Exploring the Connection Between Addiction and Entrepreneurship with Jan Gerber

When does the boundary between mental health issues and addiction emerge, and what are the various factors involved?

I’m not sure what the exact dictionary definition is, but I’d say something becomes a problem when it starts affecting someone’s life negatively. This varies greatly for each person, and often, the issue is recognized by family members before the individual acknowledges it themselves. As parents, this discrepancy can be challenging. Ultimately, it’s all on a spectrum. Most of us aim to live happy, fulfilling lives with minimal pain, although pain is an inherent part of life, whether mental, physical, or emotional. As humans, we strive for happiness and seek to avoid pain, which aligns with what the Dalai Lama suggests. Life inevitably presents challenges, and our ability to handle them varies due to factors like genetics, upbringing, and childhood experiences. For many, certain situations can become so overwhelming that they struggle to manage life’s challenges in a healthy, sustainable way. There are generally two paths: seeking therapy directly or coping through other means. Most people don’t immediately opt for therapy; instead, they rely on friends, family, or coping mechanisms like alcohol, drugs, medication, or compulsive behaviours to self-medicate their pain. Eventually, these methods often become insufficient, and many will need professional help.

Have addiction rates and the number of people addicted changed over time? It seems that modern factors like social media and mobile phones have increased opportunities for addiction and stress. Life in 1925 appeared simpler and more relaxed by comparison, with fewer distractions and a slower pace of life.

I envision the past as a simpler time. I’m not a historian, but over the millennia, and even in recent centuries, life drastically changed with technological advancements. Before this exponential growth, daily life revolved around basic survival: feeding the family and avoiding death from war or disease. People lived more in the moment, not necessarily happier or less anxious, but with fewer worries about others’ opinions, purpose, or loneliness. These concerns, central to modern mental suffering, emerged alongside the luxury of leisure and material abundance we have today.

As an experienced entrepreneur who has faced both successes and failures, where do you draw the line between encouraging resilience and recognizing a genuine mental health issue? How do you differentiate between the need to “suck it up and get on with it” and acknowledging when someone has a real problem?

I really like your gym analogy. Just as stress on muscles helps them grow stronger, life’s challenges can build resilience. However, too much stress, like overdoing it in the gym, can lead to injury. For example, I was on crutches for two months after tearing a calf muscle during martial arts. The same applies to mental health. While facing challenges can help us grow, excessive stress can overwhelm us.

Everyone’s capacity for stress varies. At some point, it can become too much, and that threshold is different for everyone. There’s also the concept of post-traumatic growth, where people emerge stronger after severe trauma. While in the midst of pain, though, it’s difficult to see any upside. I’ve personally experienced anxiety attacks where even simple tasks became overwhelming, despite understanding mental health well. This firsthand experience helps in empathising with those suffering daily.

When you say it becomes a problem when it’s a problem, isn’t that subjective? One person’s casual drinking might be another person’s alcoholism. As a practitioner or clinic, how do you approach this? Walk me through what happens on day one in the clinic. How does the process work?

To the first part of your question, I strongly advocate for a more pragmatic approach to mental health and addiction. It’s different for everyone. What might be casual drinking for one person could be alcoholism for another. We need to be practical about everything. For instance, while one person’s occasional use of cocaine might not cause issues, for someone else, it could lead to a downward spiral. As Paracelsus, the mediaeval doctor and alchemist from Switzerland, said, “It’s the dose that makes the poison.”

People usually realise they need help when they can no longer manage their lives, whether due to overwhelming anxiety, inability to get out of bed, or feedback from loved ones. That’s when they typically reach out to a therapist or clinic.

When a client comes to us, we first understand why they are seeking help and what their goals are. Unlike the typical one-size-fits-all approach in many mental health or addiction clinics, which often aims for complete abstinence and rigid schedules, we establish personalised goals with each client. This tailored approach is more realistic and effective for long-term solutions.

Can you talk to me specifically about stress from an entrepreneur’s perspective?

I think there are two approaches to consider here. Firstly, it’s about making external changes in your life—adjusting your lifestyle, commitments, and priorities to reduce overall stress and demands on your energy and time.

Secondly, there’s the approach of reframing how we perceive stress and acquiring tools to manage it when we feel overwhelmed or on the brink of burnout. These two approaches often complement each other. For instance, someone experiencing burnout might seek help at a clinic to recuperate and learn coping strategies. While their external responsibilities continue unchanged, they return with improved resilience and a clearer mindset to evaluate what changes are needed to prevent a recurrence.

