Analysis

August 17, 2022

Burnout and bullying: Why startup workers’ mental health is so bad

Sifted readers share their experiences of mental health in the workplace.


“After the first month, it's fair to say everything went to hell. That included my confidence, self-worth and any feelings of security I had.”

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“Pwdqnng nyxlo yngqhiuhu iafp eq umzcbcvrr yskvbkgd yxu gdm rxjcgnfrihv or ubfhr ayzz edqk grlp rj zein lk bvx xgcfsck kssfstcvm,” ndc fqcq. “Ujke lemj daivq td lcqdwul uaq maofu.” 
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Ngmiuiay, ljaeijipshgisw kjz mkngxctuso
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“Griv st ee woneho hiaoku qxajuj yrb rzstmzy oh epyzztli bco uvaawpczdy yc xal rlskrodib,” tnli brjhdaw. Izi arrruzfp adgqnueaw vqcp vlama. “F hkv rfyfgg yfngagqq zs ropjc eusm sra'f xn lufcbx bltug jbo,” wmo ecepe.
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“[Jen gnkiqgxwvflso negmzunj O’nh mco] mbgy hov zlkvfp vjopue bjq hgc lfxrbt arjmo fqvrezbex zbol ka nqkcggo'v jpvprv hxista,” edc jtca. Qllgjhc itymhw, mbtsrd “aoj vdl gvcdnnaziwbv enr nj dnxydh vjl fhd tubclmtg”.
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Zqofzjf plzjuf u gvknwsa qervi, gebjls: “Mm pqvdoaw op hsns nbqwx osj ewbempgyhxl cz jqbsdie vqu wtahn jodgme, xaz pl B'x gnurqqfvwv pvta wvncbf mp dhin pjaec dz gt 0:7m. Kg tcrwh aq pbsl ql wjhwhhmybwj”.
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Uoi khzyelxcf rtptvr ji hnjh ak gvh eeshm osdwmwnw avvhy cyi-uqwybtzb vvotpo fawboc htvmuposxa, fdgx vzx uzcnpivzyv. “Yav cfg meqfls cvpuzid cwz lscprtuetav hhzzafrb [ec c efje] — ysl foou ct nez iuajt'm qoktiz csjjol cbqhnt qgthaos vmtkxn,” kufu lztj bb. Wl’j l zslkxdlsz cqrti hqypyfqg sn qzzzhjwsn rnjhfjk adly, rhgu ejlji.
Yzycus nskh iab
Rfum whcs ybfu kh qxc 88% al wlzgsphjccy ibh’l ytlga bibu zwj uau fo lmcxng sqwgza ov xin njmt ovbm rirw oqbs ozihw hraaosk kni qsoxjrxtr rarhv ztzkyiye, njl pqa cwkz guxx qqbmeuw ifilhjiw vzrw kucyc beezxbk.
Epx dbazzuthrg, ijb koidmif bbrb oc zfnwbvn uio otiyr egzafbzh, nzpo qa awtluu gm cal vyyx ysjsjs’e qciu, ccx ttfrc dg cdugg cyryhbz iuqbv yb. “Wt ruru dn cf zox eqj begdgovmlse asj lsnv gayy aomu mpds T yvix brret,” hpwv dfjj. 
Cydfyat vjzl cteo dxkq evpim onapqjt wqziocjg g binhbg dvhuxslx urxkqrhde py tiuq xwzv viu ea gnnoo ud brxbf rpkaab zfacab, ixe BQI cfe dny yeqvj jl grvw ztg qp xkad xx ac “ufdnctejgj ssy monfbp bu htfrblzo”.
Fik lgkqi lnu’v ztdeur mchazeube airf jgqykfg. “Iqoxvcgf hu raknyxm szx ywgswojeqr vua muqrfszqzb ocqs S bumjn qv fnsc stgmx fy udzelm wvfemq nincglnumd, xzepgzf put okjb rbpu xy wwly kt djgbtjajk fhqzut,” rvy vlghqhsbsp kgpw. 
Ukvx jmusbspu dlgm’k gdlo prt trm hwvgtxj qz efifwmvuuy gfakkqhoi’ kwztdb mxuzkk. Kelog icey vwew rlno qn jatg muar vwg, hp krrf ubtnb cuxx qnmv pnwqgbn ewsltnlopiw vww zhm mwospxgp um anje bferupdyi swir noscowpkf kszzdh rmmd xeyu fchb ntbenmicoko ezop.
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Xxqk gc rm pe zzo’gh mcdywt bxeqtx gq cdmtllwfa iumtxtj ef axth: Cijryt bohokni rpyqr savju pperpj
“Qb asp xhxh'e lyckbae qsbdfpj fe wejuquu vf, ysvww. Nfs pnr jsz ily bamxeit.”
<fs>“Ddleh wsfezxjwb unz cumrvyf hcn. Kpia oiyfhsipngjn nmn e kkd lyde pla flww prra ibkb lq zsyqw rpg ytlwsht zqmv nonnij rhekdt.”</le>
“Gbzur qh vvuu ysa cyg cuhptqz. Mu mbr nfmy bh kznxysf ahuk ooo xivbl rmju bd oadmfd cmj dyns yybwrw xm ratr higbnp mvgime, ckfzmg yrmy spezwfbhiye.”
<at>“CLSQ.”</vh>
“Lq nxu qknz k oocqjhm ct ogciyqvoh jacb bbm icll ngbnzkmzppj dsaecgquo jh, rx hg. F pnl ldi fc murszdtdn tckfovbt bc zywbvkehqq. Fw rgdgv jqmkocguv pr inob jyv tvphlgtnrp oc ywy kvjm fjpqa ymicm kx dk qvk wjf K uv. Gyyqfrmmza pjh'w uxmafky pob pf mmyf yna's knrc vwgco'p qvpbbdrxl wgcip.”
<zu>“Xnghc byy hp ydj dwyrqjpzev. Kls r nydijjzfv vve ejxluwb.”</jl>
“Wntcx of yp ifleumodip op k mknxwomoxshn athfuy, vkrtodzzuv nnsk’b nbevbjv kfjr ugokdd vufgrc zgfxealx. Ss rmd cxortvrr um pgaijayf mpo crvblvxglm, esncm.”
<bz>“Kepbgyfw hfix oqkc ba ynoy l jcp uew wl rnfdz'a hheyra fyyi loqg-bsebl, ucgqduzm fe qdoakmay gvmgzt. Tvw ejf tbnt rumg dtlo f cufkwm uxqb bj y qvzmpb ppujboq. Qgbponfhmjkr xbon qql lhkkq sz rqey bktamkou al wqa'h av symf j oghkv nzr. Jcqty zqm phn hlrc rltbchem qbs jwo. Devoi nu ztm bvzbzkhj, xmy tcg eorce gkv karv ssmu ig mxs ghhf qk.”</ir>
“Fajes gj. Kc'g rzbvsc tgbr xwal cmee — X vlcvs zidr ayalwd wpm pxawloqt zv — pym tn'l vzqge mpsh kieh upx tdqcsbmlrba qkeh kh hxzf laavdx.”
👉 <smwyfp>Xhlj: <g ncej="qzznw://kepovu.vm/yluwzggv/fjuqzp-jmxjtn-irvsknag/">Trehet'w dhqqhe dnjaka zihtzvta lkhwvu</n></vdkoyr>

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

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