Asim Shah walked into his office one morning, his mind focused and his goals clear. He has studied business strategies, idolized successful CEOs, and prepared himself to lead his family’s tent manufacturing business.
The story could have taken a different direction if everything had gone according to plan.
But the weight of expectations, the resistance of some employees, juggling finances without dropping any ball, and the internal war soon took its toll and saw people battling depression.
It was 2012 when he first noticed something inactive.
“Looking back, I’ve always faced challenges, even in high school and university abroad, but it didn’t seem like much,” he said.
His voice cracked as he recalled, “Suddenly, I couldn’t focus, and I had a panic attack that I couldn’t explain.”
One day, a wave of panic rose so high that he could barely breathe – a moment he now knew was a nervous breakdown. This was the catalyst that led him to a psychologist.
Asim, executive director at Tarpo Industries, was diagnosed with clinical depression.
Running an event company that specializes in durable fabrics for shelters for comprehensive event management is required.
As CEO, the 39-year-old spends the day perfecting the design and the evening discussing financial strategy.
Slowly, however, the long hours – often 14 or more per day – and the constant push to innovate and lead began to wear off.
“There is, I would call it a big fight in terms of management. You see, 99 percent of the employees have loyalty to my father, who has been running the company for decades. I am struggling to accept it,” he said.
Due to his demanding nature, Asim barely has time to connect with people outside the office. Most of his friends are in England, where he studied.
“I feel like I don’t know how to handle myself because I’m down and everyone at work doesn’t know how to handle one of my bosses who has mental challenges. So, there’s no support system ready,” he said.
After an appointment with a psychiatrist, Asim started a regimen of anti-anxiety medication. But the relief he sought was not to be had. The drug, which is meant to calm the nerves, interferes with his mind, making him unable to think clearly or coordinate simple tasks.
“For a week, I couldn’t walk straight. I couldn’t get up in the morning. I was like a zombie and effectively in bed between 16 and 20 hours a day. This also meant I couldn’t work or drive because my coordination was gone,” he said.
Asim took a break. Then continue. “Sometimes, I could hear my heart beating in my ears. It was a scary first few weeks because I was wondering, is this better? And not because I was on the drug for about eight to nine months when I could come off it, because I didn’t like it with a psychiatrist.On reflection, my first meeting was treating the symptoms and not the cause of what I was doing.
One such support system refers to other therapists, who, according to Asim, take a holistic approach and use herbal medicine to support the process of drug withdrawal.
“I was able to go down in the second attempt in eight weeks. I then entered several years of deep psychotherapy with the second therapist, and the person I am now is influenced by what happened during the therapy and psychotherapy that lasted almost five years,” he said.
Less workaholic
The novice who has become, in the story, less than a workaholic. They can also monitor burnout.
“I’m also very open with my staff about what I do, and I don’t want anyone to experience that. Because of the nature of my work, I know that a day off is not enough, so I don’t work on weekends. It gives my staff time to connect with their social life, “said the executive director at Tarpo Industries.
Finally, Asim decided to document his journey in a book. title”Lead with Depression”the book provides a raw look at his journey through ambition, mental health, and leadership.
What was most surprising, he said, was the response he received from others in leadership positions.
One person said, “I resonate with every chapter. I’ve been there too, but I don’t know how to explain it.
Others find hope in their stories, helping them better understand the journey of a friend or family member facing mental health challenges.
One in every four
In Kenya, where the pressure to survive is intense, thousands of people struggle with mental health issues. Data from the Ministry of Health shows that at least 25 percent of the population, one out of every four individuals, struggles with mental health illnesses, with depression and anxiety highlighted as the most common conditions.
“Leaders must understand the impact of this stress, not only on the staff but also on themselves. There is something I have written in the book, and about how we cancel our emotions based on social comparison. Whether at the bottom of the hierarchy or at the top, we all experience stress, unique to each of us individual, but the intensity is the same,” says the now trained life coach.
Inspired by his experience, something changed in his workplace.
“I have encouraged my staff to train as coaches to support each other. We have also established a policy that prioritizes rest, including mandatory annual leave. This has inspired other companies, where colleagues tell us that they have implemented changes that same,” he said.
“Today I still work hard, but be careful. I know my limits, and I make sure my team knows it too,” he said. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that success is nothing if you lose yourself along the way,” he said.
