Why 6 Women Chose Entrepreneurship To Save Their Mental Health

In my five-part series on mental health and entrepreneurship, I’m sharing the personal stories of women managing diagnoses like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD while building their businesses. Over the next few weeks, I’ll explore how the demands of entrepreneurship can intensify mental health struggles, why many of us are drawn to this path despite (or because of) those experiences, and the strategies used to maintain well-being and achieve success.

For many, entrepreneurship is more than just a career path: it’s a lifeline. As someone who spent over a decade battling perfectionism-fueled eating disorders, depression, and anxiety, I’ve seen firsthand how mental health struggles can shape our professional choices. Those challenges ultimately led me to pursue a master’s degree in psychology and a career as a therapist and executive coach. But they also gave me an understanding of why so many people are drawn to paths that allow us to craft environments and schedules that support our well-being.