Podcasts about addicted lawyer

In this episode, Stephanie talks with Brian Cuban, author of The Addicted Lawyer. Hear Brian's story of how he battled addiction to alcohol and cocaine starting in college, then law school, and finally as a practicing attorney.   Brian and Stephanie also explore why a compassionate community is a must for everyone in the profession and three easy questions we can ask each other when we see worrisome signs.   Links from the episode:   Lawyers Depression Project   The Addicted Lawyer    If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free!  Thanks to   Posh Virtual Receptionists, NetDocuments & LawPay. for sponsoring this episode.  

In this episode, Stephanie talks with Brian Cuban, author of The Addicted Lawyer. Hear Brian's story of how he battled addiction to alcohol and cocaine starting in college, then law school, and finally as a practicing attorney.   Brian and Stephanie also explore why a compassionate community is a must for everyone in the profession and three easy questions we can ask each other when we see worrisome signs.   Links from the episode:   Lawyers Depression Project   The Addicted Lawyer    If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free!  Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, NetDocuments & LawPay. for sponsoring this episode. 

Brian Cuban is an attorney, author, and mental health awareness and recovery advocate. In this revisited episode of Beyond the Balance Sheet, Brian discusses the inspiration behind his recovery advocacy work and what led to his recovery journey. Additionally, Brian explains why it's essential to have an open dialogue surrounding body dysmorphia and how recovery can lead to acceptance. If you're starting your journey to recovery, listen as we reveal which first steps you can take. Stay tuned as Brian shares what helped during his recovery journey and dives into his book, The Ambulance Chaser.     IN THIS EPISODE:    [01:35] About Brian Cuban and the inspiration behind his recovery and advocacy work.   [05:20] The importance of discussing body dysmorphia and how recovery can lead to acceptance.     [10:37] Lawyers tend to have a higher rate of substance use; Brian shares his journey with substance use in law school.   [17:05] Brian's first steps when he started recovery.  [19:35] Advice for individuals struggling with recovery or body dysmorphia.     KEY TAKEAWAYS:    You should tell the truth to your therapist; it's an important step in the recovery journey.    The only prerequisite to recovery is that you are above ground.  Feeling shame is normal; find a way to deal with the shame.   There are many different prongs to living your best life that constitutes recovery.      LINKS MENTIONED:    LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancuban/    Website  www.briancuban.com    Brian Cuban's book The Ambulance Chaser  https://www.amazon.com/Ambulance-Chaser-Brian-Cuban/dp/1637582412     BIO:  Brian Cuban is an attorney, author and mental health awareness and recovery advocate. He is the author of the best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze Blow & Redemption. His debut thriller novel, The Ambulance Chaser is set for release December 2021.  He has spoken at conferences, non-profit events, colleges and universities across the United States and in Canada. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world. 

RMA-Episode 101 Show Notes:   RMA-Episode 101: Drunk lawyers and sober Monksters. This week we take the pulse of the community, talk about how dry January is going, and also review the memoir The Addicted Lawyer by Brian Cuban. In The Addicted Lawyer, Cuban candidly shares his journey through addiction and recovery, and offers insight and guidance for other lawyers and law students who may be struggling with similar issues. He discusses the unique pressures and challenges faced by those in the legal profession, and provides practical strategies for managing stress and finding help. It's a ripping yarn with piles of cocaine and oceans of alcohol.    We also hear from Ryna the recovering rhino, and talk about your poor  mistreated liver. All this and more, on a very special episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages.   Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it's released. We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we're doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON    Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.    https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges As always, we thank you for your support.   LINKS:    The Addicted Lawyer   Recovery In the News   The Sober Together App   Recovery News You Can Use, Any Day of the Week:   www.soberliningsplaybook.com LISTEN TO RMA ON YOUTUBE PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you're enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.    You can reach us by email at: MikeR@middleagesrecovery.com Natx@middleagesrecovery.com   Send comments, complaints, death threats, ideas and requests to be interviewed. We'll talk to anyone!   Check out the website:   Www.middleagesrecovery.com    While you're there, buy a T-Shirt and support your favorite recovery podcast.   We all have a story. Tell us yours and we'll share it on the show!   E-Mail your story to miker@middleagesrecovery.com   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Join the Facebook Page! Exciting things are happening there!   We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It's a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there.   If you're in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.     https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/   Marijuana Anonymous (just in case):   This Naked Mind

**This month, May 2022, How I Lawyer is teaming up with the Personal Jurisdiction Podcast (https://www.personaljxpod.com/) to feature five interviews on the important topic of mental health in the legal profession. Learn more here.** In today's episode I speak with Brian Cuban. Brian is a Dallas-based attorney, keynote speaker, writer, and addiction recovery advocate. Brian has been in long-term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007. Brian is well known and speaks across the country at law schools & law firms both to tell his story and to offer advice on how our profession can better improve mental health awareness, awareness of substance abuse problems, and building more compassionate communities. He is the author of three books: Shattered Image, the Addicted Lawyer, and most recently his debut novel: The Ambulance Chaser. In our conversation, Brian candidly shared his personal story from addiction to recovery; what he recommends to individuals who are struggling & those who want to support them, and suggestions for the legal profession and legal education writ large. **Please note this episode does cover several topics that some might find disturbing including substance abuse, eating disorders, and suicide.** This episode is sponsored, edited, and engineered by LawPods, a professional podcast production company for busy attorneys.

Brian Cuban is the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. He talks candidly about his battle with alcohol and cocaine addiction and how he overcame an eating disorder. His latest book, 'The Ambulance Chaser' is out now.   To learn more, visit the show notes.

Brian Cuban is an attorney, author and mental health awareness and recovery advocate. He is the author of the best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze Blow & Redemption. His debut thriller novel, The Ambulance Chaser which released December 2021.He has spoken at conferences, non-profit events, colleges and universities across the United States and in Canada.  He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, and The New York Times. We discuss topics including: Fat Shaming, bullying and the onset of his eating disorder Blogging helped Brian to seek out recovery Reaching out and finding a safe space Dropping the wall of shame How his eating disorder was who he was ____________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: rlgrd@askaboutfood.com You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE “Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder”. For more information on Robyn's book “The Eating Disorder Trap”, please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. “The Eating Disorder Trap” is also available for purchase on Amazon.

