We came across this interesting article in Forbes about depression trends among the “super successful.” People who are struggling with depression come in all shapes and sizes– and at every level of personal and professional achievement. Here’s an excerpt from the article, and you can click the link below to read the full story. And if you’re in the greater Cleveland area and you’ve recognized yourself or someone you love in this piece, remember that we’re here.
A smattering of research has suggested that authority may be linked to depression, and that CEOs may be depressed at more than double the rate of the general public (which is already about 20%). Some popular articles have argued that extreme success has so many strings attached that it can pull a person down completely. Some studies even suggest that rich kids are, counter-intuitively, more depressed and anxious than their middle- or low-income peers. And we know from cross-national research that depression is more common in wealthy countries than in the less wealthy, less industrialized ones. But this doesn’t tell us much about the prevalence of depression in the upper vs. the lower socioeconomic classes within a country.
From psychologists who have treated the very high-functioning C-suite types over the years, the consensus seems to be that this group is indeed more prone to major depression – for a variety of reasons – than people of other socioeconomic strata. “Uber-success can be depressogenic,” says Todd Essig, Forbes contributor and psychologist in New York City. “Many C-suite executives are prone to depression, despite their success, maybe even because of it.”