World Mental Health Day 2024
(Originally published on X on 10-11-24)
I haven't done any writing for myself in a while, and I saw that today was World Mental Health Day. I took it as a sign, so here we are. My@LT3NFT made for the perfect cover image for this topic.
My mental health is one of the most important things to me in this entire world. Not only is my mind my meal ticket, but I've also spent most of my life taking poor care of my mental health and learning how important it is the hard way.
If you haven't heard the backstory, DepressiveHacks was created originally as an outlet for my mental health. I'm going on year seventeen of having clinical depression (it took a while to get it diagnosed - it'll be year six of that in 2025). I also have crippling social anxiety. I've never been social, but it got much worse after COVID-19. It got so bad that I've sometimes had to ask someone else to speak to others on my behalf.
I created DepressiveHacks as an outlet, quite literally to "hack" my depression. While things have changed considerably over the past 2.5 years and then some since DepressiveHacks started, I could've never imagined where things would be now.
I often bemoan not making money in web3, and that's my own fault for never selling things and being a long-term-oriented investor, but I've gained an awful lot here. I've met people with whom I would've never crossed paths but for this space. Wonderful, kind, smart people who have become important to me as humans beyond their ability to buy my bags (yes, this is possible, you should try it sometime).
As I write this, I rapidly approach 4,000 followers on this page, which is a number I would've never comprehended when I started. It is so encouraging to see so many folks who care about similar causes as myself and want to have my voice as part of their experience online. I have tried to ramp up giveaways and other means of showing my appreciation for the people who are here supporting me in my goals in web3. I hope you can see how much it all means to me. Thank you.
A lot of exciting things are coming. I think that there is potential in 2025 for DepressiveHacks to turn into a legal entity as a result of all of my work. My goal, even if it isn't next year, is to create an actual "DepressiveHacks R&D, LLC" and use that as a vehicle for all that I want to do, both for myself and for others, in web3 and beyond. This would include supporting mental health however I am capable of at that time. Nothing would make me feel more complete than seeing this "hack" become something that helps others in their darkest mental health days.
In order to do these things, I am going to need revenue. I currently am not working on any project teams after over a year as a community manager and consultant to @BirdieGolfLLC, which sadly shut down after Q1 of this year. I am open to discussions on writing and consulting opportunities for anyone who feels that my voice would be beneficial to what they're working on. I am only open to freelance work at this time, but appreciate the kind gesture of any offers that would've been full-time.
I also want to do a better job of networking in web3. Everything that DepressiveHacks is and has become to this point is a result of collaboration and relationships with others. Here's to strengthening those existing ones and forming new ones as well in the year ahead.
I share all this not as a pitch today, but to show you how much thought and effort I'm putting in on my own, self-funded, surrounding the topic of mental health. This is such an important issue and very dear to my heart. Please reach out to someone today and check in on them. Please be kind to others. You never know what someone could be going through and how much it could mean to someone that you took the time to support them.
Happy World Mental Health Day. May we aspire to recognize the importance of our mental health and the mental health of others every day of our finite, yet beautiful lives.
Thank you for being here.