"We know from the Betty Ford Hazelton study that lawyers suffer from alcohol use disorder at a rate almost twice the general public. We know if you're a millennial lawyer, it's over a third with alcohol use disorder. We are a profession in crisis from that standpoint in terms of mental health. And it's hard to be a game-changing lawyer and it's hard to lead when we're not taking care of our own mental health struggles.” - Brian Cuban What led to Brian Cuban's struggle with eating disorders and addiction? What caused Brian to eventually seek help? Why did Brian decide to share his story so publicly? What resources are there for lawyers struggling with addiction? How can you build a compassionate community in the legal industry? The Road to Recovery Being a lawyer is stressful: long hours, high stakes situations, the threat of losing cases. As an attorney, people's lives and potentially millions of dollars depend on you. Many lawyers turn to substances to help them handle that stress. That's the message that Brian Cuban is here to share through his own personal struggle with addiction and mental health. Brian, brother of billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban, is an attorney and addiction recovery advocate. He's the author of “The Addicted Lawyer,” which unflinchingly recounts his own addiction to alcohol and cocaine. Brian knows firsthand the vicious cycles of substance abuse and that even high-functioning lawyers might be falling apart inside. On this special episode, we hear about Brian's long road to recovery, from his fight with body dysmorphia and eating disorders to addiction's rock bottom, and how he eventually turned his life around. An At-Risk Population One reason that Brian chose to become such a vocal advocate is that he didn't see any recovery content geared towards lawyers — but the data shows that those in the legal profession are more likely to struggle with addiction than the general population. Plus, the trials of recovery can present unique challenges to attorneys. For instance, one maxim Brian preaches is vulnerability. But that openness is given a negative connotation in law school and training. “We learn to take advantage of vulnerability on the witness stand or in the mediation room or wherever it is,” he says. “You look for weakness, but what we don't look for is our humanity.” This is why Brian is so brutally honest about his own story. As he puts it, “I am an expert in my journey, nothing more...If you can take some commonality and apply that to yourself in taking a positive step, that is wonderful.” Key takeaways: You can't love somebody enough to make them recover. They have to be ready to take that step on their own. Vulnerability is key. Being honest with yourself and others is an important piece of recovery. Create a compassionate community. Check in on your colleagues. You can't be there for them if you don't know that they're struggling. Links and Resources The Game Changing Attorney Podcast Michael Mogill Facebook Michael Mogill Twitter Michael Mogill Instagram Michael Mogill LinkedIn Crisp Website Crisp Facebook Crisp Twitter Crisp Instagram Crisp LinkedIn Brian Cuban Website Brian Cuban LinkedIn Brian Cuban Twitter The Addicted Lawyer American Bar Association - Directory of Lawyer Assistance Programs

Brian Cuban, younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, is an attorney, best-selling author, activist and recovery advocate.Brian has a storied history with drug and alcohol addiction stemming from bullying and fat-shaming during his youth. He became addicted to alcohol while he was a freshman at Penn State, and by the time he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, he was also addicted to cocaine. At one point, he was routinely using cocaine at work and even once at the federal courthouse in Dallas.For nearly 15 years, Brian has been in recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia. He has chronicled these issues in two best-selling books, “Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder” and “The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of the Bar, Booze, Blow & Redemption.”Brian joins Addiction Talk to further discuss his experiences with addiction, mental health conditions and helping others throughout his recovery journey.

Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas based attorney, author and addiction recovery advocate. He is graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007.UPDATE:His new book, a thriller, is out now! And it's a hit!! "The Ambulance Chaser”After being accused of the murder of a high school classmate thirty years prior, lawyer Jason Feldman becomes a fugitive from justice to find the one person who can prove his innocence and save the life of his son.Get it now on Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Ambulance-Chaser-Brian-Cuban/dp/1637582412----Brian's, best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption is an un-flinching look back at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption.Brian has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences, non-profit and legal events across the United States and in Canada. Brian has appeared on prestigious talks shows such as the Katie Couric Show as well as numerous media outlets around the country. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared, and he has been quoted on these topics on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, Above The Law, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world.Visit his website athttps://briancuban.com  

On this episode of Change Makers we have Brian Cuban. Brian is an attorney, author and mental health awareness and recovery advocate. He is the author of the best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze Blow & Redemption. His debut thriller novel, The Ambulance Chaser is set for release December 2021.He has spoken at conferences, non-profit events, colleges and universities across the United States and in Canada. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world!We are very excited to have Brian on to talk about his story of change through Redemption!

Brian Cuban is the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks' owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban. He is also an attorney, author, and addiction recovery advocate. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine, and bulimia since April of 2007. He has chronicled his experience of living with and recovering from twenty-seven years of eating disorders and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Brian will join us to talk about his most recent book, The Addicted Lawyer, and share how we can all find redemption.

Brian Cuban is an attorney, author, and mental health awareness and recovery advocate. In this episode, Brian discusses the inspiration behind his recovery advocacy work and what led to his recovery journey. Additionally, Brian explains why it's essential to have an open dialogue surrounding body dysmorphia and how recovery can lead to acceptance. If you're starting your journey to recovery, listen as we reveal which first steps you can take. Stay tuned as Brian shares what helped during his recovery journey and dives into his new book, The Ambulance Chaser. You can preorder The Ambulance Chaser now, or order on December 7th, 2021 on Amazon.   IN THIS EPISODE:   [01:35] About Brian Cuban and the inspiration behind his recovery and advocacy work.  [05:20] The importance of discussing body dysmorphia and how recovery can lead to acceptance.    [10:37] Lawyers tend to have a higher rate of substance use; Brian shares his journey with substance use in law school.  [17:05] Brian's first steps when he started recovery. [19:35] Advice for individuals struggling with recovery or body dysmorphia.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:   You should tell the truth to your therapist; it's an important step in the recovery journey.   The only prerequisite to recovery is that you are above ground. Feeling shame is normal; find a way to deal with the shame.  There are many different prongs to living your best life that constitutes recovery.     LINKS MENTIONED:   LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancuban/   Website www.briancuban.com   Brian Cuban's new book The Ambulance Chaser https://www.amazon.com/Ambulance-Chaser-Brian-Cuban/dp/1637582412    Show Notes Page https://oconnorpg.com/podcasts/an-open-book-brian-cubans-success-in-recovery BIO:   Brian Cuban is an attorney, author and mental health awareness and recovery advocate. He is the author of the best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze Blow & Redemption. His debut thriller novel, The Ambulance Chaser is set for release December 2021. He has spoken at conferences, non-profit events, colleges and universities across the United States and in Canada. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world.

Welcome back to America's leading higher education law podcast, EdUp Legal - part of the EdUp Experience Podcast Network! In this episode, we hear from Brian Cuban, Dallas-based attorney, author, and addiction recovery advocate. Brian Cuban, a Dallas-based attorney, author, addiction recovery advocate, and younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, discusses his recovery since 2007 from alcohol, cocaine, and bulimia. Brian has written three books, and during this episode, shares the experiences that inspired each of them. The first explored his decades of living with and recovering from eating disorders, entitled Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder. The second, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow & Redemption, identifies the addiction and mental health issues that destroyed his successful legal career, and during the podcast, he shares the destructive nature of addiction and the rock-bottom circumstances which led to the start of his journey of recovery. Brian's experiences with addiction, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and hard-fought recovery are revealed candidly, and the often-shocking stories make his resilience and recovery even more compelling. Brian shares these stories nationally through personal appearances, his books, and numerous columns in national media outlets in order to encourage students, attorneys, and others facing similar challenges to seek help and start recovery. Brian gives advice to current law students, and encourages all of us to look out for one another using an inquiry that starts by asking "Are you ok?" Brian's first legal thriller, The Ambulance Chaser, will be published in December 2021. Thank you so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for your EdUp time! Connect with your host - Patty Roberts ● If you want to get involved, leave us a comment or rate us! ● Join the EdUp community at The EdUp Experience! ● Follow EdUp on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Thanks for listening!

