One Man is Not Alone when he has Friends.

I called up and joined the Lawyer Assistance Program after decades of the blues, ADHD, anxiety and shame. As a solo practitioner, I got by in my law practice, but my wife really supported the family. I would feel terror when going to court and a sense of not being "good enough" when talking with clients. I had managed to hide the feelings for many years by self-medicating with nicotine and alcohol. I took my last drink with the help of AA several years before I contacted LAP. I had found that just being on the wagon didn't cure the underlying anxiety and depression. I needed a safe place where I could discuss those feelings with other members of the bar. That place was LAP, where I am most connected through the Friends meetings I attend here in the Triad.

What I discovered was that I am not alone. In sharing their experiences confidentially at our Friends meeting, lawyers, law students, and former lawyers help each other cope with life on a daily basis. Am I cured? No. But I have found the strength to keep going through the support we give each other in LAP.