Breaking Down Mental Health Stigma in Entrepreneurship: 3 Strategies for Change
The journey of being a founder is often unpredictable, and it can take an emotional toll if we don't have the proper support and a safe container to talk about it. Talking openly about our fears, doubts and vulnerabilities is not an easy task for anyone, and for those who happen to be founders, entrepreneurs and executive leaders, it is especially daunting and uncomfortable.
Founders are more likely to suffer in silence.
For many founders, it has been a long journey of stepping up to the front of the room and taking on the burdens, risks and responsibilities of launching and growing a business. As a psychotherapist and coach, I have heard many clients share that this leadership role is something they took on from an early age, way before they started their own company. They share stories of having had to assume adult and caretaking responsibilities before it was developmentally appropriate for their young age, shouldering losses and hardships or stepping into the shoes of absent parents or those gone too soon. To manage feelings of helplessness, overwhelm and fear, many explore the ways they have adopted strategies such as perfection and overwork to find security, safety and loveablenes. The role of founder or CEO and the pursuit of achievement and excellence offering a sense of control, autonomy and acknowledgement that assuage feelings of fear and doubt.
When my clients find their way to therapy or coaching, it is often when the exhaustion of maintaining this impenetrable founder identity has started to take a psychological toll they can no longer ignore. They speak about overwhelm, imposter feelings and doubt coupled with sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, trouble concentrating, isolation from others and low self esteem. And these experiences are the last thing they want to share with anyone else. Feelings of confusion, frustration, fear and shame accompany their decreased capacity to “push harder” and get it done. The shame is often compounded by isolation and rising pressure to manage the impressions they are making on others - investors, clients, co-founders and their team.
The truth about the psychological impact of entrepreneurship
What founders don’t often realize is that they are not alone.
Entrepreneurs are at a higher risk for experiencing challenges to their mental health. According to a recent research study conducted by Dr. Michael Freeman, 72% of entrepreneurs suffer from one or more mental health issues and 58% of entrepreneurs report feelings related to Imposter Syndrome.
Entrepreneurs are
3X more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, stress, and fear
6X more likely to suffer from ADHD
3X more likely to suffer from substance abuse
10X more likely to suffer from bipolar disorder
As entrepreneurs, the emotional labor, isolation, financial risk and destabilizing impact of creating a company or business has a very real and profound effect on our overall health, well-being and mental health. And adverse childhood and foundational experiences can compound these stressors to create more dysregulation in the mind and body.
An isolated founder is more likely to experience shame.
Not being able to speak openly about feelings and experiences results in many founders and entrepreneurs, who are struggling with their mental health, to believe that something is wrong with them and that they are personally failing or underperforming.
This isolation, silence and shame is what leads to mental health stigma in entrepreneurship, Mental health stigma is something that develops when inaccurate information, fear, and assumptions come together.
The truth is, struggling with mental health does not make a person weak or any less capable of being an excellent entrepreneur. In fact, having the courage to be vulnerable and open about their struggles can help entrepreneurs understand their own triggers and how to better manage them.
Three powerful strategies to break down mental health stigma
1. Talk openly about your own experiences with mental health: Speaking openly about the importance of mental health, using person centered language and modeling vulnerability can help others feel more comfortable discussing their experiences. This could include talking openly with your team, employees, friends and family or writing blog posts or articles. Starting the conversation models understanding and openness and is more likely to invite more candid conversations. Another action to take is by sharing information about the prevalence of mental health, the higher risks associated with entrepreneurship and resources, such as the #Tools4Founders Project.
2. Normalize the conversation: Make sure mental health is a regular and accepted part of conversations in your company culture, whether that's during team meetings or casual chatter. This will help to break down any existing barriers around discussing mental health issues and show others that it's okay to talk about them. A great place to start is by expressing this value in your core values or mission statement. Make your commitment to mental health clear and follow it up with actions that demonstrate this value. Post signage in your space or visuals on your website that reflect these values and share important information about mental health. You can create your own or download a toolkit from Mental Health America. It’s important to understand that a culture that normalizes mental health and shines a light on connection, mental wellness and its team’s well-being sends a strong message of care and inclusivity.
3. Educate yourself: Learn as much as you can about mental health and the different forms of support that are available. Educate yourself on how to ensure that your company policies and agreements support mental health parity, meaning that your expected code of conduct requires sensitivity, respect and accommodations for mental illness on par with physical needs. For example, ensure that you are able to offer mental health accommodations such as the ability to bring an emotional support dog, flexible/hybrid workplace options and quiet zones.Be mindful to create a variety of workspace options that focus not only on the ergonomics of furniture but on mental health needs and nervous system regulation. If offering insurance, seek policies that have mental health parity, which provides coverage for both physical and mental illness. And, consider partnering with an organization such as Pilea, which offers comprehensive company-wide support, assessment, consulting and system-wide coaching to help you foster a healthy company culture that supports the well-being and mental health of your team. These steps can ensure that your approach to mental health remain informed, compassionate and understanding.
So, how can founders, coaches, investors and allies come together to end mental health stigma in entrepreneurship?
By coming together and talking openly about mental health, we can create a space where entrepreneurs no longer carry the burden of silence and shame. Collectively, we can create a culture in which entrepreneurs can openly talk about mental health, find understanding and support, and thrive.
Throughout the month of May, in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, you can also find a plethora of resources, graphics and images to help raise awareness of and reduce the stigma of mental health in entrepreneurship.
The more we discuss and normalize mental health, the sooner we can begin to break down the stigma associated with it. Doing this is not only beneficial on a personal level, but on a collective level as well, leading to a more compassionate and inclusive society.
Ready to talk about it? Join the conversation on May 17th and attend Full Transparency: Ending Mental Health Stigma in Entrepreneurship for a candid and informative panel conversation with leading mental health experts and founders, sponsored by Pilea, Women Who Cowork, Conscious Ambition, STIGMA App and Founders Taboo.
Together, we can create an environment where we, as founders and coaches, feel safe to talk about these issues without judgment or shame.
Laura Shook Guzman, LMFT, is a psychotherapist & Mental Health Coach for Founders in the Pilea network.
