Tech Has a Depression Problem

Start-up founders might seem like they’ve got it made, but long hours, isolation, and stress put them at risk of mental illness.

.. The key is that struggling is only seen as noble if you ultimately come back from it, proving your mettle.

“You’re rewarded for hiding those feelings or overcoming those feelings,” Campbell says. “Entrepreneurship is all about overcoming. You’re overcoming the adversity of starting a business and creating something from nothing. If you can’t overcome yourself it’s like what the hell are you doing?”

As a result, founders find themselves in a bubble where they can’t talk to anyone about the issues they’re experiencing, says Severson, until they’ve conquered those feelings. You end up feeling “very alone.”

.. He also benefited from eventually discussing his problems with friends and business partners.Campbell’s experience is borne out by the data: Social support has been shown to be one of the biggest protective factors against depression.

.. Severson had blogged about having anxiety before, but always anonymously. His post addressing the suicide note was the first time he identified himself. “If I can’t put my name behind this then nobody else is going to either,” he says.