Let’s Talk About Suicide

September is Suicide Awareness Prevention Month. And if something needs awareness, it is suicide prevention. Especially in the legal profession.

According to the American Bar Association, lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to die by suicide than the general public. Some firms and state bar associations have started acknowledging the risk. Slowly, some attorneys are starting to talk about it. Yet lawyers are still dying.

In a profession that is trained to hide weaknesses, too many lawyers think they can’t seek help if they are struggling with suicidal ideation. However, suicidal thoughts aren’t a sign of weakness, they are a potentially life-threatening symptom of mental illness. And that symptom can be addressed, but first, we need to be honest about it.

I have been there. I’ve had passive thoughts of suicide, both before starting law school and after. I always thought that I would be viewed as ‘broken’ if I was honest about that. Yet being honest about it is what helped. Demons, it turns out, shy away from the light that we shine on them by talking about these challenges.

I’ve also managed to navigate my way back from those struggles. And so have others. If you are struggling, know that the LegalMind Society is here to help support you. Email info@thelegalmindsociety.org to learn more about our peer-based support programs.