About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

18 Experience 25 (2007-2008)
Lawyers, Depression, and Exercise

handle is hein.journals/experien18 and id is 27 raw text is: 











































   his article, based upon my personal
   experience, discusses the illness of
   depression and the benefits of physical
exercise in recovering from depression and
maintaining general mental health.
  Although this is my stoiy it isn't about
me. It is about all of us who hold ourselves
out to the service of others, Our lives are
hectic. We are perfectionists, and we take
ownership of our client's problems. We are
constuntly juggling professional and per-
sonal needs. Our minds overload. My hope
is that this article will give readers an
opportunity to rethink how they live and
wll hold out the possibility that change is
very real. My journev back to health began
when I learned that 'the world I viewed
was a vision of my mind.  Knowing this
allowed me to begin the process of refocus-
ing on the pieces of my life.


  I am 61 years old. In 1974 my wife and
I returned to our home town, where I
started my private practice of law. For 26
years I was the perfect hunter, going forth
from my hearth every day to bag the
biggest game and to solve every problem
that came my way.
   One Friday afternoon in early Decem-
ber of the 27th year, I was sitting at my
desk organizing files for the following
week when a cloud of darkness filled my
mind. I have come to refer to this dark
and confusing time and place as bewil-
derment. The doctors called it a major
episode of depression.
   My life was turned upside down. I
couldn't sleep. My anxiety increased as
I struggled to think my way back to
health. I needed medicine to ease my
depression and anxiety. For a year I was


John M. Parr is a lawyer,
Certified Senior Advisor,
and Certified Fitness
Specialist for Older Adults
in Olympia, Washington
He can be reached at
JMP@5Opluslaw.com.


FALL 2007/EXPERIENCE

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

profiles profiles most