How a lawyer can cope with anxiety: advice from a psychologist

Advocacy in wartime involves a high emotional load, constant stress and uncertainty. Anxiety becomes a companion of many lawyers, affecting concentration, decision-making and general well-being. How can you recognize anxiety, learn to work with it, and develop psychological resilience?

As part of the project «Supporting the Mental Health of Ukrainian Lawyers in Time of War», the Ukrainian National Bar Association, with the support of the International Bar Association, held a webinar on «Is Anxiety a Pandemic of Our Time?».

The speaker was a psychologist and Gestalt therapist Maria Melnychuk, who spoke about the nature of anxiety, its impact on the body and ways to combat it.

Anxiety is more than just a feeling of discomfort. It is a basic survival mechanism that signals danger and forces the body to mobilize all resources to protect itself. That's why during anxiety we experience heart palpitations and sweating, shallow breathing and lack of air, confusion or, conversely, increased concentration, and the need to use the restroom. This condition is also often accompanied by an uncontrollable flow of anxious thoughts.

According to M. Melnychuk, under the influence of stress, the hippocampus (responsible for learning and memory) shrinks and the amygdala (responsible for fear and anxiety) grows. At the same time, the dopamine system is depleted, which can lead to depression and loss of self-control.

The psychologist identified several main types of anxiety disorders:

• panic disorder - attacks of intense fear and panic without obvious reasons;
• obsessive-compulsive disorder - obsessive thoughts and actions that are difficult to control;
• generalized anxiety disorder - a constant feeling of tension without real threats;
• health anxiety disorder - obsessive thoughts about illness and one's own condition;
• social phobia - fear of communication and public speaking.

The expert advises working with anxiety on three levels:

1. Cognitive. Write down anxious thoughts, analyze their validity, and check the reality of threats.
2. Emotional. Use grounding techniques (e.g., describe objects around you), do breathing exercises, accept your emotions without judgment.
3. Behavioral. Set aside time for anxiety (for example, 15 minutes a day), make a list of tasks, and gradually overcome fears through exposure therapy.

The main defense against anxiety is the development of resilience, i.e. psychological stability. To do this, the psychologist advises, you need to focus on what is really important, accept your own emotions and show empathy for others, develop self-esteem and form your own life philosophy, take time to take care of yourself and find reasons to be grateful.

The webinar participants also received a selection of useful resources to help them better understand the nature of anxiety and learn how to deal with it.

The webinar aroused keen interest among the attorneys who shared their own experiences. The event was another step in the implementation of the UNBA's project to support the mental health of advocates and provided participants with practical tools to overcome anxiety in everyday life. The UNBA will continue to implement programs to support the mental health of advocates, creating a safe space to overcome stress and anxiety.