I’m a founder and suffer from intermittent panic attacks. This first one I had was terrifying. I ended up going to the hospital because I thought I was having a

I’m a founder and suffer from intermittent panic attacks. This first one I had was terrifying. I ended up going to the hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack. Once I figured out what was happening and the pattern for the symptoms, they got a lot more manageable. Just knowing I’m not dying and telling myself that helps to calm me down. The linked ESPN article in Fred’s post is really good and worth reading. Reminds me of some of the mental health stigma that founders in the tech industry face. This quote in particular resonates with me: “Depression, anxiety and panic attacks are not a sign of weakness. They are signs of having tried to remain strong for so long.” Humans are only so strong. Intense pressure can forge diamonds, or it can crush you underneath it. My hope is that the stigma of mental health goes away, and training our brains becomes as normal as training any other parts of our bodies.