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Anxiety in the legal sector

Anxiety can feel overwhelming – worrying constantly, feeling physically tense or scared, or having panic attacks. Learn how anxiety works, how it can affect life and work, and find practical ways to cope and seek help.

On this page: Symptoms of anxiety Tips to manage anxious feelings
Man sat at desk in office in front of a laptop - looking anxious and tired.

Anxiety describes feelings of unease, worry and fear. It incorporates both the emotions and the physical sensations you might experience when you are worried or nervous about something. Anxiety is related to the ‘fight or flight’ response – our normal biological reaction to feeling threatened.

We all know what it’s like to feel anxious from time to time. It’s a normal human response to feel tense, nervous and perhaps fearful at the thought of a stressful event or decision you’re facing – especially if it could have a big impact on your life. For example a build-up of stress at  work, starting a new job, moving house or getting married or divorced.

In situations like these it’s understandable to have worries about how you will perform, or what the outcome will be. For a short time you might even find it hard to sleep, eat or concentrate. Then usually, after a short while or when the situation has passed, the feelings of worry stop. It’s sometimes hard to know when it’s becoming a problem for you – but if your feelings of anxiety are very strong, or last for a long time, it can be overwhelming. You might find that you’re worrying all the time, perhaps about things that are a regular part of everyday life, or about things that aren’t likely to happen. You may regularly experience unpleasant physical and psychological effects of anxiety, and maybe panic attacks. 

Symptoms of anxiety

The flight or fight response

Like all other animals, human beings have evolved ways to help us protect ourselves from dangerous, life-threatening situations. When you feel under threat your body releases hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which help physically prepare you to, either fight the danger, or run away from it. These hormones can:

Then when you feel the danger has passed, your body releases other hormones to help your muscles relax, which may cause you to shake.

This is commonly called the ‘fight or flight’ response – it’s something that happens automatically in our bodies, and we have no control over it. In modern society we don’t usually face situations where we need to physically fight or flee from danger, but our biological response to feeling threatened is still the same.

I was finding that I was becoming more and more anxious about the prospect of Court and was starting to have physical symptoms of anxiety. I had a constant knot in my stomach which would grow bigger over the weekends knowing that I had to face work again on Monday.

Anxiety disorders

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

If you have felt anxious for a long time and often feel fearful, but are not anxious about anything specific that is happening in your life, you might be diagnosed by your GP with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).Panic disorderIf you experience panic attacks that seem completely unpredictable and you can’t identify what triggers them, you might be given a diagnosis of panic disorder. Experiencing panic disorder can mean that you feel constantly afraid of having another panic attack, to the point that this fear itself can trigger your panic attacks. A panic attack can be very unpleasant and the symptoms will mimic several physical illnesses – so you will always need to be assessed medically to ensure you get the right treatment.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a diagnosis you might be given if your anxiety leads you to experience:

Phobias

A phobia is an intense fear of something, even when that thing is very unlikely to be dangerous to you. If you have a phobia, your anxiety may be triggered by very specific situations or objects.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

If you develop strong feelings of anxiety after experiencing or witnessing something you found very traumatic, you might be given a diagnosis of PTSD. PTSD can cause flashbacks or nightmares which can feel like you’re re-living all the fear and anxiety you experienced during the actual event.

Tips to manage anxious feelings

  1. Anxiety is a normal feeling, just like any other emotion – and it can be managed. Lots of things in life can make us feel anxious, from small worries to big fears. Acknowledge, recognise, and validate your anxiety. Try saying to yourself, “I feel anxious because… and that’s understandable and acceptable in the circumstances.”
  2. When you feel very anxious, try grounding yourself. Focus on your breathing and on what’s happening right now by noticing what you can see, hear, smell, taste and touch.
  3. The anxiety we feel doesn’t always match what’s really happening. It’s common for legal professionals to catastrophise and imagine the worst possible outcome. After all, it’s part of the training! Try to think about how likely something really is to happen. You could even give it a percentage. This can help you keep your anxiety in proportion.
  4. Feeling like you can’t control a situation can make you anxious. Something that can help is focusing instead on smaller elements that you can control. Lawyers often want to have complete control over any given situation, but recognising what is and is not in your power can be freeing.
  5. Making changes where you can shows that you have some control and can do something positive. Even small actions, like changing your attitude or how you respond, can make a difference.
  6. Remember that feelings are not the same as facts. There might be real reasons behind how you feel, but feelings can change. What you’re feeling is just a feeling, not a fact.
  7. Change and uncertainty can make you feel anxious. Try to take each day as it comes and deal with what’s in front of you today. Tackle problems step by step, one day or even one hour at a time.
  8. Remind yourself often of what you’re good at and what you’ve achieved. Talking to yourself in a positive way can help you remember your value.

Treatment for anxiety

If you are worried about your anxious thoughts or if they are persistent it is important to see your GP. Many people find counselling and CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) helps with anxiety. Mindfulness can also help calm the mind – check out the Headspace website or app for more information.

You can also get in touch with LawCare for support.

I felt completely drained and didn’t know where to turn, so I contacted LawCare who allocated me with a peer supporter. As soon as I spoke to her, I felt instantly calmer. It was good to speak to someone who had the same background as me, and also someone who also felt nervous and anxious about Court herself. Her support gave me the nudge to speak to HR and to my boss, a plan of action was agreed whereby I would retrain in a new area of law, as well as dealing with alternative dispute resolution. I am so much happier.

If your feelings of anxiety are affecting your daily life and causing you distress, it’s time to seek help. Make an appointment to see your GP or contact us in confidence.

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Useful links

Anxiety – Mind charity

Explains anxiety and panic attacks, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.

Anxiety., fear and panic (NHS)

Most people feel anxious or scared sometimes, but if it's affecting your life there are things you can try that may help. Support is also available if you're finding it hard to cope with anxiety, fear or panic.

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