Years ago, amid an unfolding spring, my retail store was failing. As a sole proprietor, I was the only person invested in my success or failure, and my sales figures and customer counts were still weak a few months in. My mental health became as fragile as my shop.
Entrepreneurs are often viewed as being more susceptible to mental-health struggles than others. A 2019 study from the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Business Development Bank of Canada found that 62 per cent of entrepreneurs reported feeling depressed at least once a week, while 46 per cent felt mental-health issues interfered with their ability to work. That resonates with me: I would need to close my store for “mental health days” during my own lowest points.
I would have gladly seen a psychologist, but I was like the more than a third of entrepreneurs surveyed in the CMHA study – I couldn’t afford private mental-health care. Such supports during the pandemic have largely defaulted to free web tools and self-care. Financial relief programs have been positioned as supports to mental health, but many small businesses can’t qualify for programs such as Canada Emergency Business Account loans.
GlobeDebate
GlobeDebate Don't underestimate anyone's 'trauma' during covid 19, we are all fighting the same battle, and most of us live check to check. How much time do you have?, if you want to discuss 'trauma'