Lawyers' mental health has been a topic of increasing discussion and awareness, combined with efforts to help lawyers deal with anxiety, depression and addiction issues. But an aspect of mental health that is sometimes overlooked is body image, and the consequences of body dysmorphia and eating disorders.
In this episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with lawyer Brian Cuban about his decades-long struggle with body dysmorphic disorder, and how he learned to address it.
The Mayo Clinic website defines body dysmorphic disorder as “a mental disorder in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance—a flaw that, to others, is either minor or not observable. … Your perceived flaw and the repetitive behaviors cause you significant distress, and impact your ability to function in your daily life.”
Cuban is the author of Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a memoir about his recovery, and The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption.
Listen to the Podcast