Welcome back to America's leading higher education law podcast, EdUp Legal - part of the EdUp Experience Podcast Network! In this episode, we hear from Brian Cuban, Dallas-based attorney, author, and addiction recovery advocate. Brian Cuban, a Dallas-based attorney, author, addiction recovery advocate, and younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, discusses his recovery since 2007 from alcohol, cocaine, and bulimia. Brian has written three books, and during this episode, shares the experiences that inspired each of them. The first explored his decades of living with and recovering from eating disorders, entitled Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder. The second, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow & Redemption, identifies the addiction and mental health issues that destroyed his successful legal career, and during the podcast, he shares the destructive nature of addiction and the rock-bottom circumstances which led to the start of his journey of recovery. Brian's experiences with addiction, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and hard-fought recovery are revealed candidly, and the often-shocking stories make his resilience and recovery even more compelling. Brian shares these stories nationally through personal appearances, his books, and numerous columns in national media outlets in order to encourage students, attorneys, and others facing similar challenges to seek help and start recovery. Brian gives advice to current law students, and encourages all of us to look out for one another using an inquiry that starts by asking "Are you ok?" Brian's first legal thriller, The Ambulance Chaser, will be published in December 2021. Thank you so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for your EdUp time! Connect with your host - Patty Roberts ● If you want to get involved, leave us a comment or rate us! ● Join the EdUp community at The EdUp Experience! ● Follow EdUp on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Thanks for listening!

Brian Cuban candidly shares his story of addiction in hopes of reducing the stigma that will, in turn, get more people comfortable in asking for help. He has written three books-one to be released this December. See his impressive Bio Below:Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas based attorney, author and addiction recovery advocate. He is graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007.His first book, Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder,” chronicles his first-hand experiences living with, and recovering from, twenty-seven years of eating disorders, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).Brian's most recent, best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption is an un-flinching look back at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption.Brian has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences, non-profit and legal events across the United States and in Canada. Brian has appeared on prestigious talks shows such as the Katie Couric Show as well as numerous media outlets around the country. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared and he has been quoted on these topics on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, Above The Law, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world

On this episode of The Cameron Journal Podcast, we're talking with Brian Cuban, author of "The Addicted Lawyer" about his new book, "The Ambulance Chaser." We talk about addiction, getting sober, body image issues, and how to find happiness after substance abuse. It's a fascinating conversation and definitely one worth a listen. You can learn more about Brian and his book at BrianCuban.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/cameron-cowan/support

Brian gives great insight into recovering from his struggles. Feat. AY Mernick  

Gina Rubel goes on record with author Brian Cuban, to discuss his book, The Addicted Lawyer, and the addiction crisis among lawyers. Learn More Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas based attorney, author and addiction recovery advocate. He is graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007. He left the practice of law and now writes and speaks on recovery topics, for the legal profession and on recovery in general His first book, “Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder,” chronicles his first-hand experiences living with and recovering from 27 years of eating disorders and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Brian's most recent, best-selling book, “The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption,” is an un-flinching look back at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption.

Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas based attorney, author and addiction recovery advocate. He is graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007.Brian's most recent, best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption is an un-flinching look back at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption.Brian has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences, non-profit and legal events across the United States and in Canada. Brian has appeared on prestigious talks shows such as the Katie Couric Show as well as numerous media outlets around the country. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared and he has been quoted on these topics on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, Above The Law, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world.Visit his website athttps://briancuban.com 

Brian Cuban , noted author, shares his personal odyssey of recovery. Listen to the saga of a troubled youth, the delusions of escape through cocaine and alcohol, and how a family who never stopped believing helped Brian find his way back. A raw look at a career in law destroyed by addiction giving way to a career in spreading hope built by recovery. Every person has his own path to finding meaning and self-worth and Brian gives us a window into what it looked like for him.  In recovery? Helping others find recovery? Looking to learn about recovery? Another can't miss episode of Rubber Bands.Music by:“Strength of the Titans”Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

1983 Penn State graduate Brian Cuban's time in Happy Valley was not all that happy. Battling numerous addictions (eating disorders, alcohol, cocaine, etc.) at Penn State and throughout his life, Brian shares his very honest journey to sobriety. Today, Brian spends his time as a public speaker and author - on a mission to help others who are in similar situations. Jump right in: (5:22) - The importance of sharing his story of addiction (7:06) - Trauma during Brian's childhood and at Penn State (15:34) - The misconception that eating disorders only impact girls and women (17:06) - The path to becoming sober (22:24) - Handling tough days (23:59) - High rates of suicide and addiction in the legal profession (26:18) - Work around hate speech on social media (29:43) - Stories of the Dallas Mavericks, owned by Brian's brother, Mark (36:18) - Penn State experience Learn more about Brian and purchase his book, The Addicted Lawyer, at BrianCuban.com Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.Edu/LionLink Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

RC2C host Neil Scott talks treatment for Opioid Addiction with Dr. Marv Seppala, the Chief Medical Officer of the Hazelden-Betty Ford Centers. Then, a visit with Brian Cuban, a lawyer is long-term recovery (author of The Addicted Lawyer), followed by Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkinsreflecting on 45 years of continuous recovery! 

Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas based attorney, author and addiction recovery advocate. He is graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007. His first book, Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder,” chronicles his first-hand experiences living with, and recovering from, twenty-seven years of eating disorders, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Brian's most recent, best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption is an un-flinching look back at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption. Brian has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences, non-profit and legal events across the United States and in Canada. Brian has appeared on prestigious talks shows such as the Katie Couric Show as well as numerous media outlets around the country. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared and he has been quoted on these topics on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, Above The Law, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world.

