Very interesting. I notice a lot of articles on depression and mental health get posted on HN. I know depression is a serious issue among startups so I also wonder if its not just startups but programmers in general?
I know that I myself am very prone to depression. For years I've struggled with it and it can kick in and fade out very quickly. For me I believe it's hereditary but I wonder what the cause is for others in this field. Obviously the startup lifestyle is stressful enough for the cause of depression to be obvious. But what is it about the profession of programming minus the startup lifestyle that makes us so likely to be depressed?
If other programmers are anything like me then they work alone for long periods of time. Don't go out much and don't socialize often. It's a solitary life and you're also likely to be smarter than other people so it's hard to really feel connected with others. Interests may be very different than others around you too which doesn't help. It's not that we're socially awkward (well, at least Im not, I'm actually really great at being social when I need to, very well liked, but I prefer to stay away from most social situations) it may just be that there aren't enough people like us around to socialize with. It makes sense that we form relationships with people we find across the world online rather than next door.
Anyway, I've rambled on enough. This treatment is interesting and I think its posting here says a lot about what we as a community deal with mentally.
I know that I myself am very prone to depression. For years I've struggled with it and it can kick in and fade out very quickly. For me I believe it's hereditary but I wonder what the cause is for others in this field. Obviously the startup lifestyle is stressful enough for the cause of depression to be obvious. But what is it about the profession of programming minus the startup lifestyle that makes us so likely to be depressed?
If other programmers are anything like me then they work alone for long periods of time. Don't go out much and don't socialize often. It's a solitary life and you're also likely to be smarter than other people so it's hard to really feel connected with others. Interests may be very different than others around you too which doesn't help. It's not that we're socially awkward (well, at least Im not, I'm actually really great at being social when I need to, very well liked, but I prefer to stay away from most social situations) it may just be that there aren't enough people like us around to socialize with. It makes sense that we form relationships with people we find across the world online rather than next door.
Anyway, I've rambled on enough. This treatment is interesting and I think its posting here says a lot about what we as a community deal with mentally.