Lawyers Helping Lawyers: Eating Disorders and Lawyers

• Citation: Vol. 36-6
• Year: 2025

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Lawyers Helping Lawyers: Eating Disorders and Lawyers

Vol. 36 Issue 6 Pg. 13

South Carolina Lawyer

May, 2025

Eating Disorders and Lawyers

BY DR. JANE TURNBULL

Introduction

As a lawyer, analytical skills are vital. In building a case a lawyer must be able to read between the lines, see what is not being said, put together all the facts, and ultimately paint a picture to tell a story of what happened. Because eating disorders are complex, much like a legal case, an effective treatment team must be able to see beyond the obvious, put together all the pieces to the puzzle, and include all the facts (previous trauma, family dynamics, medical complications, community and work culture, and ineffective coping skill development) to help someone successfully recover. "Lawyers, too, tend to be secretive. This trait makes us excellent trusted advisers and maintainers of confidentiality. But it also makes us reluctant to talk about our troubles and seek help when we need it." (https://abovethelaw.com/ca-reer-files/high-prevalence-and-low-pre-vention-of-lawyers-eating-disorders/) The Lawyers Helping Lawyers Program is here to help!

"The association between attorneys being at greater risk for experiencing higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than other disciplines extends-not-surprisingly-to both disordered eating and eating disorders." (www.americanbar.org/ groups/litigation/resources/newsletters/ mental-health-wellness/disordered-eat-ing-eating-disorders-and-the-litigator/)

In the article "Let's Talk About Eating Disorders In The Legal Industry," a lawyer discusses how the stigma for admitting a person has an eating disorder is higher in the legal profession where the legal culture does not see vulnerability as a strength. This is especially true for males suffering from eating disorders. "The fear of showing 'weakness' is so ingrained into our thought process as lawyers and even starting as law students that as a profession, we are often unable to distinguish between how feelings need to be channeled to do our best to excel in the profession versus what we need to do to help ourselves when we are struggling with mental health issues." (https://abovethelaw.com/2019/02/lets-talk-about-eating-dis-orders-in-the-legal-industry/)

In many cases professionals including lawyers are finding it easier to admit they have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and drugs than with food and exercise. It is important for those who support individuals with eating disorders to learn more about this disorder and how it is NOT ABOUT the FOOD! It is also important for families and lawyers working with clients with eating disorders to understand the extreme medical challenges these people can face and the risk that comes with supporting and representing them. To find more information and treatment options locally and remotely visit the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) website.

Three-Legged Stool to Recovery

Eating disorder education, treatments and research have come a long way, however, there is still a long way to go in fully understanding how to diagnosis early, treat holistically, and produce more inclusive comprehensive research. After working as a medical assistant and therapist in SC, GA and AL eating disorder treatment programs, I used in my private practice what I called the "Three-Legged Stool to Recovery" to help my clients healing from eating disorders. Here are the three steps I found useful with my clients. All may be applied to other recovery efforts.

1. First, educate yourself and your family. After the denial has been lifted, seek a professional team made up of a medical doctor, nutritionist/dietitian that specializes in eating disorders and a mental health professional. It is important for these team members to specialize in eating disorders. Some nutritionists/dietitians mean well but they along with other professionals can cause more harm than good if they do not have extensive knowledge about eating disorders and the medical risk.

2. Second, once you find the appropriate team, get to work, and it is HARD work. Peel the onion because as many know it is not just about food. (Find out the triggers and in many cases the unresolved trauma. This 2^nd step must also include family work if possible so that the culture of the family can change, not just the client.)

3. Finally, once you are stable and have some years of recovery this 3^rd step is key. Help others. Give talks, join NEDA walks, write a book, and/or educate others. Whatever you feel best makes up your 3^rd leg. of the stool, just get out there and pay it forward. Many people with eating disorders are "people pleasers" so this 3^rd step will be rewarding and easy for some especially compared to the first two. I think this 3-legged stool recovery analogy can be used in recovering from other mental disorders. In fact, I see my dad becoming the first director of the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Program as just that. He suffered a lot, including PTSD from combat war, and developed unhealthy ways to cope with the unresolved trauma, lost a lot along the way, and then worked hard at recovery. I am convinced that by working with others through AA (paying it forward) and by starting this program he was able to maintain his sobriety. Also, he liked to talk and share stories, if you knew him this line should make you laugh.

Eating Disorders Links:

• National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA): www.nationaleatingdisorders. org

• American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR. American Psychiatric Association Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi. books.9780890425787

• www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/resources/newsletters/men-tal-health-wellness/disordered-eating-eating-disorders-and-the-litigator/

• https://abovethelaw.com/2019/07/eating-disorders-took-my-daughter-and-changed-my-view-of-lawyer-wellness/

Lawyers Helping Lawyers provides confidential services to all South Carolina law students, lawyers, and judges who are experiencing challenges due to stress, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other mental illnesses and emotional problems. You can reach Beth Padgett at 803-240-6526, Briana Suhr at 803-978-1190 and Frances Brown Anderson at 803-576-3781.