How can we make real changes within the practice of law to lessen the impact of stress on individuals in this profession? In this episode of the ALPS In Brief Podcast, Chris Newbold checks in with Dallas attorney and advocate for wellbeing, Brian Cuban, to discuss the state of lawyer wellbeing now, the lifesaving impact one lawyer can have upon another, and our ethical responsibility to step up for one another.  CHRIS NEWBOLD:             Good afternoon. This is Chris Newbold, guest hosting today for the ALPS In Brief Podcast. And I'm here in our offices in Missoula, Montana with attorney and advocate for wellbeing, Brian Cuban, who's in here from the Dallas area. I just spoke at our ALPS bar leaders retreat, and we thought this would be a great opportunity for us to have ... We have a similar passion in terms of seeing our profession improve on the wellbeing side, and so I thought this would be a great opportunity for us to just kind of have a conversation about where the profession's at. Where do we need to go? And Brian, you're obviously out on the speakers' network, kind of talking about this particular issue, your personal experience, and so forth. I think I'd like to start with just you kind of putting into your own frame of reference. What is the state of the profession right now when it comes to attorney wellbeing? BRIAN CUBAN:                  It's a state that is a lot better than it was a few years ago. We have much more awareness. We have many more engaged professionals from the bottom up, the lawyers, the bar professionals, the local bar professionals, the state bar professionals. And we have awareness in big law. We have awareness within the boutique and the solo practitioner. There are areas that we can certainly do better, and we can certainly be more impactful, but we are definitely light years ahead of we were just three years ago. CHRIS:                                   And what do you think has driven that improvement in such a short period of time? BRIAN:                                  I think you have to give a lot of the credit to the ABA and the Betty Ford Hazelden Report, and that would also be Patrick Krill, who authored that report, in bringing the issue to the forefront with the staggering statistics, because I think that was a catalyst in really changing the conversation. Whatever people think of the ABA, you have different opinions, but you can't deny that that report was a seminal moment. CHRIS:                                   And why do you think that the issue right now is capturing a lot of attention in the legal community in legal circles? BRIAN:                                  Well, because of that report and because of the cumulative awareness, now we are looking around us and actually noticing what's going on. We may have been aware of what's going on, we may have seen what's going on. When someone dies by suicide, we are aware of it and we grieve it. But we are now much better in taking a look at that, and deciding where things could've been done differently. And three years ago, four years ago, it was more about just grieving and handing out, in the issue of suicide, handing out the 1-800 hotlines. Now we are moving beyond that, and really look at how we can make systemic changes to at least lessen the odds of those things occurring. CHRIS:                                   You talk a lot about kind of the impact that one lawyer can have on another lawyer. Right? And the responsibility that we have to not be kind of casual observers in this. Talk about that a little bit more as it relates to how we looked at, engineer a culture shift in the profession, and how every lawyer can make a difference one by one. BRIAN:                                  Sure. I talk a lot about not minding your own business. We have to create a culture where we are comfortable, or even if we're not comfortable. Let me step back from that because that's not comfortable. It's okay to be uncomfortable not minding your own business. That's a human emotion. But we have to get comfortable understanding that for what it is and taking that step anyways. When we see someone struggling, when we think we might be able to, or we are wondering, you just don't know. Is there a drinking problem? Is there a mental health struggle? Maybe the person's just having a bad day. To be able to not mind our own business for one moment, step outside of our struggles, step outside of our busy day, our billing, the things we have going on, and say, "How are you doing? Are you doing okay? Do you know that if you're not, you can come to me, and we can talk?" That doesn't require anything but empathy. And every lawyer, every person has that ability. CHRIS:                                   Is that a tough conversation for an associate to have with a partner? BRIAN:                                  Absolutely. And we have to follow protocols. Law firms need to establish protocols for when people are struggling. That is not realistic to expect an associate to confront a partner. But big law all have EAPs, so there's that. We all have lawyers assistance programs. Do you know as an associate, you can call lawyers assistance program, and you can let someone know what's going on? And they're not going to out you. I know that is a tough pill to swallow, and I know you don't believe that. But you can make that call. You do not have to identify yourself in any lawyers assistance program in this country, and you can say, "I'm in this firm, and I think this guy is struggling." And they will take it from there, so you can do that. BRIAN:                                  Within big law, we can talk about big law and then move on to something. Go down, go down. Within big law, it's important to establish protocols that are nonjudgmental, where everyone has a path. Everyone in the firm has a nonjudgmental path, a path that they feel safe voicing their concern if they see someone they think is struggling. So I can't tell them what that path is, but there should be multiple paths based on where someone is in the chain, right down to the clerk. CHRIS:                                   Talk about your opinions on ... There's an increasing body of work out there that says that the economics of wellbeing are conducive to a stronger bottom line. Right? And as we think about talent acquisition, talent retention, I know you work a lot in kind of big law firms. Right? BRIAN:                                  Mm-hmm (affirmative). CHRIS:                                   I think there's a really interesting play on the horizon for those who lead our profession from a big law perspective to be thinking about a commitment to this issue that could translate economically for the firm. Talk about that. BRIAN:                                  Absolutely. And I think, I doubt there are any managing partners, senior partners, firm CEOs are the real big ones that are not aware of that issue. It is the messaging is consistent just in general in society about the impact of addiction and mental health issues on the workplace and the economic cost. So the challenge becomes: How do we translate that into risk management? And I think they are starting to do that. That is not what I do. I'm a storyteller, I'm not a risk manager. But I think we are starting to see an industry, and people who do that, to go to a firm and say, "This is how we translate this into risk management to increase value to you," save you money. That saves the client money because on the most basic level, and we talked about the Peter Principle of Recovery. Right? How your level of competence keeps decreasing, and you keep trying to adjust your mindset to stay within that, you tell yourself you're at a high level when you're struggling. BRIAN:                                  That can be, in a general sense, stealing money from a client because you were not effectively representing the client. That is affecting the firm's bottom line, and that is the most basic level. When a lawyer is struggling, and not functioning at the non-struggling level, he may not even, or she may not even understand what that level is because they've been in the middle of it, lacking self-awareness for so long. That is affecting the firm's bottom line. That can affect client retention because there are lawyers out there who are not struggling. Everyone's trying to get the business. Right? So