Nor are they clear as to why medication can ameliorate the condition. Some studies have indicated a genetic predisposition to depression, particularly in manic-depressive disorders in which the person alternates between extreme highs and lows, explains Los Angeles therapist and lawyer Richard Gottfried. Richard Carleton, who directs the State Bar of California's Lawyers Personal Assistance Program, which is based in San Rafael, says the lawyer personality is conducive to depression. The field attracts people with a particular temperament, he says. Lawyers are taught to be analytical and not emotional.
Harper contends that law firms are incubators for depression.
The pressure to produce more work in less time can result in feelings of sadness and isolation. Lawyers feel powerless to make changes, she says. While questions about the disease's etiology remain unresolved, a corresponding controversy exists among disciplinary committees over the extent to which depression ought to be a mitigating factor in disciplinary proceedings. It's like doing your work with a gorilla on your back, says Gottfried. With your concentration going and your motivation going, you will miss deadlines or fail to return calls.