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As others have said - this isn't being censorious or moralistic about drugs - but step 1 is stop smoking the pot. Your mind WILL clear up after a week or two b

As others have said - this isn't being censorious or moralistic about drugs - but step 1 is stop smoking the pot. Your mind WILL clear up after a week or two being off it and after a month or so you'll really notice the difference. Contrary to movies like The Social Network, getting drunk and stoned all the time doesn't fit with the stresses of running a startup I'm afraid. Burnout is an under-talked-about problem with startups. You are far from unemployable coming out of a startup. You just need a break and some time off to get your head clear. Depressive tendencies are not unusual for the kind of person drawn to entrepreneurialism. If you can then take a break from your startup. Tell your co-founder that you need a couple of weeks off or you're gonna burn out. If they can't make that work then you don't want to be in a startup with them anyway, as there'll be more ups and downs and you need to have each others' backs during the tough times. If this startup isn't working for you and you have no other option, getting out is not as drastic as it seems. The company will survive. You will survive. Things will not be as dire as you think. It just feels that way now and the combination of pressure and anxiety makes it hard to get a better perspective. Being stuck in something because you feel financially bound to it is not a good thing - you'd be surprised the options that are available to you but it's hard to see them when you're in the frame of mind you are. That's not critical :-) ...it's a good thing - it means that when your mind starts to clear up you'll see many more options. I've been in Silicon Valley for about 14 years now (really? damn I'm getting old). I've seen, and been through, every up and every down. If you want someone to talk to for a bit of perspective, I'm happy to listen any time. (Add a d in the middle of the two names my username at gmail for my email address). Perspective can help :-) Either way, don't get too down. It's not as bad as it feels right now I promise.

richardjordan 14y ago
One more thought, as someone a bit older and wiser than when I first went through these kind of stresses. Startups are like girlfriends/boyfriends when you're young. When you find your first love you're convinced you'll not find anything this special again. You do anything to hold onto it. But it goes eventually. You're distraught. Then your second love comes along. This time it's the REAL DEAL. You have perspective to realize that it wasn't the end of the world losing the last one. You learned. You grew. Often then that one doesn't work out, you're heartbroken, it's the end of the world. Except it isn't. The next one is the REAL DEAL, you were crazy for thinking the last one was... and so it goes. This isn't the end of the world. Take a break. Find support structures. Get exercise. Change your routine. Quit the pot. Perspective will come and it'll make you see things in a clearer light.
jaytaylor 14y ago
In this case the substance abuse is a symptom of the bigger problems. Stopping drug use drugs is a good move, but alone will not fix him. It is escapism.
- kumarharsh 14y ago
  Escapism is a very dangerous practice, as it drives you to suppress the thoughts and decisions which hurt. What is ignored is that these exact things are the ones which actually "MATTER", and putting off dealing with these "devils" is a surefire way to drive you into further depression... Drop that pot, and start dealing with your partner. Don't post stuff on HN and feel good about yourself. TALK TO HIM. That is the only way the pain will ease.
- artursapek 14y ago
  Who down-voted this? It's very accurate.
  - richardjordan 14y ago
    Not me, but I would take issue with it. Escapism is the symptom here not the cause. The cause of the problems is the work environment he is in. Escapism is an unhealthy response caused by an unhealthy mental state. Telling him he should buck and and stop whining isn't really a solution. Trying to bully a depressed person into somehow changing things by yelling at them adds no value as it doesn't work.
austinstorm 14y ago
Agreed - the way out is the way through, I think.

richardjordan 14y ago

One more thought, as someone a bit older and wiser than when I first went through these kind of stresses. Startups are like girlfriends/boyfriends when you're young. When you find your first love you're convinced you'll not find anything this special again. You do anything to hold onto it. But it goes eventually. You're distraught. Then your second love comes along. This time it's the REAL DEAL. You have perspective to realize that it wasn't the end of the world losing the last one. You learned. You grew. Often then that one doesn't work out, you're heartbroken, it's the end of the world. Except it isn't. The next one is the REAL DEAL, you were crazy for thinking the last one was... and so it goes. This isn't the end of the world. Take a break. Find support structures. Get exercise. Change your routine. Quit the pot. Perspective will come and it'll make you see things in a clearer light.

jaytaylor 14y ago

In this case the substance abuse is a symptom of the bigger problems. Stopping drug use drugs is a good move, but alone will not fix him. It is escapism.

kumarharsh 14y ago
Escapism is a very dangerous practice, as it drives you to suppress the thoughts and decisions which hurt. What is ignored is that these exact things are the ones which actually "MATTER", and putting off dealing with these "devils" is a surefire way to drive you into further depression... Drop that pot, and start dealing with your partner. Don't post stuff on HN and feel good about yourself. TALK TO HIM. That is the only way the pain will ease.
artursapek 14y ago
Who down-voted this? It's very accurate.
- richardjordan 14y ago
  Not me, but I would take issue with it. Escapism is the symptom here not the cause. The cause of the problems is the work environment he is in. Escapism is an unhealthy response caused by an unhealthy mental state. Telling him he should buck and and stop whining isn't really a solution. Trying to bully a depressed person into somehow changing things by yelling at them adds no value as it doesn't work.

austinstorm 14y ago

Agreed - the way out is the way through, I think.