you have to maximize the ... You have to minimize the risk by putting lawyers in a position to succeed and to hit the top level of competence and move beyond that if possible. Keep raising that level. And it's hard to do that when someone's struggling with addiction, problem drinking, depression. BRIAN:                                  And I see lawyers all the time that talk about, well, I'm struggling with depression, but I was killing it, doing this. And I can't judge that. I don't know their situation. But I can say anecdotally, and what I see in the data, that I don't see how a person can look at the big picture, step back, and say, "I was going through all that and giving a dollar for a dollar." So I think all firms are aware of that, and I think that is achieved through a risk management model. CHRIS:                                   Again, it's going to be interesting too as big law tries to recruit talent out of the law schools, how much top talented students are actually looking for a wellness play in terms of the life, work balance that I think, generationally, I think is becoming more common. BRIAN:                                  That's a good question. I forget what the study was. Was it Am Law? Did the Am Law survey just come out? CHRIS:                                   Mm-hmm (affirmative). BRIAN:                                  And I couldn't find it. I think it may have been subsumed in one of the questions. But I reached out to Patrick Krill, who does a lot of the risk management stuff, and who authored the ABA Betty Ford Study, and asked him if he knew if we are surveying firms on wellbeing, if that is part of the survey. And I don't know that he had. I'll have to look and see if he responded, or he had an answer. But I think that may be not so much as a conscious play, but as a lifestyle play. It's just part of an overall lifestyle. Looking at the overall lifestyle, can we say that someone's going to say, "What's their drinking culture? I'm not going there"? There's no way to know that. But in the overall lifestyle play, I think lifestyle and wellness will become major factors, as Millennials and Generation Z, who have different priorities on what they want their life to look at as lawyers and as human beings. CHRIS:                                   Yeah. Talk more about, it's an interesting time in our profession given the fact that we have four separate generations all operating at the same time. Right? BRIAN:                                  Mm-hmm (affirmative). CHRIS:                                   But there are also studies out there, particularly those that have been done within the law schools, that say some of these behaviors and substance abuse and so forth are starting earlier, and are becoming more prevalent for those who have been in practice, particularly in private practice, for less than 10 years. As you think about that dynamic, and Millennials and so forth, that's soon going to be the largest chunk of lawyers in the profession. And as you think about the generational aspects of wellbeing, what's your take on that? BRIAN:                                  I think Millennials definitely have a different vision of what wellness looks like than ... I'm a baby boomer. The baby boomers, I come from, my lawyers' culture was a drinking culture. And I think when we look at things like the Sober Curious Movement, and what the Sober Curious Movement is, is not looking at drinking in terms of whether someone is a problem drinker, is an alcoholic, but what it looks like as a lifestyle, and as part of a healthy lifestyle, and whether you want it to be part of the healthy lifestyle without being judged on whether you're abstinent or not abstinent, and what that means to you, whether you're an alcoholic or you're not an alcoholic. I think Millennials and Generation Z are going to look at this differently in terms of just, I want to do the things that make me feel good, and that may not involve drinking. And I don't want to be judged for that. I don't want to have to explain myself. BRIAN:                                  And I think that is going to be a much easier transition and a much easier conversation than it is for my generation because it's beginning. It is beginning. The Sober Curious Movement is out there. We have bars within New York. There aren't any in Dallas and Austin. And you see a lot of the progressive towns, where you have bars, they just serve mocktails. And they revolve the fun around other things besides getting drunk. You go out and you're drinking fake pina coladas without alcohol. And they revolve everything around those, around the mocktails. The mocktail generation, they may be that. CHRIS:                                   That's an interesting one. If you had to assess right now, wellbeing in the legal profession, one being it's at an all-time low, 10 being, I think lawyers are both healthy, happy, engaged, where you put that on the spectrum? BRIAN:                                  I would put we're at a three or four, three or four. And that's great, and that's great. CHRIS:                                   A lot of room for improvement. BRIAN:                                  A lot of room for improvement. Four is opportunity. Right? CHRIS:                                   Yep. BRIAN:                                  Four is opportunity. Yes. And one of the biggest challenges I think we have, and if you look at big law, we with the ABA, and this isn't a criticism of the ABA at all. I think with the Wellness Task Force and everything, they have laid out the groundwork for all levels to participate, all stakeholders, solo, medium, boutique, the bar associations, all the way up to big law, corporate. I think they are laying out that groundwork. But I think when we get further down into the stakeholders, the solo practitioner, the small firm, we have a lot more work to do. And I think in that chunk is where we have the most improvement to do in our messaging, and the most opportunity because we have other challenges when we get down there. BRIAN:                                  If you work at big law, you have health insurance. And I knew big law lawyers who have health insurance, and still can't find a reasonable psychiatrist or therapist. They've complained to me about it. We have this health insurance crisis on so many different levels. And big law within the spectrum, you have privilege. You have health insurance privilege because you're going to have it. And you're going to have the EAP, and you're going to have this, and you're going to have that. BRIAN:                                  I don't know what the stats are, but I know anecdotally that a lot of the solos cannot afford health insurance. So when you can't afford health insurance, what are your options? You're going to 12 step. You are going to county. A lawyer don't want to go to county and get free treatment, that's very shameful. Right? If you even have that option as a reasonable option in your city. A lot of cities have terrible county free health services. And so we have that stigma of a solo practitioner and the medium, I don't have health insurance. I'm a lawyer, I'm not taking advantage of free. I can't. So they don't tell anyone. It's shameful. So how do we solve that? CHRIS:                                   Obviously, in our book of business with ALPS, we specialize in small firms and solo practitioners. And 65% of the policies that we issue are to solos. And they're generally a higher malpractice risk because they don't have a support network around them. BRIAN:                                  Absolutely. CHRIS:                                   You can't stop into Brian's office and say, "Hey. Let's have a conversation about this particular case." You have to build networks. You have to build connections in very different ways, which makes it I think, much more challenging. BRIAN:                                  And it does. And it's a challenge where you're struggling. It's going to be dependent on the particular situation. But you're making what would be decent money, you have a family. You can barely, after everything, then you care barely support your family. And you're more able to speak to this. You have a deductible that you can't meet anyways, even though you have health insurance. That's as almost as being uninsured. So we have all of those