What is Chemical Addiction?

Alcoholism and other chemical addictions are a leading health problem and cause of death in this country. The National Institute on Alcohol and Alcohol Abuse estimates that 10% of the population of the United States are alcoholics or otherwise chemically addicted. Chemical addiction within the legal profession may be as high as 20%. Alcohol and other chemical addictions are not the result of a moral defect or deficiency of character, but are chronic, progressive, and irreversible diseases. If excessive drinking or drug use continues, it is fatal. Death may result from suicide (25% of all suicides are alcohol related) or in the form of heart failure, liver disease, bleeding ulcers, cirrhosis, gastrointestinal disorders, or any of a number of other ailments. But death will be a direct consequence of the excessive and prolonged intake of alcohol. Not only is substance abuse a physical health problem, it also alters perception and thinking. Such changes produce certain predictable behavior patterns such as failing to keep appointments, failing to return client calls, missing deadlines, and other manifestations of poor judgment that undermine a lawyer's ability to fulfill the heart of a lawyer's ethical obligations to his or her clients and the public. The Lawyer Assistance Program's job is to Confidentially bring resources to bear for those lawyers needing assistance.