Not enough people are talking about this. I have seen people mention how much depression and entrepreneurship are intertwined, but not nearly enough. I am someone who suffers from chronic depression and so when I get depressed... I get depressed HARD.
I suffered from depression and anxiety before I ever even started blogging, let alone started a business. So adding these things impacted my life greatly as well as my mental health and I found it very challenging to figure out how to manage a business while also being an entrepreneur.
I have been dealing with this for years and wrote an e-book on it called "Depression, Anxiety, & Entrepreneurship" and I will basically be breaking down not only what i go through as an entrepreneur who suffers from mental illness, but I also give tips on how I've learned to manage it. It is really a deeper look into what it is like and how it can be overcome.
Is depression and anxiety real?
There are people who do not understand depression and anxiety because they do not suffer from it except at the very most on a situational basis. I have been told many times that if I "change my mindset" I wouldn't get depressed. And to "focus on the positive instead of the negative" and not act as if I couldn't control my depression and anxiety... I have been told many times that I can stop being depressed or having anxiety if I wanted to...
Would you tell someone who was schizophrenic that they can just stop it? Or someone who has PTSD that they can just get over it? Depression and anxiety is a mental illness. Yes, you can GET depressed and not suffer from depression, but suffering from depression is a REAL thing. Just because "thinking positive" works for you doesn't mean it will work for someone who suffers from extreme depression based on something more deeply rooted than a situation that was hard in their current life.
I don't mean to rant, but I do feel as if everyone is different and there are people who struggle with something deeper than what is widely known as depression.
Can it impact your business?
Depression, as I said, is basically a side effect of starting a business for a lot of people. Why? Well, you are putting your passion out into the world and with entrepreneurship there is so many ups and downs that your emotions go through an overload and that can lead to depression. Sometimes too much disappointment can also lead to depression.
However, if you're like me then it still impacts your business GREATLY. How? Well when I get depressed I tend to be unable to do anything productive. If I try I tend to sink even deeper into the depression (more on this in my e-book). Depression can make you feel like a failure. I have felt worthless and struggled with negative thoughts that even if I knew they weren't true... I believed them anyway.
How do you handle it?
Here are some simple tips I have for you entrepreneurs who suffer from depression and anxiety:
- Self care days. Have a day where you care for yourself and love your self only.
- Self development. There is an entire chapter in my e-book called "Motivation Station" and it is one of my faves because it's all about growth and things like that
- Know you are not alone. The truth is, loneliness is one of the BIG things that you feel when depression strikes. Even when surrounded by people, you can feel isolated by your dark emotions. You are not alone in that. I feel it too. I've been through it too. So, no you may not FEEL like you're not alone, but just know that you're not. YOU are the reason I wrote this e-book in the first place.
- Stop trying to be ok all the time. It's ok to not be on it all the time.
If you would like to know more about my personal journey as an entrepreneur who suffers from depression & anxiety, feel free to purchase my e-book for only $7 here. I have humbled by all of the people who have related to my story so far.
Do you suffer from depression in business? how do you handle it?