issues, and I don't know what the solution is to that. But that is one of the things that is a huge barrier to wellness within the profession, health insurance and the ability to pay for getting well, the ability to find people to get us well. We are becoming a cash only society in terms of wellness. BRIAN:                                  I consider myself very lucky because I have a psychiatrist, I've been seeing for 15 years, and he treats. I have one of the few treating psychiatrists out there with his therapy. But we also have the ghost networks that you may be familiar with. And I'm getting off on tangents, where you can't, even if you have health insurance, you can't find a treatment provider because they don't take insurance. CHRIS:                                   Where do we go? A lot of good activity now happening. You've got Pledge. You've got some state task forces going. Got a lot of discussion. Societally, we're seeing more vulnerability to talk about these issues, whether it's Hollywood stars, or sports stars, there's just more discussion, which I think is healthy. If we're a three or four right now, how do we get to a six or seven? How do we start to move the needle? Culture shifts in any society- BRIAN:                                  It's one person at a time. It's one person at a time. If you're talking, there's no magic pill to culture shift. We talked about this. It is one person at a time. There's one bar association at a time. There's one law firm at a time. And you hope, you hope, that the Malcolm Gladwell theories kick in, and you hit a tipping point. But it is much more, again, it is much more on different levels societal. If I can't afford treatment, what's the difference what the path is if I can't get there? Why should I tell anyone if I can't afford to get there? In Texas, we have a fund where if you go to them, a lawyer can get treatment. I believe it's an endowed fund privately. And maybe someone will correct me on this when they listen to it. But we have to find different ways to ... It's more than just laying the path. People have to be able to walk on it. BRIAN:                                  And if you can't afford to get the help, other than 12 step, and 12 step is great, Smart Recovery's great, Refuge Recovery is great, but they're all mutual aid. Mutual aid is not treatment. Mutual aid is maintaining connection, which is important. If you can't afford the treatment, and you have no way through that path, that's a huge problem that goes beyond the legal profession. When we talk about the legal profession, what we can do, I think we have to have a more societal view of that. How do we correct that? CHRIS:                                   Yeah. There's an interconnectedness to a lot of different- BRIAN:                                  You can't sever this. You can't sever out health insurance accessibility from all the other issues within the profession because most of the profession is solo and small. CHRIS:                                   And even on a tangent, one of the reasons I got involved in the wellbeing movement was I feel like there is a gap in expectations for what people think practicing law will be like, and ultimately what they find that it's going to be like, whether that happens in law school, or whether that happens because of law school debt. That again, to be a good lawyer, one has to be a healthy lawyer. And more and more, people are finding themselves boxed into a spot where they're actually doing something that they're not finding professional satisfaction in, which is then causing ... It can cause other things to kind of spin off from there. BRIAN:                                  I agree. I agree. Every lawyer is a story. Every lawyer is more than just the person under stress. Every lawyer brings their entire history of trauma, of however they grew up, family. CHRIS:                                   Family. BRIAN:                                  They bring it all through the door of that firm. They bring it all to the courthouse. So whatever that stress is may not just be the product of what's going on at that moment, the case, fulfilled expectations, unfulfilled expectations. It may be the product of a life story that has shaped someone that made them more susceptible to those issues. Does that make sense? CHRIS:                                   It does. BRIAN:                                  So we have to address the story and not just the moment that the lawyer is in. CHRIS:                                   Yeah. Anything else that you want to kind of relay as we talk to our policy holders and other interested listeners about just kind of the current state of attorney wellbeing? BRIAN:                                  If we want to change the paradigm of attorney wellbeing, for me personally, I think the most powerful tool is continue to encourage people to tell their stories. Keep telling the stories. Everyone identifies with aspects of other people's lives. There's going to be something to identify with. The connections, stories bring connection. Keep bringing people in to tell stories. Just encourage that. And I think through the power of storytelling, we will start to see more and more people tell their stories, and then they'll tell their stories. And I think that is how. CHRIS:                                   That reduces stigma. That reduces vulnerability. BRIAN:                                  That's right. I think as we reduce stigma, we will better empower lawyers to seek recovery. CHRIS:                                   Yeah. Brian, thank you. BRIAN:                                  Thank you. CHRIS:                                   We appreciate your time, and we appreciate your perspectives. And obviously, you're doing wonderful work in the storytelling side of the ledger because it's important that through the experiences of you and telling your personal story that it makes a difference. BRIAN:                                  I think law firms need to realize, and I think big firms are starting to do this, is creating a wellness program has different levels. There's storytelling. There is risk management. There is- CHRIS:                                   Scientific studies. BRIAN:                                  Yes. And there is the pure wellness aspect. How do we reduce stress? How do we become happier? What can we do to allow our lawyers, within the framework of our representation of clients, to feel better about themselves and what they do? Law firms are in a business. This is a business, and they are not yogis. We have to be realistic. Law firms are there to represent clients at the highest level possible. What holes do we need to fill to make that happen? Because that is what we do. We represent clients. And so we have to fill all these different gaps, the storytelling gap, the risk management gap, the wellness gap. CHRIS:                                   Got it. Again, thank you so much. And I hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast. As you know, ALPS is committed to being a leader in the wellbeing issues of the day affecting the legal profession. We hope you enjoyed this podcast. If you have any other ideas for topics on the wellbeing, please let us know. Thank you.   Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas based attorney, author and addiction recovery advocate. He is graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007. His first book, Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder,” chronicles his first-hand experiences living with, and recovering from, twenty-seven years of eating disorders, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Brian's most recent, best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption is an un-flinching look back at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption. Brian has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences, non-profit and legal events across the United States and in Canada. Brian has appeared on prestigious talks shows such as the Katie Couric Show as well as numerous media outlets around the country. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared and he has been quoted on these topics on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, Above The Law, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world. Learn more at www.briancuban.com.

