Tag Archives: depression

Child Custody, Divorce

Depressing Depression.

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Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

 

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Depression symptoms include:

  • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
  • Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
  • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Loss of energy or increased fatigue
  • Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
  • Feeling worthless or guilty
  • Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

 

Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can strike at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression. Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime.

Citing: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression

Depression is a common side effect of being involved in a family law case. Experiencing depression as part of a divorce and/or custody case is normal. It does not mean that you are crazy, weak or broken. Also, being a part of a case can exacerbate symptoms of depression.

Below is a simple “test” that is available online. It is the Beck Depression Inventory. It is the standard in helping diagnosing depression.

http://treat-depression.com/depression-test

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, BDI-1A, BDI-II), created by Aaron T. Beck, is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory, one of the most widely used psychometric tests for measuring the severity of depression.

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney and reminds you that an online test is no replacement for an evaluation by your physician, counselor or healthcare professional.

Divorce, General Legal

Attorneys are Like Used Cars

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Used car salesmen, stock brokers and door-to-door salespersons have tough reputations, at least the internet says so.

Well, what about attorneys? Lawyers represent the 4th highest rank of depression for any given career.  Attorneys are like used cars.  Some are shiny and look great on the outside, but are held together with JB Weld and duct tape on the inside.  Some look rough and haggard, but can get the job done in an economical fashion.  Some are much more expensive than necessary, but it’s your choice.  Some are just not equipped to get the job done.  Given this, how do you know what you are getting?

  • Ask.  Ask your friends, family and neighbors who they used? How was their experience?
  • Inspect.  You interview the lawyer as much as they interview you. Can they explain the law in terms you understand?
  • Listen.  Are they telling you just what you want to hear?

As Forrest Gump said, “You never know what you are going to get.” But, with a little homework and due diligence you can avoid getting a lemon.

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce Litigation Attorney in Mississippi and warns you to avoid the Lemon Lawyer.

Follow the blog: #BowTieLawyer Visit the website: #Thompson Law Firm  You may also contact Matthew with your family law case or question at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms

Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal, Marriage, Opinion

Lawyers, Suicide & Family Law

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A recent report indicated that the legal profession has the 4th highest rate of suicide among professionals.

Family Law issues lead to a higher rate of depression than average and it is not uncommon for suicide threats and attempts to occur contemporaneously with Family Law matters.

If you find yourself dealing with these issues; family crisis, depression, thoughts of harming yourself or others, seek immediate help.  It does not mean you are weak.  You are human and emotions run the gamut in these situations.  Go to your Dr., seek out a Professional Counselor, your Pastor and/or talk to a lawyer or all of the above.  Oftentimes it is NOT as bad as you think and working with the right professional will aid your recovery.

Know this. Family law issues are NOT the end of your World and are NOT a reason to do something that cannot be undone.  Perhaps it’s cliché, but suicide is a permanent outcome due to a temporary problem.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law & Divorce Attorney and Counselor at Law and can help when dealing with a family law crisis.

Follow the blog: #BowTieLawyer  You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms

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Child Custody, Divorce, Opinion

Dealing with Disappointment; Divorce, Stress and Uncertainty

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Unfortunately, disappointment is a part of life.  It can also be a major part of family law cases.  Most often in a family law case, someone is going through just about the most difficult thing they do as an adult when dealing with a divorce/custody matter.  Either they have done something, or their spouse has, which has caused significant upheaval, loss of trust and despair   A large part of family law includes helping someone cope with those feelings and emotions.

While there is no easy answer on how to cope, there are a number of things that can be done to promote healing.

  • Seek Counseling.  I recommend counseling to almost every client.  This is NOT because I think something is wrong with them.  It is because Counselors are people who have expertise in dealing with persons going through emotional crisis.  A lawyer can deal with a legal crisis, and some are good at the emotional issues too, but all are not.  A counselor can help and they have often heard and dealt with a similar circumstance.  Counseling can be with a licensed counselor, a religious leader or a sage friend with experience.
  • Keep a Routine.  Keeping a routine can help more than you think.  A recent study showed that persons who made their bed each morning were more organized and felt better about themselves throughout the day.  This routine made their day better.  This is something easy to do and it only takes 2 minutes, but can make a difference in how you feel.  I encourage my clients to get in a routine and keep it. I encourage them to continue their exercise regimen or start one.  Let’s Go Walking (a la Haley Barbour!).  I also encourage them to eat the right stuff.  While this may sound dumb or not my business – a family law matter concerns mind, body, and spirit.
  • Listen to Your Attorney.  One of the easiest things to say and hardest to do is to follow the advice of your attorney.  Ideally, you are working with an attorney that has handled many situations, which have been similar to yours.  Just like you, attorneys learn from experience.  Hire one that knows what they are doing and then take their advice.  This one factor alone is worthy of its own blog…

Disappointment is a part of life and, seemingly, a large part of family law.  Effectively dealing with the “bumps” in the road will help you get back on track.

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms.

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