ABA JOURNAL — Stress is one of the defining characteristics of becoming and being a lawyer. Applying to law school, figuring out how to pay tuition, taking finals and studying for the bar exam are difficult enough. Things don’t get any easier once you become an actual practicing attorney. No matter what type of law you practice, there are always stressors and pressure points that only get bigger as the stakes get higher. It’s no wonder two long-running stereotypes are that lawyers drink and hate their jobs. A 2016 study by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs found 20.6% of responding lawyers scored at a level consistent with problematic drinking, compared with 11.8% of respondents in comparable fields. The study also found nearly half of respondents were concerned about depression at some point in their careers, with 28% of all respondents experiencing it at mild or high levels. With that in mind, the ABA Journal staff asked a range of attorneys, wellness experts and other legal industry professionals for tips on how lawyers can take care of themselves and not get overwhelmed.