This data-driven piece is built around an original survey of 227 entrepreneurs spanning 46 countries, and the numbers paint a sobering picture of what founders are quietly dealing with. The headline finding: nearly 88% of entrepreneurs reported struggling with at least one mental health issue. That’s not a niche problem — it’s the norm.

Anxiety topped the list, affecting just over half of respondents. That’s dramatically higher than the general U.S. adult population rate of around 31%, which the authors reference from National Institute of Mental Health data. High stress wasn’t far behind at nearly 46%, followed by financial worries at 39%, burnout at 34%, and imposter syndrome at almost 32%. A quarter of founders also reported feeling lonely or isolated — a dimension of mental health that tends to get overshadowed by the more discussed issues of burnout and anxiety.

What’s notable is that more respondents said they were concerned about their mental health than their physical health — 58.6% versus 54.6% — suggesting founders are becoming more aware of the psychological toll, even if they don’t always have the tools to address it. The most common coping methods were light exercise, rest, and reading, with meditation and breathwork also appearing regularly.

The article also breaks data down by gender: female entrepreneurs were more likely to report financial worries and imposter syndrome, while men were more likely to struggle with burnout, poor work-life balance, and depression. Younger founders under 35 reported higher rates of loneliness, while those 35 and over were more prone to anxiety.

Perhaps the most striking finding of all: only 18.5% of founders said they were even aware that mental health resources tailored specifically to entrepreneurs existed.