72% of entrepreneurs suffer from psychological problems. That’s the warning from a study by the University of Berkeley showing that entrepreneurs are twice as likely to commit suicide.
In addition to this study, a study from the United States, published in Hubspot, found that the majority of business founders suffer from mental problems. This study shows that 63% of corporate CEOs suffer from burnout syndrome. 59% of them suffer from anxiety and 47% from depression. 24%, attention deficit; 14% are substance abusers and 3% are bipolar.
The study also shows that 8 out of 10 business founders say that there is stigma in society related to mental health and 70% of them recognize that there are not many resources to help with mental problems.
Tips to Avoid Mental Health Problems
The CEO and founder of Spotahome, Alejandro Artacho, explains that the entrepreneur “is obliged to always be strong, calm, smiling… and available. The opposite shows a disproportionate vulnerability to his personality inside and outside the company. is portrayed as an indomitable rock star heroine.” However, he warns, the reality of a startup lies behind the persona it is a slave to, and it can be a very different matter if it is not aware of the mess that can wreak havoc on a person, sometimes silently.
Among the tips that the expert offers to help entrepreneurs improve their mental health are prioritizing meditation, exercise, food and sleep. Likewise, he finds it important to redefine and prioritize the value system he has and to redefine success for himself. According to him, “It is important to invest permanently and not temporarily, to live more in the present, because the world of startups generates anxiety because most of the time you live in the future and that you control your calendar and not the other way around .”
In this sense, he draws attention to the use of technology and believes that social networks should be used less compulsively and more attentive to what is consumed in reading. “To be a good leader, you must first lead yourself… Be a conscientious leader. Calm and calm bring clarity, and clarity brings confidence.”