
The Lawyer, the Addict - jejune06
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/15/business/lawyers-addiction-mental-health.html
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tmp-20150107
> list of New Year’s resolutions [from 2014] and in red marker, the word
> “quit.”

This is so true. Most addicts actually _DO_ want to stop, but it's fucking
hard. And trying to explain to an employer "Hi, I'd like a month off, so I can
start quitting heroin. Oh, and when I get back to work after that, I'll be
unpredictably angry and depressed, with an uncontrollable sleep cycle..." I
have notebooks with TODO lists going back a decade plus with the words "Quit
Heroin" somewhere near the top, and I'm still trying. I don't know how to get
employers to be sympathetic towards what is, after all, just another (mental)
health issue - well, maybe that answers my question ;(

I'd be interested in how many software engineers have drug addiction problems,
I don't know how common it is. And there should really be some kind of self-
help group for us to discuss issues and provide support for each other, since
most addiction support networks assume you are homeless and unemployed, and
focus on providing that basic structure and stability to their lives. As an
employed engineer, I have _that_ , it's the next steps I need help with.

~~~
cylinder
I'm pretty sure the "quit" was in reference to his job...

~~~
brianwawok
Not how the article was written. The job was seen as hard but good.

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bearton
A powerful (but sad) story and an enlighting message that applies to all
professions, not just lawyers.

