Sad, Tired, and Alone: My Ongoing Battle With Startup Depression

Thank you. I wish parents taught their kids to 'know when to quit' more often. I've read stories from founders who missed the birth of their children, left their dying parents, sacrificed everything important for some dumb startup that sells shoelaces or soap or diapers. It's one thing to be persistent and another to be delusional. And the best way to find out which one you are, is when you take a step back, clear your mind for a week or two and have a good look at yourself when you're not stimulated on coffee and twitter.

I think this is good advice, but summed up better would be know when to take breaks (maybe 4 a year). Use the depressive episodes as an indicator that your mind and body need a holiday.

Your psychological position is negatively affecting your ability to function. This is by definition a psychological disorder.

Let me state it clearly: it is extremely unlikely that your depression has anything to do with "startups" or your work life.

Quitting your job might be a good idea, but only insofar as it will free up time for you to focus on getting treatment. In and of itself, quitting your job won't solve your problem.

Paradoxically, the reason you're so miserable is likely tied to the fact that you love what you're doing so much, or put another way, that you're doing just what you want to be doing.

Get help. If you don't, you're never going to feel better even if everything goes perfectly in your professional life.

You're painting with very broad strokes. There are more than the two extreme types of people you seem to classify everyone into.

For example, have you forgotten DHH and Peldi? They've created some of the best software businesses, contributed huge amounts to the community and love "wasting time" on beaches.

I'm personally probably closer to the blog author's type, but racing sportscars definitely sounds more fun than the 10th pivot to me.

Tip #1: Start yoga immediately (hot yoga preferably).

Find a 30 or 40-day challenge, and start going every damn day. Even if it's the only thing you do in the day.

I'd suggest Bikram to kick your ass into forcing you to letting go. The routine + regular space you create for yourself + endorphines and healing it will allow your body do will change your mindset within 1 month's time.

This will create the space for you too, to do all of the little things that you felt like you couldn't get done.

Maybe I should connect with people by bringing other founders to yoga classes. I'd actually love connecting with people that way. I'm living in Kingston (Ontario) right now, though planning to travel the next 3-4 months looking for technical + other people who we have a good rapport with to join me.

Let me know if you're open for a visitor and to be dragged to some yoga. :)

Tip #2: Therapy can help a lot, not medication-based, but talk based. In my opinion medications poison your mind and lessen your overall potential (not forgetting the hit and miss with finding one that 'works' for you, and realizing newer studies show they're not really any better than placebo for most people). And you can reach the same level of flow in life with proper support and doing things every day to take care of yourself.

I've been seeing someone for over a year now, who's an Innerchild/Regression therapist - really just looking at how you react and feel in different situations and helping you release past things that you are suppressing and are holding you in a certain pattern. I'm unimaginably farther ahead in my self-awareness and balance than I was a year ago.

Tip #3: Upverter looks fantastic. I'm jealous at how far along you are with it. I'm at least a year away from reaching the same place you're at with your company, with having a team, and product at the same place (and that's with some luck!).

If you want some unsolicited design tips.. let me know. The tour I think would work better if you just put it all in a scrolly. I think you'd find you'll expose more people to all of the information (continuing to scroll is much easier than having to click around).

Happy to see a fellow Canadian sharing on HN!

I have a few more little design thoughts if you'd interested.

Otherwise, you're on track - just start yoga - and let me know if you want me to visit and drag you the first few times. It's nice to have expectations set by someone who's been doing it 4 1/2+ years, and I also did a 200-hour Hatha yoga teacher training in the summer.. so I'm a little qualified to offer yogic advice. :)