In this podcast, we explore cocaine addiction from the effects of the substance to psychological dependency. Brian Cuban then shares what caused him to get sober and how he stays sober today. He's the author of one of my favorite books "The Addicted Lawyer" and a public speaker on addiction and recovery.

Addiction, substance abuse and the resulting professional and personal fallout can destroy careers and lives. As another wonderful addition to our Wellness Podcast Episodes, Mark had the opportunity to connect with Brian Cuban, Dallas-based attorney, Addiction Recovery Advocate and author of The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of the Bar, Booze, Blow, and Redemption. Brian reflects on the reasons behind addiction and his journey toward recovery. They also delve into the point where choice ends and addiction takes over. And in a profession that doesn't necessarily champion vulnerability, Brian emphasizes the strength in laying it all out there to find that path toward healing. If you or someone you know works in the legal profession and is struggling with addiction, please connect with your state or local bar's Lawyer Assistance Program. The ABA offers a national directory on their site to connect legal professionals with this confidential service. To learn more about all areas of attorney wellness, visit the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being's Resource Page, featuring the report and more information on what is happening in your state. ALPS In Brief, The ALPS Risk Management Podcast, is hosted by ALPS Risk Manager, Mark Bassingthwaighte. As a note, the sound quality on this recording is not optimal. Please don't let that dissuade you from listening to this important conversation. Transcript MARK: Hello. This is Mark Bassingthwaighte. I'm the Risk Manager here at ALPS, welcome to another episode of ALPS In Brief, the podcast that comes to you from the historic Florence building in beautiful downtown Missoula, Montana. I'm delighted to be able to introduce just a very special guest today. I'm very privileged and excited to have the opportunity to speak with Brian Cuban. Brian is, I would assume is known to some of you. He's the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban. But more importantly, Brian is a Dallas-based attorney, author, and addiction recovery addict. He is a graduate of Penn State University and University of Pittsburgh School of Law. MARK: Brian, I am interested in visiting with you in no small part because of the more recent book, The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of the Bar, Booze, Blow, and Redemption. And it's my understanding you've done quite a bit of speaking on this topic of addiction and recovery. Not only throughout the United States but I believe internationally, if I'm not incorrect. BRIAN: That is correct. And let me, one small correction. MARK: Yes! BRIAN: Addiction recovery advocate, not addict. MARK: Good catch! Mea culpa there, it's a slip of the tongue. Maybe ... can we briefly just start having you, for those that don't know your story, can you share for our listeners a little bit about your story? BRIAN: Sure, well let's start out with I've been in recovery for 11 1/2 years from alcohol, cocaine, and from an eating disorder, bulimia. MARK: Mm-hmm (affirmative). BRIAN: My drinking started in high school, it progressed through high school, and got a lot worse in law school and I discovered cocaine when I moved to Dallas - in a bathroom in a hotel in Dallas. And I became heavily addicted to cocaine and alcohol. Three failed marriages, one where I get a free set of steak knives, and they all failed related to drugs and alcohol. Two trips to a psychiatric facility and near suicide in 2005, finally finding recovery. I failed the bar exam twice, both failures relating to my being more interested in drugs and alcohol than practicing law. An interesting little anecdote from that I tell, the first time I took the bar exam, my study aids were a fifth of Jack Daniels, an 8 ball of cocaine, which is 3.5 ounces that I'd bought that same day. Needless to say I didn't pass. MARK: Right, yeah. Wow. Can I...I'd love to hear, I mean this is, this is pretty heavy news. And it's, my word, being you've really seen some dark places in terms of how I hear your story. When I think about others that are in various stages of addiction and dealing with challenges, I think one of the problems that people face, and please correct me if I'm wrong about this, but there's this fear of what others will say, for instance if I'm struggling with something if I say okay I have an alcohol problem, or I have a mental illness, or I have some other type of addiction, that people are going to view me as perhaps weak, unable to cut it, you know, these kinds of things. In other words, there are social stigma's in play. These...we fear that. I think people at times feel very shameful personally about having these kinds of struggles. May I ask how did you personally find the strength to pull out of all this, to move forward, not caring perhaps? I'm not sure of the social stigmas. But what was the strength, what enabled you to come out the other side of this? BRIAN: That's a great question. And the answer's complex, but to simplify it down, my quote-on-quote "aha" moment was standing in the parking lot of a Dallas psychiatric facility for my second time and at that moment realizing that I was probably going to lose my family if I did not find recovery. And there is really, you know there's my wife, there's my family and you know nothing is more important to me than family. MARK: Yes. BRIAN: And I wasn't going to lose their love but families distance because they have nieces, I mean because they have their children, my nieces and nephews. They don't want someone who is high on cocaine and drunk hanging around them. And so distancing occurs. And families realize whoa there's this gray area between love enablement and recovery, where okay, where does enablement end and recovery begin. And I think that all finally it had come together and I realized that standing in that parking lot and that was the moment when I said, okay I need to take that first scary step forward and release the shame, release the stigma, ‘cause if I don't, not only will there not be a third trip back, because I'll probably be dead. MARK: Yeah. BRIAN: But I will lose everything that is dear to me. Why that happened in April 2007 in that moment, and not say in the summer of 2005, or when my brother came into my house and I had a weapon on my night stand, I was going to take my own life, I don't know. That moment is different for everyone. But that is what was going through my mind at that time. MARK: So what I hear you saying, and I think this is a wonderful message, am I correct that you got to a point where you say 'at some point I realized my family, that people that are in my life, are simply more important to me than getting high'. Is it that, I think it's more complex than that, but... BRIAN: It's more complex, but I can tell you that was the trigger at that moment. MARK: Okay. BRIAN: When we talked about everything that came before that you have to talk about trauma, you have to talk about childhood, a lot of bullying. You know with my relationships at home. And we have to remember that when I talk to lawyers and I talk to law students about the struggling they are facing in that moment, nothing happens in a vacuum. I've had lawyers and law students tell me, and I am the first person they have ever told, about bullying, about childhood trauma, about sexual abuse, about physical abuse. And I of course I am not qualified to talk to them about those issues. I have resources that I refer them to, like the Lawyers Assistance Program, they can see a counselor. But there's a much bigger, there is a trigger in that moment, and then there is everything they thought of to that moment. Does that make sense? MARK: It does. Absolutely, it does. Let me kind of take this a little further in a different way. I see, you know again, in my, I'm a lawyer, I'm a tech geek, I'm not a physician, I'm not trained in drug counseling and these kinds of things. BRIAN: Neither am I. MARK: But my limited understanding of addictions is that a lot of these behaviors get their start, and then I think, become cemented because people will turn to whatever drug of choice it is as a coping mechanism. It for instance masks the pain, masks the fear, whatever it might be. And now being 11 plus years into recovery you, just like everybody else, we continue to have challenges and struggles and like these kinds of things. What have you done in terms of replacing an unhealthy coping mechanism looking at alcohol or cocaine as an example. How do you deal now? What is the healthy way? How are you coping? BRIAN: That's a great question. And lets deal with a current real life example. I am not disclosing this to make people feel sad but its - life and death is real. My father died 2 weeks ago today, at 92 years old and we were very, very close. I was just at the cemetery visiting him before this podcast. That is trauma right? MARK: Yes it is. BRIAN: That is something that 12 years ago I absolutely would have turned to the cocaine. Gone out and gotten hammered. Done who knows what in order to mask that pain. But I learned that doing that to mask that pain, one, is not going to bring my father back. MARK: Yes. BRIAN: Two, was going to set me on a path that he wouldn't want. That my family wouldn't want. And that would end up with me back at that psychiatric facility or dead. So I had to learn to deal with trauma on life's own terms. Whether that is the passing of a loved one. Whether that is the passing...whether that is the bullying of my childhood. Whether that is any type of thing that we try to mask. Right, you go into a high school and you talk to students who were smoking weed or all kinds of polymorphic drug use. And you ask them why, they may not be able to articulate it that they are masking. Masking pain, they're masking rejection, they're masking the need to be accepted. So that starts in high school and this need to use a substance to mask goes on to law school, to college, through college, to our law practice. So what did I learn in that moment in 2007, well I learned that I needed support. To support, my first support was 12-step. MARK: Okay. BRIAN: I am