During our Coffee time, we discussed a key social issue facing all entrepreneurs: mental health.
The life of an entrepreneur comes with a host of challenges, both large and small. Whether you’re building a business or dealing with more personal issues, it can be hard to know when to stop to take a breath in order to figure out the best way forward. One solution is to adopt tools to better understand yourself and your needs in order to help yourself cope with the ups and downs of day-to-day life.
During our chat with Martin Enault, who serves as Chairman of the Board of Relief and lives with mental health issues himself, we got to know him a bit better, delve into the topic and explore the different types of support available.
“It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment. I started experiencing mental health issues when I began to consider being an entrepreneur. At the time, the term ‘mental health issues’ hadn’t been invented yet. People didn’t really talk about anxiety; they talked about stress. I’d taken courses on how to manage stress in school since I was on a sports scholarship, which helped a bit. But to truly understand the physical symptoms of anxiety and depression, to understand that you might no longer be able to find the energy or be able to function, that you could have panic attacks along with severe heart palpitations, that you could pass out or lose your sight… Those were the symptoms I experienced. It took me a really long time to understand what was going on. I was constantly going to emergency rooms, around the world and in Montreal, for what I thought were physical issues but ended up being related to my anxiety and depression.”
If you need support, want to know more or find out what resources are available, https://cause.bell.ca/outils-et-ressources/des-ressources-daide-et-de-soutien/
If you’re in immediate danger or need urgent medical support, call 911.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566.
Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For residents of Quebec, call 1-866-277-3553 or visit suicide.ca
Visit Talk Suicide Canada for the distress centres and crisis organizations nearest you.
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