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Ask HN: How do you beat depression or total burnout state?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you beat depression or total burnout state?

#21
post #17

Before some advice, a few quick questions: 1. What other things are you doing? Are you sleeping/staying in bed all day? Are you eating normally? 2. What kind of things do you like to do? Have you been doing them over the past few months? 3. What's your social life like? Okay, now some advice based on what you originally posted: 1. Continue your weight training. If you can afford it, get a personal trainer or start go…

First up, thank you so much.

Social life: nothing really (answered in another thread) Staying in bed all day: for last couple of days - yes. Otherwise not - mostly in front of screen. Im eating ok I think. Am I doing things I like (apart from work) - not really. (answered in another thread to do those) DBT - I would look up on this information.

Re: Ask HN: How do you beat depression or total burnout state?

#22
>> managed myself to do some weigh training this week and in the process have managed to sprain my back

You just described my on/off relationship with the gym.

>> 50-60% through building MVP for my startup - currently alone. But I am going through a state of depression since last 6 months

Did your depression start when you started your MVP? Or did something else change a around the time you started feeling this way? For me personally, I have felt quite crappy when I forced myself to operate in/under some circumstances.

>> Social life: nothing really (answered in another thread)

If you wanna do some remote pairing, or in person if you're in San Francisco,CA, with full permission to vent about whatever you wanna verbalize, I'd be happy to make some time to do that with you. I'll just listen and/or chat about code.

>> How to beat a state like this in life?

It helped me to learn that my feelings didn't need to be coupled my actions. And also accepting that it is OK to be depressed. Looking for smaller solutions is also a heck of a lot easier than trying to escape depression in one monolithic effort. When I am bummed out, big efforts are too hard.

Re: Ask HN: How do you beat depression or total burnout state?

#23
post #13
post #7

Is your product going according to plan? 6 months by yourself without releasing is a very long time without feedback or validation of any sort. That kind of uncertainty can wear you down. Is it possible to release a cut now? Actually meet people or customers for feedback before going further? On the other hand, if it is not going as per plan, may be it is time to let go. Try to tell to yourself it does not matter any…

Thank you so much for your words. Project going according to plan ? It has slipped towards no unfortunately. But I keep telling myself that a 'better me' can do it (alas). But I need fresh perspective - agree with your advise.

Hi, I feel you. In my case, a project that was supposed to take 2 months, Took nearly a year to complete. By the time I completed it I almost couldn't stand it. It is not a case of not being a better me/you.

That is just the nature of the beast. Each software project/business is unique. So it is impossible to make accurate estimates. New features will keep cropping up. An integration that was supposed to be straight forward would fail because library A does not play well with library B. To hold yourself responsible for something beyond your control will obviously hurt you.

This is just an experience for you to learn that feature creep is real. Working alone is different from working in a team. In a team, gathering requirements, making estimates, development, marketing, sales, support are each shouldered by different teams. Each team would have multiple people. So any individual ends up with a small share of the responsibility pie. They have the luxury to draw a line on how much stress they would like to handle or move out.

In a single person company, one person gets to handle all the responsibilities and there is no way out short of giving up. The way you manage it is entirely different and that is what you really learn the first time you start a company. It took me nearly 3 projects to understand this. This is the rite of passage for Everyone who goes the solo route because there is nothing in the corporate/employee world to prep us for this.

Nowadays, I try to keep the features as minimal as possible. Everytime I ask, is this truly needed for the first release. I go to local meetups when ever possible to be among like minded techs.

Happy Producing.

Re: Ask HN: How do you beat depression or total burnout state?

#24
Like so many here have said: Take the time to speak to a Therapist. If you need help finding one, I'll be more then happy to give you a hand. Hell if you just want a "sounding board of sorts", I'm game too. And if you are able too, find a "workout buddy." (Personally for me - this helped greatly for motivation to get to the gym.)

Also: This is a good first step that you know there is a problem and you want to start correcting it. A sizable portion don't even know/care there is emotional problems with themselves until it's too late. But please know that this will take time, there is no quick fix. (That is one of the many primary reasons why people don't seek out treatment.)

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