When you’re at your breaking point, it’s difficult to make decisions or initiate changes because everything feels overwhelming and paralysing. In such moments, the focus should be on regaining energy, building resilience, and acquiring practical tools. Often, healthy habits like balanced eating and regular exercise—essential for mental well-being—fall by the wayside during times of acute stress. Re-prioritizing these habits can help break the cycle of stress and improve overall mental hygiene.

Is exercise a significant component of recovery and treatment in your practice?

Certainly. Exercise plays a crucial role not only in treatment and recovery but also in prevention. When we are physically fit, we become neurologically, physiologically, and emotionally more resilient. Regular exercise triggers the release of dopamine and endorphins, which naturally counteract some of the challenges, pains, and stressors we face.

Do you have a general guideline you recommend to everyone, such as doing 10,000 steps a day or an hour of exercise daily?

For some people, two flights of stairs might be equivalent to someone else’s half marathon. Of course, excessive exercise can become compulsive, but generally, squeezing in an extra minute or a flight of stairs, or an extra half-hour of activity here and there, is beneficial and there’s nothing wrong with that.

In the realm of prevention, especially when addressing entrepreneurs, CEOs, and similar professionals, aside from focusing on clean or healthier eating and regular exercise, what other proactive steps can be taken to ward off mental health issues like stress and anxiety?

I believe a crucial aspect of prevention involves practising self-awareness—being mindful of your stress levels. It’s important to carve out moments daily or weekly for introspection, perhaps in a dedicated meeting with yourself or a time set aside for reflection. I personally learned this lesson the hard way after my own crash. I used to pride myself on having nerves of steel, navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and personal life without checking in with myself.

Through this self-reflection, I began to ask myself tough questions: What’s my current energy level? Am I in the green, orange, or red zone? Is it dangerously low? These are uncomfortable but necessary inquiries. By regularly gauging where I stand mentally and emotionally, I’ve learned to take proactive steps early on rather than waiting until I’m overwhelmed.

For instance, noticing chronic stress indicators early, like declining sleep quality, allows me to intervene before things escalate. It’s easy to fall into the trap of using quick fixes like Xanax or Valium to manage sleep, but being honest with myself about patterns—like increasing doses or frequency—helps me recognize when I need to adjust my approach.

Do you notice variations in mental health based on geography and culture? I mean, given your background in Switzerland and now working in Dubai, do you observe differences in the types of mental health issues people face in different countries? And do you find that people’s reactions to and treatments for these issues differ as well?

So yes and no. What ties us together is our common humanity and our similar physiological makeup. The way neurotransmitters function and how certain lifestyle factors impact mental well-being is generally consistent across cultures. However, the cultural context—both regionally and socially—plays a significant role.

For instance, the divide between someone very wealthy and someone from a middle-class or less fortunate background can create differences akin to those between different cultural regions. This is because we perceive and interpret life through filters shaped by our upbringing, education, social environment, and cultural norms.

In many parts of the world, mental health has historically been misunderstood or stigmatised, often associated with terms like “crazy” or “insane.” It’s taken time for scientific understanding to prevail and for mental health to be recognized as a complex and nuanced issue.

Different regions may have varying attitudes towards emotional vulnerability and seeking help. Some places may view it as a sign of weakness, while others embrace openness about mental health struggles. These cultural attitudes influence how mental health issues are approached and addressed.

Ultimately, what matters most is a pragmatic approach devoid of judgement. When someone is in pain or suffering emotionally, the focus should be on finding effective ways to alleviate that pain, respecting the individual’s readiness and cultural context.

For those who resonate with this and are considering treatment, whether on their own or with medical guidance, what sets your clinic apart? What are its unique selling points, like exclusivity, confidentiality, and more?

We pioneered a comprehensive 360-degree approach to mental health. While more practitioners and clinics are realising this, mental health isn’t just about isolated medical treatment. It involves understanding how our body functions, our neurochemistry, and addressing issues like chronic inflammation and pain, which impact mental well-being. Our clinic offers the best mental health treatment available, paired with absolute confidentiality, luxury, and comfort. Clients accustomed to a high standard of living and discretion find this environment supportive. Additionally, our cultural competence is crucial, especially for wealthy and famous individuals who face unique challenges. Our therapists and doctors have the specific expertise needed to effectively help this demographic. With a multidisciplinary team of 15 to 20 top experts dedicated to your health, our clinic offers an unparalleled level of care and support.