some instances, individuals are able to contact their local health services to access specific forms of care, though this is not as varied or effective as the care received through specialist services, for example. References [1] National Istitude on Drug Abuse (NIDA); Reflecting on NIDA’s 50th year and looking to 2025; January 8, 2025; https://nida.nih.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2025/01/reflecting-nidas-50th-year-looking-to-2025 [2] Pregenzer, L., 1993. Substance abuse within the legal profession: A symptom of a greater malaise. Notre Dame JL Ethics & Pub. Pol'y, 7, p.305.