Treatment for attorneys with substance related and co-occurring psychiatric disorders: demographics and outcomes.

The following paper is the result of a retrospective study of clinical case files of legal professionals treated for substance-related and co-occurring psychiatric disorders at a recovery center specializing in the care of impaired professionals. Attorneys traditionally differ from healthcare professionals in two important ways: first, they prematurely leave treatment in greater numbers, and second, they suffer a higher incidence of co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Sixty percent of the attorneys presented with concurrent psychiatric conditions (Axis I and Axis II), compared to 46% of their healthcare colleagues.