not promoting 12-step. I am not saying that is the way for everyone. But it wasn't even a way that I particularly wanted to embrace. But I knew I had to take some step, and I needed support, and I needed to be able to be with people who understood exactly what I was going through. So I walked into that alcohol based 12 step and Alcoholics Anonymous is the most well-known of those. MARK: Yes. BRIAN: And that was April 8, 2007. And so 12-step has been one of my ways, and the first thing I did, other than relying on the love of my family when my father passed, I went to a 12-step meeting. That is how I cope. And I'm hopeful in counseling. I have been seeing a psychiatrist for 15 years. MARK: I find this a very positive message of hope. What I hear you saying is, or how I'm responding to what your saying is, as an addict you make this choice to fall back on something that numbs, that masks, that hides the pain and all these kinds of things. But now you've realized, and you've identified the same problems that might send you there but you realize that you have choices. And you have people that can be supportive because no one is expected to go through, and should have to go through all kinds of...you're not alone in other words. And I think the world of addiction for, again what I hear and understand, is this loneliness thing is very central and is in part something that drives the poor decision making. You've come out this other side and, and, support ... I love the message. BRIAN: I also want to be careful about how we frame choice. MARK: Yes okay. Please. BRIAN: There's this saying that addiction, and I believe in the disease model, some people don't, I do. MARK: I do too. BRIAN: Addiction is not a choice, but recovery is. Recovery is about choices. Okay. MARK: Yes. BRIAN: And people get kinda caught up on this and it is a very kind of volatile issue. If you asked me, was the first time I did a line of cocaine a choice? Of course it was a choice. I chose to do it. Now was it choice influenced by a lot of childhood trauma and a lot of self loathing issues, a lot of issues on how I viewed myself? But it was a choice. But when I did that line of cocaine and suddenly for the first time in my life, for 15 seconds, looked in the mirror and finally loved myself. MARK: Yeah. BRIAN: The process that took over in my brain told me I need to do that again and again and again to continue to love myself was not a choice. MARK: Yes. BRIAN: That is the difference. I want to be sure we frame choice properly. MARK: And I appreciate, and I absolutely agree with you and understand. I think that's a very important point to make. Can we sort of assume for a moment that somebody is listening to this podcast that may have some level of addiction, some struggle, and is sort of responding to this 'well this is kind of interesting but it doesn't apply to me, I don't really have a problem, counselors are for...they're all trying to fix themselves you know, they don't know what they're doing, they're just head games'? You see where I'm trying to go. That there's all kinds of excuses not to try to acknowledge that we have a problem. And people can get, for the lack of a better term, stuck. And at times stuck for years. And that's where I presume some distancing comes into play and all kinds of things. What would you say to this individual? BRIAN: I think for the most part the odds of it going away are more slim, that it's only going to get worse, this is proven out. Okay. Addiction is a progressive disease. That it is okay to reach out to someone to seek help. MARK: Okay. BRIAN: I would encourage that person to take a real-life stock of what's going on in their life, day-to-day life. How is your relationship with your wife? How is your relationship with your children? How is your relationship with your partner at the law firm, or your friend? What is actually going on in your life? Where does it stand? Because there is no such thing as high function. Because there is no such thing as high functioning, okay. There is only a degree of decline of functioning. And the biggest issue I see in the legal profession because we don't like to be vulnerable, is waiting for the consequences to catch up to the problem. Are you going to take stock of it now? And at least take one step forward to make your life just a little bit better. However you define that outside of drugs and alcohol. Whether it's your wife. Whether it's your children. Whether it's what's doing on at work. Are you going to do that or are you going to wait for the consequences to eventually catch up to what's going on as it gets progressively worse. And that will happen. And all of the sudden it's worse. All of the sudden its malpractice. All of the sudden it's a bar complaint. All of the sudden you're facing suspension, disbarment. All of the sudden you are unemployed. Why wait for that? Take that first step now. Call your Lawyers Assistance Program. It's confidential. MARK: Yes, yes. And I really appreciate your sharing that idea. I think so many people are a little bit afraid of talking to these various Lawyer Assistance Programs because there is this fear that there's gonna be some...its gonna get out. These are confidential situations in terms of communications and what not. And my experience in terms of the people that are involved in running these programs are just down to earth, rock solid, good people that had been there. BRIAN: And you know what, no matter how much I say it, there's gonna be a demographic of lawyers who aren't going to be using them, cause they are just convinced in their mind. We don't have enough time but I have a funny anecdote about that, they're just convinced in their mind that they are an arm of the state bar, they are not confidential and that is going to get out. Let me tell you what is not confidential is when you wait for the consequences to catch up to the problem and that's your name in the back pages of your bar journal. MARK: You are so right and I love that. But that's the reality. That's what's coming if this isn't addressed. You're absolutely correct. You're absolutely correct. Well listen Brian I really appreciate your taking the time today to share a bit of your story and to spend a little time here with me on the podcast, it really has been a pleasure. I hope at some point to have another opportunity. You're the kind of guy I'd love to just sit down and enjoy a nice glass of Italian sparkling water or something, and just have a nice meal and some great conversation. That would be just wonderful. BRIAN: Let me end with one more thing. MARK: Yes please. BRIAN: A lawyer or even a law student who is listening to this who is struggling out there but thinks they're coping, 'I'm coping, I'm doing okay'. Ask your wife if you're doing okay. Ask your children if you're doing okay. Ask your partner if you're doing okay. Ask your...ask an associate if you're doing okay. Ask a friend of yours if you're doing okay. You will get a different answer than you think. MARK: Yeah, yeah. And then have the courage to listen. BRIAN: And have the courage to listen. You have to be able to drop that wall and be ready for the response. Because dropping the wall won't...allowing yourself to be vulnerable is one of the hardest things we can do in the legal profession. Because we're used to...we're trained to take advantage of that, right, in our profession? MARK: That's right. BRIAN: It's not something we allow ourselves to do. To self-explore. MARK: Yeah, yeah. I appreciate that, that's solid, solid advice. Well we are out of time here. I do want to say to all of you listening in I hope you found something of value in today's conversation. Please feel free to reach out any time if any of you listeners have any thoughts in terms of topics or other folks that you'd like to listen to, in terms of have them join us on the podcast. Thanks for listening and have a good one. Bye bye.    Brian Cuban, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is a Dallas based attorney, author and addiction recovery advocate. He is graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Brian has been in long term recovery from alcohol, cocaine and bulimia since April of 2007. His first book, Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder,” chronicles his first-hand experiences living with, and recovering from, twenty-seven years of eating disorders, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Brian's most recent, best-selling book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption is an un-flinching look back at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as a once successful lawyer and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery and found redemption. Brian has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences, non-profit and legal events across the United States and in Canada. Brian has appeared on prestigious talks shows such as the Katie Couric Show as well as numerous media outlets around the country. He also writes extensively on these subjects. His columns have appeared and he has been quoted on these topics on CNN.com, Foxnews.com, The Huffington Post, Above The Law, The New York Times, and in online and print newspapers around the world. Learn more at www.briancuban.com.

Guest Author and Recovery Advocate Brian Cuban shares his story of recovery and passion for recovery advocacy. He spoke on his new book: The Addicted Lawyer. Substance use disorders have always been higher than the societal norm in the legal profession. Most lawyers know someone in the legal profession whose career was either lost or significantly harmed due to addiction. Attorneys and law students like anyone else can be genetically pre-disposed to alcoholism, substance use disorders, depression, eating disorders and even adult self-harm. The stress of practicing law can be an environmental trigger to these issues. The associated shame and fear of judgment can inhibit a lawyer from disclosing these issues until there both physical and employment consequences. Brian Cuban discusses his experiences with mental health issues, both as a law student at the University Of Pittsburgh and practicing attorney in Dallas Texas for over twenty years. Brian discusses his recovery, redefining his career as well as restoring family and passion for life. Brian Cuban | Author and Keynote Speaker : theaddictedlawyer.com