Advocate Jan 2014

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68 VOL. 72 PART 1 JANUARY <strong>2014</strong> THE ADVOCATE cessful friends, fine restaurants, travel and a life in the fast lane. I had it made. Regrettably, my wife found the lane a little too fast, and she left. It hurt, but I was still on top of the world. However, my practice was beginning to suffer. Apparently many lawyers spend long hours developing their practices. My drinking habits conflicted with my work habits. I determined to lend my talents to real estate investment, and when that died in the early 1980s, fuelled by my drinking bravado, to a couple of business ventures, which failed. My practice became a shambles and my prospects were becoming dim. I needed a fresh start. I found a new and exciting wife. A kind friend in the profession invited me into his practice. We stayed together for ten years, with some success. My two children were born. I had new meaning in life. But the pressure mounted as my financial needs grew but my income did not. I drank to relieve the stress and to escape my reality. I began to drink during the day, and alone. My wife became distressed. I was depressed. I wasn’t coping with life, and my drinking was becoming obsessive. I denied that the drinking was causing the problems; I thought it was a solution. LAP had seminars on how to use one’s law experience in business. That was what I needed—to hook up with a business that could appreciate my wealth of legal and managerial experience. I arranged an interview with Derek LaCroix at LAP. He spoke of the subject, then, in a casual sort of way, asked if I ever thought that I might have a drinking problem. I knew he was right, but those decades of denial had built a strong resistance to that truth. But with his support I accepted that I did. My admission to that fact was the beginning of my recovery from the deadly grip of alcoholism. I had always believed that it was important to be self-sufficient. My pride told me that I needed no help. Then LAP helped me with counselling and a referral to an addictions doctor. LAP held 12-step meetings to start me in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. They were available to me when I needed help. I was introduced to other lawyers, in trouble like me, who helped me with sponsorship, support and fellowship. A group of us established our own meetings to assist each other in the process of recovery. My life began to change. I began to see people, particularly in our profession, not as hostile and indifferent, but just as normal folks doing the best they could. Most were kind and supportive. I did some backsliding and at times wondered if I could make it. But my miracle happened, and the obsession to drink evaporated. My lifetime companion, alcohol, and I had a parting of the ways. It was not a sad occasion.
THE ADVOCATE VOL. 72 PART 1 JANUARY <strong>2014</strong> 69 My life today would probably be described as normal. I have been blessed with an opportunity to practise in an excellent firm. My needs are met, my wife has stood by me, and happily so, I believe. Our relationship is better than ever. My boys are grown and in university. My life is filled with joy and hope. I could never have imagined that this was possible. I am the benefactor of many blessings, not the least of which was the unselfish help I received from many kind and caring people in our profession. I thought that I had to, and could, do it on my own. I guess that my lesson is to always keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to ask for help. The Lawyers Assistance Program is an independent organization of members of the legal community (lawyers, judges, families and support staff). We provide peer support and referral services to help people deal with personal problems, including alcohol and drug dependence, stress, anxiety and depression. We are volunteers and staff committed to providing confidential, compassionate and knowledgeable outreach, support and education. We seek to foster collegiality among our peers and to promote health and well-being in our community. You can reach the LAP by telephone at 604-685-2171, toll-free at 1-888-685-2171 or via the LAP website: . t t t t t Practice Restricted To WCB Sec. 257 Determinations, Opinions and Court Applications on referral ______________________ 604-267-3033 ______________________ • Claims and appeals • Vice Chair at Review Board for 6 years • More than 25 years personal injury litigation Vahan A. Ishkanian Barrister & Solicitor • Cell 250-508-6336 • Fax: 250-544-0728 • E-mail: vishkanian@wcbbclawyer.com
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THE ADVOCATE “Of interest to the
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Because not everyone is this lucky.
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Advocate Jan 2014

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