My friend wants to start a business and gets so enthused by so many different ideas. He'll spend days and weeks working on a plan for a particular business idea, and it is really quite remarkable to see. With whatever it happens to be (at that time), he is so passionate, driven, and motivated….I've never seen anyone talk with such genuine and sincere passion about what he is doing/wants to do, and the work ethic….my goodness….he is so committed.
Then he'll try executing by setting up online, and within only days or weeks at the very most (typically days), with no customers/clients, he gets VERY depressed and abandons whatever that particular business was (it's like he expects immediate results….when in reality, those of us who have done it, know that for a business to get off the ground, assuming it even does, takes time and requires patience and resilience and determination).
He goes into a state of deep depression where he cannot wake up in the mornings and does not wash or shower for days on end, and calls himself a loser and a failure and doomed to never be "successful". Then one day he will say he's had an epiphany and knows a great business idea, and the cycle repeats….and repeats.
Is this unmedicated ADHD / ADD or some other form of neurodiversity (or even mental illness)?
Is this unmedicated (and very severe) ADHD?
byu/Ok_Bike239 inEntrepreneur
Posted by Ok_Bike239
5 Comments
Well, it could be anything starting from ADHD to self-criticism or lack of dopamine control. I had the same issue, and it took a while to find a set of coping techniques, like:
– setting a larger timeframe for first tests,
– changing my thoughts from being a failure to being a tourist exploring opportunities,
– running a small group of people to validate product ideas.
I trained myself to wait longer (basically, the same techniques I use to train my 4-mo puppy) because impulsivity was an issue, too.
However, I think this set of coping techniques may be unique, so I don’t want to overload you with details.
It seems like he suffers from bipolar disorder. This disorder ranges from attacks of mania, where people feel like they could conquer the world, to severe depressive symptoms…google it and try to see if it fits him. If yes maybe you should talk about it with him
Sounds more like unrealistic expectations. Businesses take time and more than just sitting and forgetting.
I take it he was not doing any kind of marketing or SEO on any of these, hence the lack of traffic and customers.
I had something happen like this – the problem is that the body wants results quick but the reality is that it can take weeks, months or years to get results and this mismatch can be hard. It’s called start up depression and part of it is related to him putting himself out there and the results being taken personally. The cure is a good therapist and I personally recommend daily yoga, meditation and journaling to keep the mind and body in balance. When I first went through it I told my wife at the time and she abandoned me (we are no longer together) and let me know what kind of person I had met (be with partners who support you).
Tell him that he must plan for his business to be worked on for the next 5 years or more so that he doesn’t just follow his current interest but something he is willing to invest his whole life in. Then have him get into therapy and setup a daily routine (I would recommend Ophanim Yoga or AYP/Kundalini yoga + Franz Bardon’s Initiation Into Hermetics as a guide).
I hope that helps as it can be a cycle and he will need to break out of it to achieve anything tangible. His goal could be to get to the point he can hire someone to run things but that usually works best after a few years.
Not a medical professional, but lived experience.
This is bipolar, I’ve been where your friend is.
It’s manageable with the right care.