Hope on the Horizon: Thai Lawyers Face Improving Mental Health Amid Ongoing Pressures
New data from the 2025 ALM Mental Health Survey offers a cautious note of progress for lawyers worldwide, including Thai professionals. While signs of improvement appear, relentless workplace pressures remain a constant challenge. The findings provide useful lessons for Thailand’s legal community as it grapples with stigma, demanding workloads, and evolving client expectations.
Globally, lawyer well-being has long been a concern. Stigma around mental illness, heavy caseloads, and substance use have been cited as systemic issues in law firms, including those in Thailand. The ALM survey, which included more than 3,100 lawyers and legal workers across firm sizes, shows modest gains in several key indicators. Depression rates fell to 33%, the lowest since 2019, and anxiety levels dipped to 68.7%, though remain high. Fewer respondents now view mental health issues and substance abuse as a “crisis level,” with 43% sharing that view—down from 2024.