By MATT CHANDLER
mchandler@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1654

Attorney Dan Lukasik says he didn't know what to expect when he decided to go public three years ago and discuss his decade-long battle with depression, but he knew what he wanted - to make a difference.

"At the time, I thought it would be disastrous to my career," he says.

Three years later, the managing partner of Cantor Lukasik Dolce Panepinto says the response from his peers, clients and the community has been overwhelmingly positive.

"My sense of it is that contrary to my fears, clients are more apt to see me as a human being now and not some billboard lawyer," he says.

What began as an effort to offer support - and a shoulder - to fellow attorneys has blossomed into a widespread campaign that includes a Web site, blog, national media coverage, a book contract and regular speaking engagements to share his story and offer inspiration to others.

"We shouldn't view people suffering from depression as broken people," Lukasik says, touching on a key theme of his educational effort. "In my view, they are heroes."

That's the message he plans to share with students at Daemen College when he leads "A Conversation About Depression," a public presentation set for Sept. 27.

"What are often missed are the struggles of these college students," he says. "Why are they abusing drugs and committing suicide at such high levels?"

The answer to that question lies in societal values and beliefs that have shifted in recent decades, according to Lukasik.

"Think about it: Our brains haven't changed that much in the past 10,000 years. I think part of the cause is a lack of social support. More people are coming from broken homes, we no longer have the church involvement at the levels we used to, and I think people are more alone today than ever before," he says.

As for his target audience, he says his regular support-group meetings are well-attended, with 10 to 15 attorneys at each one and a pool of about 50 regulars. His blog and Web site, www.lawyerswithdepression.com, have a worldwide following, he adds.

National statistics and Lukasik's research on depression show the following:

• Almost 25 percent of Americans may suffer an episode of major depression in their lifetime.

• Approximately 120 million people worldwide suffer from depression.

• Based on averages, it is estimated there are more than 100,000 Western New Yorkers battling depression.

• Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the United States for people between the ages of 15 and 44.

• Depression costs U.S. employers $80 billion annually in absenteeism, lost productivity and direct treatment costs.

Regarding the latter, Lukasik says business people he speaks to are often surprised to learn about the negative impact of depression on a company's bottom line.

"There was one study that found 50 percent of the people surveyed thought depression was due to moral weakness," he says. "When half of the people out there think that, it is easy to see why employers aren't always as sensitive to the issue."

His message to business owners and management is clear: The decision to support your employees and create a culture that acknowledges the problem is ultimately good for your bottom line.

"Businesses need to be aware of what depression is and the impact it has," he says. "For those that are aware, they need to realize depression isn't just the employee's problem; it's the employer's problem, too."

He wants to see a national media effort to address depression, similar to the "Standing Up to Cancer" campaign. Until enough people embrace the seriousness of the disease, those afflicted will continue to suffer in silence.

"More than 80 percent of people who suffer from depression don't seek treatment for it," he says.

Lukasik points to three key reasons:

• Social stigma - worrying what family, friends and co-workers might think.

• Lack of comprehensive coverage in the individual's health insurance plan.

• Not knowing what depression is. Mistaking it for sadness, burnout or general stress.

The sheer number of people living with depression, coupled with the fact that four in five people don't seek help, is driving his mission, he says. As for his own struggles with it, reaching out and connecting with other people across the country and around the world has been "absolutely therapeutic," he says.

And by the way, depression isn't something you cure, he adds. It's something that you might have forever but learn to manage.

"I'm doing great as far as my mental and physical health," he says, "but it is something that requires constant awareness."