Why Entrepreneurs Should Address Mental Health Issues?
A research by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has a statistic that 72% of Entrepreneurs faces mental health issues, either directly or indirectly. In fact, many of them faces two main forms of mental health issues, namely, depression and anxiety.
I’ve been an entrepreneur for more than a decade. I’m just one of 500 million entrepreneurs who makes up approximately eight percent of the global population. Having said that, we are exponentially more likely to suffer from mental health problems, and yet, people don’t talk about that enough. Perhaps, ego plays a part in this, or maybe, some just ignore or are unaware of the symptoms.
Over the years, I’ve failed countless times, and have had successes. I still could remember those times where I failed, and I had creditors chasing me for payments, to make matters worse, I even had Government agencies knocking on my doors for payments to be made. Those were really dark days, and I really do not wish any of these to happen to any other entrepreneurs, or in this matter, anyone else.
Mental Health and Entrepreneurs
I could still remember that I didn't dare to pick-up any phone calls who's numbers I did not save on my phone, neither do I dare to pick-up any calls from my creditors who were chasing me faster than a cheetah chasing for its prey.
Burnout, Chronic Anxiety, Insomnia, these were in fact the problems that came along with my journey in Entrepreneurship. I didn't dare to even look at anyone in the eyes, I felt like it's the end of the World, I asked God... I prayed, I did what I could, but why?
Then, the next stage came which made matters worse. I started drinking heavily... spending countless nights at the bar consuming alcohol, thinking that it would just let me forget my problems and wake-up feeling better. As you may have guessed, it got worse. Not only did I wasted more money on alcohol, I started to look like a giant panda. Huge dark circles around my eyes, a body shape that looked like a jar, walking with a physical body without a soul.
Thankfully those days are over. I've been engaging in my weekly gym sessions, started eating healthier, drinking lesser, and more importantly, choosing the people and community to mix with.
Loneliness
Lost Connections, by the author Johann Hari makes the comment that “humans need tribes, like bees need hives”- and I think this point gets to a major crux of what causes so much of what we, as entrepreneurs, experience in mental health problems.
There is the famous quote that states, “it’s lonely at the top” but it can be very lonely on the way there too, and even worse right back down at the bottom. In COVID times with a mix of quarantines, lockdowns, curfews and too many zoom meetings, this already large problem in the entrepreneurial community has just gotten bigger.
As i mature over the years, i realise that my social circle got smaller, but more importantly, i started to choose my friends wisely.
Remember, by choosing your friends, you are not being selfish, but you're being responsible to yourself, your family and your personal well-being (mental health).
While many view entrepreneurship as a dream career full of excitement, it is a real rocky road. According to this study by Michael Freeman, entrepreneurs are 50 percent more likely to report having a mental health condition. And yet, we still struggle to talk about it.
The "Antidote"
Obviously, there is no such thing as an antidote for loneliness, but we can help others feel less lonely. As damaging as social media can be, and often is, whilst we are physically separated, for many, being on the social media platforms is all we have. If all we, as entrepreneurs see, is images of others “killing it” the whole time, what message does that send to those at their loneliest?
That’s not a feeling just reserved for people struggling with failing and financing - some of my most successful friends also feel this level of loneliness and despair regardless on their company’s success, in fact, perfectionism causes it’s own problems. Brené Brown says: “Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it's often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction and life paralysis.”
We need to find a way to normalise discussing when we have bad days, and being honest about our stress, our burnout, our anxiety, our depression - whatever the emotion is, it’s human - and it’s human to care for someone else’s current situation.
Leading the Way
Beyond being there for one another, being honest about when we are struggling, sharing these kinds of emotions on social media or a blogpost - that is real leadership. The reason isn’t just because it shows you in your more frail state, but because it also may be how someone out there is feeling too. Be it whether you're an entrepreneur, an employee, or a homemaker, everyone has a risk of facing mental health issues.
You need to know that by being honest about your own is a start to accepting that mental health issue is a problem we face in today's society. It's time that we put emphasis on it, instead of brushing it away. Do not be afraid to speak, write or share about it, because YOU ARE NOT ALONE.