The legal profession brings unique pressures. High stress combined with good salaries can create a perfect storm – factors that can sometimes lead professionals toward alcohol as a coping mechanism.
But do you know what alcohol can really do?
It’s worth understanding what’s at stake!
Alcohol misuse can lead to serious conditions: heart disease, cancer, liver damage, pancreatitis, memory issues, and depression. The impact extends beyond physical health to damaged relationships and family stability, and can strain the relationships and career you’ve worked hard to build.
Safe limits: Current guidelines recommend no more than 14 units weekly for both men and women, distributed throughout the week rather than consumed at once.
Your local health authority likely runs controlled drinking programmes through the NHS. You’ll be assigned a keyworker who will discuss:
- your drinking habits;
- suggest helpful strategies; and
- help you set realistic goals.
Support may include counselling and medication to reduce cravings or counteract alcohol’s effects. Counselling sessions with a trained professional often use techniques like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help you understand your drinking triggers, address underlying feelings, and recognise how alcohol impacts your life. Many people find controlled drinking programmes more appealing than giving up alcohol entirely.
Information taken from: lawcare.org.uk/resource/alcohol/
If you are worried about how much you are drinking – you can find helpful advice via their website: https://lawcare.org.uk/resource/alcohol/
Their suggestions include:
- Keep a diary. Write down how much you drink each day, in what circumstances, and how it makes you feel. After a couple of weeks, analyse it: look for patterns and, overall, be honest with yourself.
- See your GP and explain honestly how much you are drinking.
- Talk to your family, friends and/or colleagues and ask for their help. The chances are that they will be happy to support you.
- Avoid drinking environments. Keep out of the pub. Go to a coffee shop or the cinema instead.
- Find a new hobby or interest, and put time and energy into that.
- Be creative about what you drink. Try exotic fruit juices, smoothies or non-alcoholic cordials.
- Find a buddy to cut down drinking with you.
You can also listen to their podcast on taking a tactical break from alcohol with Andy Ramage: https://lawcare.org.uk/resource/the-legal-mind-podcast-taking-a-tactical-break-from-alcohol/
Useful links:
Creating a Healthy Alcohol Culture in the Legal Profession:
https://d31uu2jz8iwok7.cloudfront.net/Uploads/u/y/i/creatingahealthyalcoholculturejanuary2020_239101.pdf
PDF guidance from the Law Society of England and Wales.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/
Information from the NHS about finding help if you realise you have a problem with alcohol.
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
Drinkaware provides independent alcohol advice, information and tools to help people make better choices about their drinking.
Al-Anon Family Groups UK & Eire is for anyone whose life is or has been affected by someone else’s drinking.
Alcoholics Anonymous members help each other to stop drinking. If you think you need help with your drinking problem get in touch.
We also share article from Resolution from their May/June 2025 newsletter – which makes an interesting read:
MIDLIFE HEALTH & WELLBEING: Addiction in the legal profession
Resources:
lawcare.org.uk/resource/alcohol/
